The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-07-21
NEW MAGDALEN
AT THE ALcAZAR

- HE New Nagdalen" is certainly the
1 most absurd mixture of pathos anu
l melodrama, of tragedy and unlnteh-
/ tional humor that ever gained anu
rewarded the interest OF the"t1l
going public. Serious talk there was pe-
fore the rise of the curtain on MONDAY
night of withdrawing the play on mus
day and running Camille the rest OIL tiiS
week With standing room well occupleU
and advance sales taking giant Stli1o'
and running leaps to Sunday, the lnIetl-
ton becomes a dead issue. Verify, VIZ
can feel the public pulse and prescribe
the necessary dose? There is but one Ililo
in the play written for a laugh, ana ve1
many of the serious speeches come up
against such opposite situations that AZ.
eVitably they eVentuate IN IeIill
The mummers experienced milo SUI piIse
and the audience complacently 1eels 'il"t
it has rewarded a bid for laugh 10 Ine
complete satisfaction of the bidder, LIS
the ne plus ultra of the unexpected.
Fancy a playwright giving a surgeon
a long, feveriSh melOdramatlc speech !"
deliver while he performs critical oPer-
alton upon the brain of woman Iltle,
tenthS along the road TO Paraolse aho
making him when the bullet IS eAltdcte1
step to the foot of the couch and tell
the audience and the Master of all go0d
Workmen'' how proud he is OF the 1oD.
The episode recalls little Jack Homer,
who put in his thumb and pulled OUT
plum and said What good boy am |!
Mr. Webster outdoes the intentions OF
the author in demonstration and enthu-
siasm, and we long to rush TO the rescue
of poor helpless Grace Roseberry, with
roll Of antiseptic gauze and an hour OF
than the one of Grace Roseberry
How could such speeches ever find
of woman of gentle birth? Miss Nan
merry plays the part according to aer
light about as well as it deserves to be
played, but her light does not shine like
"a good deed In n9nVhtU world - aud
Grace gropes on melodramatically to her
destiny. And yet in spite of absurdity
we are interested to the end
The part of Mercy Merrick has been
played by almost every emotional actress,
good and bad, since the days of Ada Cav
endish who created the role years ago
in London, but never have we seen it done
IN the quiet, earnest, thoughtful way Of
Miss Roberts, who makes us feel it is
right. She does not whine through four
acts IN search of consolation and pity,
but, convinced that the common course Of
things Is in favor of unhappiness, she
strikes for the one chance of redemption,
straightens a bend where she can and in
the end faces what seems the inevitable
with single sob. The subdued tone of
the early acts gives the one great speech
in the fourth an added value. and Miss
Roberts gives a climax here such as only
the most intelligent sense of the true emo
tional could dictate. Julian Gray is a
unique figure of clergyman, a right good
fellow, in fact. He is made to say in the
course of the dialogue: Il obtrude my
profession on no one" In sooth, how
could he when his first entrance. in the
solemn cloth" rushes him headlong to
the wine bottle, with MY aunt's claret is
worthy of my aunt Vive la France"
upon his lips. And let me tell you, this is
mild when compared with the original. in
which Julian is given a half-page apos-
trophe to mirth, pleasure and the joys of
the town. A medieval swashbuckler
would not be given a jollier speech.
1t serves, however, to put us en- rapport
with the human side of his nature, and we
follow him with comfortable assurance
that he will guide without preaching, and
love when he meets his fate with all the
ardor of his lay brethren. Mr.. Whittlesey
gives an admirable performance of the
role, meeting Miss Roberts mood with
one equally quiet and convincing. One Of
the most conspicuous virtues of this actor
is that he never overaCts. Miss Howe
does excellent work as Lady Janet Roy
'all the years. of whose life have been
wasted in longing for something TO love"
The other roles are creditably sustained
by the members of the Alcazar stock
company, and the play, with all its incon-
gruites, has never a dull spot. Next
week we shall with regret bid farewell to
Mr.. Morrison, who returns to play for the
last time his old beloved part of Faust
CHARLOTTE THOMPSON.