The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-08-08
MILITARY DRAMA
AND A PATHETIC
CENTRAL FIGURE
d" Brother Officers" Is
a Success.

;
ficers," was last night offered to a San
Francisco audience by Henry Miller and
his company at the Columbia and ac-
cepted with applause and, many curtain
calls To those who have eyes and will
see the pathetic heart story of Brother
Officers is laid bare in the first act.
Lieutenant John Kinds, a great-hearted,
strong-souled fellow, a diamond in the
rough. sprung from the gutter, but with
the feelins" of a gentleman, having
passed with distinction through the ranks
to a commission, is suddenly set down in
the midst OF swelldOm in the persons Of
the First Lancers and its guests, whose
ancestors. TO a man, we are made to feel,
be0ueathed them the priceless legacy or
an aristocratic name
The feeling that he has, up to this,
missed the best companionship, Is evoked
IN sudden agony, as he touches, for the
first time, the hand of beautiful, cul-
tured woman, Lady Roydon. He mas
been distinguished for great bravery III
the ranks, has, by daring courage, saved
the life of his brother officer" Lieuten-
ami Iauncelot Pleydell; he has the soul
of hero and the discipline OF his COM
partnership is TO make men OF more imam
one of his comrades Yet there ne stanos,
a most pathetic inquire, restless, III al
eas Sc feeling his shortcomings, not know
ing his worth, telling Launcelot, When
they are alone, that he wants 10 pc
ing, eating smoking and the rest. II
a matter Of breed he says, we come
from different stables" And Launcelot
promises to lick him into shape. IN
obedience to the latter's advice TO be
genial and easy with the officers OF the
mess lords and all, he goes through ms
whole reDertOTy of manners, and IN try
ing to do justice TO the occasion makes
the awful mistake OF ASKING ms qea an
ship" his holiness, what he would say
TO a peg something small" a whisky
church and confusion TO heretics! Inc
comedy of the situation makes pIs
laugh, but the. pathos OF II makes fnoroo tne
with every false move until, in the MIDST
of his trying Hospitality to persuade
champagne upon the ladies the OLD c0lonel
anDears upon the scene and in hard I'M
shaded fashion rebukes his lack of man
ners before them all-poor fellow, Wheh
he meant so we'll Then The laugh ceases.
Lady ROydon whose slghtest Visit Is
law saves the situation and proves her
right to a title by suddenly becoming
thirsty and asking them al 10 JON ra nea
Gentleman and his better acquaintance
The glasses are raised, the toast Is druLk
"a pause-then once more mis- 3ie time In
gratitude, with his lips. curtain. 1900.
LADY Roydon loves her cousin. Launce-
lot; she has told us so in look ana TONE ne
of happiness are forever lost IN pressure
of the lips. In two more acts ne pecoLleSS
n.
saV Yes the boy from disgrace and discharge
by discovering in one Hutton, VINO Is
pressing for the paynein1L oi Sbn bas
robbed his (HndsD father OF fortune anu
honor and from whom word Will sehd
the fellow to penal serEltuue anu his bi
love for Lady ROydon prompts MN 70
withdraw his help and let Launcelot go 70
the devil that ne may NIL his place; puL
MS better nature quickly takes shape by
pressure from without. and he. gives up
knowing. as We all DO, that II : pest -
for somehow. though ne Is COCO ehqus I u,
we know that he could never make Lady
Roydon happy. There are two classes OF
men fsI r in Witb the en rest. anu
E ouncaiot a worthless sort of fellow
through false education, wins her nanu
and because of love she will probably De
banny Kinds, natures nobleman, loses
her and because of love all his happiness
is dead So the world wags The hrst act
is best in dialogue and SITUATION lle sec
Cnd IN serious interest and the tn1rd IN
scene The second is too slow ana mace
somewhat slower than necessary by What
but II has clever drop and wins two
calls Kinds. Lady Roydon. Launcelot
and Hutton are four Wen crawl yaI, cha r. ife
seeing Mr. Miller as John Kinds we won
der If there is "a dramatic problem ne IS
not capable of graphing with ana mas
tic 6bedient unreasoning quality ana
disapDears under his makeup. which IS
/ the most natural, anu, pCSt VI ehAi ~ -
One says so many pleasant things OF
Miss Auglin that the collection OF ad1ec-
lives at ones command Is about eX-
/ hausted AS Lady Roydon she is just
herself and what more can be sald IN
praise? Mr.. Standing gets our blessing
! when he wins her, in spite of our con-
y,iction that he doesn't deserve her, be-
cause Mr. Standing digs down in the
character and shows us the spots where
itS praces lie Mr.. Stevens in the third
act wins a well-deserved scene call, and
( although scene calls are bad and should
not be encourage 1 clapped myself. The
/ nartS are generally divided, for even the
furnishing in the way of lovers. mothers
/ and devoted gallants is good garnishing
Miss Dale has one fine speech and makes
/ a hit with it, and Mrs. Whiffen as
| Tauncelots mother, with her superhuous
! and misplaced adjectives, and her pen
| chant for matchmaking, is most anus
! ing figure Mr. Allen in the small part or
| the curate does good work, and the
J minor support is most satisfactory
/ The plot of the play Is not exceeding
novel but it IS well worked out, The
| sna1e curtain rings down on Kinds step
! ping easily out of wide door doors that
/ lead to desolation are always wide) on
/ his way TO India. But what matters the
/ niace? The backward look he gives upon
! The happiness he is leaving shows us but
! too clearly that all places viii for the
/ future be the same to him. And the birds
! sing because the sun is rising
CHARLOTTE THOMPSON.