The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-27
THE FRAWLEYS
IN COSTUME
Miss Bates Scores IAN
Enemy to the King"
THE 0'NEIL'S PARTHENIA
"ROMEO AND JULIET GIVEN
AGAIN AT THE TIVOLI.
Alcazar's "In Mizzoura"-Morosc
"Trilby"-orpheum ana Al
hambra Variety-Con-
tinuation Of Zones"

Mr.. Frawley and his company dared the
superstitions last night by moving over
the way to the Baldwin. Superstition, or,
rather, the superstitious defiance of ordn-
airy superstition, has had a lot to do win
the success of this company-at least so
the press agent would have us believe.
When the Frawleys first came to San
Francisco and opened at the Columbia
the press agent had worlds of fun and adj
vertising out of Mr.. Frawley's daredevil
fondness for the number thirteen" On
the opening night there were thirteen ac-
tors in the cast, thirteen lights In the loo
by, thirteen precious stones in Mr.. Fried
lander's shirt toilet and who remem-
bers what other mystic combinations!
And the season began promptly on the
thirteenth of the month. Mr.. Frawley, I
have read somewhere, didn't want to
change his theater this time but the Co.
lumbia bookings were full, and the Fraw-
leys were needed to make out the Baldwin
season, so he was induced and Miss
Blanche Bates, the flower of the old band,
was borrowed from Augustin Daily to help
along the occasion. And as many of the
old SuperStitionS as possible were put in
force too. In fact, the thirteens were
doubled on, and last night saw twenty
six actors in the cast and an opening on
the twenty-siXth of the month.
The piece, was An Enemy to the King"
d N.
that was made successful In New York
by E. H. Sothern's work in the leading
part. You have read before now Of Mr..
Frawley's loss of leading man. 1t was
owing to that disaster that he appeared
last night in the role made famous by
Mr.. Sothern. Any one that has studied
Mr.. Sothern and Mr.. Frawley will admit
that their methods and personalities are
somewhat different. To me it is even
strange that they should have an occu-
patton in common. But Mr.. Frawley
Launay, the Hugeonot hero of Mr.. Ste
phens romance he acted for his life one
might say. Mr.. .Frawley's acting is of
known color and quality, and it never
stiffened parts, like say the festina lente
officer in THE Senator" he is as much
as admirable and delightfully."- funny. In
parts of heroic character he is perhaps
just as funny but not so admirable. So
there is no need to describe his effort of
last night. He was Mr.. Frawley-that
and nothing else in the world.
But for all Mr.. Frawley's unconviction
as a serious character there is something
in the man himself that is earnest and
good-natured and makes friends in the
may be, helped him better than ever last
night. He was recalled at the close of
the excellent third act, and made an hon.
est little speech, straight from the heart,
in which he said that short of the small
pox the Frawley Company had suffered
every epidemic in nature this season;
and inexplicable piece of luck than to
good management that we found It's rem
nants here at all, that he had taken this
his first costume part in an emergency
and at the last moment, that he hardly
knew the lines, and feared he wronged
the author. but that he thanked US and
1t was a genuine little talk, and cheered
us all up and covered a multitude of
artistic sins.
The entire company seemed more or less
nj
given a successful trying out and the
prospect is performance with several
examples of good acting within night or
her part of Julie de Vernon. 1t is not
the best she has ever done, but 1t is fine,
distinguished work, never overdrawn and
Illness. She was cheered and lowered at
the end of the first act until the real
tears were in her eyes. She came down
to the lights and said: 'All l can say
is that 1 thank you from the bottom of
my heart for this kind welcome home
for it is home, although 1t isn't the Col
cerely glad to have her back again. 1t is
no longer mere provincial pride to reckon
Blanche Bates among the. foremost ac-
tresses of America.
Sam Edwards as the serio-comic hench-
man of the Huguenot hero was conspicu
Gus among the others of the cast that
did well: Mr.. Roberts was proud and
splendid as the Catholic Governor; Joseph
P. Keeefe celebrated his first appearance
with the company by a very plausible
soldier of fortune, and G. Foster Platt
Miss Georgia Wells hadn't very much to
do as the innkeeper's daughter, but did it
nicely enough The same for Miss Flea
AS to the play itself 1t Is a costume
drama "a type not to be taken too serious
ly) with really beautiful third act. 1t
/ is no more like a comic opera than most
of it's kind; maybe not so much. 1t is pic
torial to a degree, not riotously florid in
the speeches, and not overloaded with
Gnder the Red Sys q t this same ame
is woman, not man, whose honor
rooted in dishonor stood The life of
sheltered Huguenots, and the price she
must pay to save 1t is to decoy young
Huguenot captain into the hands of his
enemies. He saves her from insult in the
first act, and tries vigorously to give up
his life to save her again in the third. And
she does about what Gil de Berault would
plenty of high words and tall fighting and
considerable pictorial charm; and, as said
earier the third act Is beautiful In
blended. and the action is 1.-THE and tell
ing This is the sun-dial act that you see
pictured On on the posters and It deserves it's
credible in their notwithstanding
clothes. ASHTON STEVENS.
Columbia.
The week began at the Columbia with the
Greek love idyl "Ingomar. the Barbarian
and Nance ONeill in a decollete Del Sarte
role with Edwin Forrest trimmings. Although
suffering from hoarseness Miss O'Nell acted
the trying part in a manner which gained for
her the sympathy of her audience. The Greek
dress gave her ample opportunity to display a
fine pair Of arms and bust fair enough to
satisfy a sculptor, while her lines calling for
tenderness and maidenly devotion were spoken
for the most part in the fair-weather way
called for by the spirit of the play. Here. it