The San Francisco call., 1899-08-03
BLANCHE
IS TRULY ONE
OF OUR GIRLS

o.
\ ten with a moral to serve an
and for the French have long
since lifted the drawbridge and
shut down the portcullis on the
r,reiudices they entertain in favor OF their
domestic institutions, and you'll never
take them by storming them with an
American comedy. Nor is the lesson for
us-our girls are given guidance ana
liberal rein from the start and seldom
fail to keep inside the rails" and reach
the matrimonial goal bright eyed and
nure hearted. The sarcasm of the COM
edv is what plea ses us. We do enjoy
taking a rise" out of the devotee OF
Froissart, and we are glad that Bronson
Howard has given us chance Inc
play, if old fashioned and wordy, Is IN
terasting and amusing, has quiet effective
curtain drops, some very bright dialogue
and never loses sight of its intentions.
The episode of the American girl and the
Irish officer in a French situation is alb
surd and much better acted than the sit
uation % deserves. A true IrlShman
would have throttled FlOrian de Crebll-
lon at the third word and a Frenchilid,Rf -
of the Henri St. Hilaire order, even II
fainting, would have run him through IN
a trtce Neither of them would nave al
lowed Kate Shipley to hear more than
. nhrase of that tongues utterance."
The presence of that creature, whose
character is to be counted but an mel
dent in the progress OF tne nome lam
iIv,'' would have brought any self-respect-
ing male TO arms in hot haste. Inc slap
came aeons too late. But there are com
pensatiOns for this mistake, and we WISH
MIR, Howard would write oftener. Why
is his pen practically silent OF !aLe years
viii not a man lose his skill by mac
ton?
she plays the role so evenly, charmlngly
and satisfactory is no surprise. Inc
mower 10 hold the stage merrily for many
,,iD IA does In the second act,
denotes ability of no mediocre order, ana
SO infectious is the mirth that ere we
know 1T we are all laughing with her:
She might add to the present charm OF
the little scene If she faced the audience
less In fact, the atmosphere OF soIll0-
quy, now a little thin, would be perfectly
created il she turned her back upon US
altogether. This will be counted ara
matte heresy, but in revival week WISH
beautiful things, not calmly, but in great
peace. Emerson's essays express a strong
belief in the man who changes ms rnlnu'
who says one thing to-day ana me op-
DOsite tomorrow, and with this backing
let the words Miss Bates does not un-
derstand the art Of dressing" be for the
especially two and three, are dainty, ar
tistic and beautiful. When she throws
over the reseda of number two a cloak
with a touch of pink and dash, OF black
harmony is complete. She may tearlessly
speak of her very best nat, Tor that
hat is TO be coveted and it finishes a cos
Miss Bates does ingenious comedy with
eirlish simplicity, and in the early scenes
her Julie Is given just the right touch,
but neither She nor Mr.. Hickman are
emotional, and when the sentiment deep
ems they fail to satisfy. Harrington Key
nolds plays the quiet character OF Or.
Girodet exceedingly well, and Augustus
Cook, whom we knew last week as Ma
DoleOn is so very different and properly
hateful as De CrebillOn that one scarcely
knows him He is artistcally revolving
and this is meant for praise. Mr.. Arm
0rv as De Fouche-Fonblanqu wakes up
toward the end of the play and comes on
TO explain things in a really comtcal way.
Mr. Fra aWley, no matter what the CHAR
acter is always the same. The only
thing that distinguishes Captain Gregory
from any other part he has played is an
Irish brogue, which he comes by honest
ly and honestly delivers. The minor sup
port is fair and the production as whole
Certainly worth the full weeks run.
The right to criticize bad scenery should
not be sparingly used If we are TO coax
the rulers Of our scenic world TO be mer-
ctflI to man. The scenery at the Call
artistic set in the flies, II has not yet been
wheeled out, and the furniture that con-
glomerates upon the stage reminds one OF
houses furnished by the gifts of kind
friends who knew naught of each Others
intentions. Last night, a certain ugly
green table cover, much beloved Of the
property man, came out once more 10
decorate a well-built table with decent
carving and a polished top. In the sec
ond act thank goodness, a sudden gust
of managerial wind Whisked il away, but,
although one should be able to 'quell the
visions of the inmOst eye when they rise
sinfully" one remembers to the end that
that table cover, in whose fringe ones
nerves are knotted, had covered that ta-
BILE. May it never appear again. VINO
bought It? -