The record-union., 1898-12-06


sent Shakespeare with company prin-
cipally recruited from San Francisco
actors out of employment She pre-
sented her masterpiece, Mary Stuart"
which was followed by "Magda,' AS
You Like It." Cleopatra" and Mac
beth,'' in all of which classics the
writer has seen her. Modjeska in her
prime, was a great actress-and is even
yet-but her Polish accent, which seems
to be growing as she advances in years,
is a great drawback, and the scenery
which she used was familiar, for the
mcsst part to all San Francisco theater-
goers. If one could close ones ears
and simply watch the stage pictures
and the grand acting, facial expression,
etc. of Modjeska, he would be charmed,
but when he hears her numbering
Shakespeare's English, as for instance,
when in the sleep-walking scene OF
Macbeth" she says, wringing her
hands, Villa these-a hands ne'er be-a
.clean?" one thinks of a peanut vender
or an organ grinder instead of the
broken-down Lady Macbeth. This may
be considered disrespectful but it is
true nevertheless.
Again the management was at loss
for an attraction and the Frawley COM
pany was hurried back to San Fran
cisco from the road and filled in six
more weeks. But every cloud has sill
yer lining and our great favorite,
Blanche Bates, was the silver lining.
Doubtless overcome with pity for t.
Daniel Frawley, who recognized her
talent and did so much to bring her
10 h hi i1l, q "a
cured A leave of absence from Augustin
Daily, came on to San Francisco from
New York and renewed her former po
sition of leading lady. Her most pro-
nounced success was as the Countess
Vera in Days comedy, "The Last
Word" her Russian accent being de-
lightful. Then, too, she gave San
Francisco it's first opportunity to see
an Ibsen play, THE Dolls House" su-
perintending the production herself and
appearing as Nora.
Charles Dickson and Henrietta Cross
man were next seen in their comedy,
Mistakes Will Happen" the rehearsal
in the barn and Carrie Behr's German
servant being the only real hits.
The event of the season, William Gill
lette in Secret Service for which San
Francisco had to wait three years, at
last came, and jammed houses greeted
the actor playwright in his war drama.
Unlike Belasco's play, with its dra
matte charges, sensational curfew scene
and elaborate scenery, Secret Service"
depends on it's intense situations and
can be guaranteed to raise the hair and
thrill the nerves of the most hardened
thea'tergoer. And then, when we were
boasting of a real first-class play the
terrible Baldwin fire occurred, which,
as everyone knows, put an end to the
Baldwin Theater
If the wrath of Charles Frohman
was a misfortune, the burning of the
Baldwin Theater was a dire calamity.
Heretofore standard companies coming
to this coast have figured on at least
a two weeks engagement at the Bald
win, the most profitable theater in CAL
ifornia. Now that they are deprived
of this, for E. ]. Baldwin says he will
not include a theater in any building
he erects, it is doubtful if many first
class stars or companies will care to
come to San Francisco and play at the
California Theater, which has become
the home of 10, 20 and 80 cent produc-
tions, or at the Columbia Theater the
seating capacity of which is not large.
Inasmuch as Sacramento, Oakland, Los
Angeles and other important cities Of
this coast are dependent on San Fran
cisco for their theatrical attractions,
the disastrous effects of the burning of
the Baldwin Theater will be far reach
ing.
Signal Service" has been filling out
the second week of its engagement at
the California Theater and crowded
houses have been the rule. But we
don't get Gillette masterpieces often,
and it's departure will mark the end Of
novelties for some time to come. The
only announcements of Importance in