The San Francisco call., 1899-12-26
CHRISTIAN, /"
BY HALL GAME,
IS HEARD HERE
FraWley Company in
a War Play.
oRPHEUM PRESENTS FoUGERE

The production Of The Christian is
one OF the lesser episodes in the dramatic
history of san Francisco The play has
had "a splendid success wherever IL has
been given. and 81 Is one Of the things
that We of san Francisco have long been
awaiting.
The Author Is ar pains 10 point out
in "a note on the programme that though
the play is described as founded on the
novel. IL is not altogether the same in
tts character or Its motive. What
dramatizauion OF a novel is the same as
The novel in its character and its mo-
II is essential 10 dramatic structure
that the elements and incidents OF a
story must Doe altered and rearranged be-
iQre u - suitable Tor presentation on the
stage. The apology OF the author IS
therefore. idle. and would appear 10 ask
Indulgence for the play from those who
have not read The Christian and am
therefore perhaps the better prepared to
Judge The PLAY as a play. IL IS a clever
fake. That sounds rather severe hut will
admit OF explanation. The Christian IL
clever. sufficiently compact and in spots
very strong, vet u Us still "A fake. II FOR no
other reason than IL was written by that
hiEh-pricst OF takers Hall Caine. IL Is a
good play. a good sort Of refined melo-
drama. that makes FOR the big pillows OF
emotion rather than the finer vibrations
rncnts. III the story were served as sen
satiOnal serial the words continued in
our next would come In most aptlv. An
appropriate background for Cleancut
chunks OF sentiment and heToism Is sup
piled by a growing mob-an adjunct 20
The drama as important FOR working up
an audience as the orchestra is in mod
ern opera must not forget while on
this subject that the organ is used In THE
Christian as a substitute for the slow
music OF less reserved plays.
There was "A feeling prevalent IN the
town that the COMPANY presenting The
Christian was an inferior one which had
been palmeQ OF on us as others have
been, and In a measure this Is true. II is
al inferior company but Yet a good one.
Inferior. no doubt 20 the companies that
have played In New York and which.
through the parsimony of our managers.
We are prevented from seeing. / was most
agrceablv disappointed in the players at
the Columbia. who. ~ not first-class. are
better than second rate. Effie Ellsler par
ticularly was surprise. Her naturalness
Is delightful and she has the discriminat-
Ing touch 81 the true artist in the emo
tional scenes. She does more than make
good the handicap Of dimlnutlve stature.
and Is always the most vital member in
the scenes Of which she Is n share Mr.. Col
Vile as John Storm Is interesting. The
part Is one In which much depends upon
the personality OF the actor, the elements
OF force and sincerity which he can bring
10 his aid. COlvllle falls short Of being
convincing, hut the figure of the cleric as
he makes him is vital ana strong. Col
Ville's voice o. absolutely noble. Edward
Emery does the Young rake Lord Robert.
with a fidelity of character that IS ad-
mirable. and Carrie Hoyle as Mrs Callen-
der shows quite remarkable feeling for
dialect and other marks Of merit. The
other roles are so well taken as not 20 call
for criticism. except in the case Of Fan
chon Campbell. who as Polly strikes a
decidedly discordant note In the second
act The rabble Is we'll managed and more
or less hideously artistic
PORTER GARNETT.
Grand opera-House.