The San Francisco call., 1899-07-04
Strong, but Too Diff
fuse in Parts.
M0R0SCO'S BEGGAR STUDENT
HAYES AND LYTTON THE HITS
AT THE ORPHEUM.
"Ruy Bias" Given Its First Presen-
tation Here by the Lam
bardis at the Al
hambra.

In the last few years the Alcazar
management has done more to encour-
age playwriting than all the other
theaters in the West put together The
unknown author is not scorned over
there in O'Farren street, the untried
play is not reckoned as a signal for
the Sheriff. Write one that shows the
marks of intelligence and somebody in
the Alcazar will read it, and If it should
please, the management will take
chance and give it a chance. A few
good new plays (and some bad ones)
have come to light in the Alcazar in
this way, and I do not think that on
the whole the theater has come out
loser. However that may be, this policy
of grit and independence challenges the
respect Of all Of US who take serious
interest in the native drama, whose
chances are none TOO many.
The new piece last night was a cur
tain raiser by Miss Charlotte Thomp-
son Of this city named Only the Mas
ter Shall Blame after line of L En-
vol in Kiplings Seven Seas" 1t is
over an hour in the playing, given at
times TO very high language and want
ing in action. Three persons do and
say ali that has to do with the story;
.
lief Of the old LyCeum Theater style)
are uninteresting, undramatic IN them
selves, and a dead weight on the stride
Of the piece. But in the hour there are
fully thirty minutes of fairly human
drama, some strong speeches for Miss
Roberts on what Miss Thompson patty
terms the comedy of friendship" and
d quick, effective curtain drop.
This is the story in brief. Richard
Leary, surgeon, L. S. A. has seen Mar
garet Neil coming out of a disreputable
house and has straightway turned
away to his club to nurse his heart in
bitterness. He does not meet her
again until she has become the be-
trothed of his friend, Captain John
Nenable. To the captain he tells what
he saw, and another bitter man is sent
clubward To Leary the girl explains
how a relative had sent her to the dis
reputable address by mistake, and the
surgeon struggles weakly 'twixt love
and honor. He writes a note of eX
planatiOn TO the captain, and then,
With that in his hand, makes passion
ate prOtestationS to the lady on his own
account. She repulses, and he sits
down at a table and quietly dies of
heart disease. She takes the note from
the dead mans hand, sees what has
sent her lover away, and in her happt-
ness forgives the corpse as the curtain
falls
Cut to the right proportions, the play
ought to prove a good one for Miss
Roberts. She has been sympathetically
favored in the part of Margaret, which
abounds in the irony, Indignation and
strenuous womanliness that find ready
Interpretation in this clever actress.
Mr. Whittlesey as Leary and Mr.. Deni-
thOrne as Captain Nenable are inclined
to be OverpOsed. Mr. Denithorne is
overposed by nature. Mr.. Whittlesey is
aided in that way, perhaps, by his
lines, which would be better for more
practical and less fine writing.
The audience was extremely demon
strative at the close of the play, the
applause continuing until the author
was twice compelled to step forward to
the lights with Miss Roberts.
Don Caesar de Bazan" followed with
Mr.. Morrison an energetic figure in the
title role and Miss Roberts a finely
metaled Mariana.
ASHTON STEVENS