The San Francisco call., 1901-12-16
JEFFERSON SON
IS INSUFFICIENT
Fails to Reach Fathers
Standard as Rip
Van Winkle.
Fheaters Are Preparing to
Present Their Holiday
Attractions.

Not even the name of a Jefferson in
connection with rip Van Winkle''
served to attract the multitudes to the
California Theater last night, nor to be-
dazzle the slim audience that did make
its appearance. 1t was not the great
man himself, but Thomas jefferson, his
son that pictured the immortal rip,
and that was perhaps what was the mat
Ter with the audience, as well as with Mr..
Jefferson himself. He is the son of
great man and is trying to fill a pair of
very large shoes with a No. foot.
The day of the play has perhaps gone
as medium for cramming houses, and
even the ushers had the soft pedal on
last night SO far as applause was con
cerned, yet in Rip there is one of the
shrewdest and most picturesque charac-
Ter studies ever conceived, the opportuni-
ty of a lifetime for player like Joe
evidently, though the part is played
agreeably by Mr.. Jefferson. But it Is
negative sort of conception, pitched in
too low key and lacking in body and
roundness. 1t is not sufnciently genial,
not sufficiently tragic, not sufficiently
ANYTHING, and though it is nothing that it
should not be, Mr.. Jefferson's Rip is by
no means all that it should be. He has
a modicum of all the necessary qualities
the dry, shrewd humor, the jovial ire
sponsibility, the persuasive lovableness
the easy weakness of the village vaga-
bond, but not enough Of anv one of them.
His work in the later scenes is his best
ana as the returned Kip, a broken old
man, he comes out rather strongly.
The company supporting Mr. Jefferson
is one Of the dustiest Gretchen is carl
catured out of all recognition by Mar
garet Hayward, and the rest of the char
acters fare equally hard at the hands
@ the rest of the company. Eugene
Brown as Meenie is a bright spot, how
ever.
At the Columbia Theater Jefferson de
Angels will continue for week more
in the Operatic success "A Royal Rogue"
De Angels is a very amusing comic
opera star and as he is surrounded by
lot of capable people the performance is
one of strong interests. 1t will be given
for the last time on Sunday night.
Interest is already being shown in the
engagement of Mary Mannering in
Janice Meredith at the Columbia The
ater. The opening performance will take
place next Monday night, and from pres
ent appearances the audience will be
large and fashionable one. Miss Man
nering is one of our most beautiful and
talented stars and her play has proven
eminently successful. The production
shown during the run of the piece at
Wallack's Theater, New York, will be
brought here.
Tonight the Tivoli Comic Opera Com
pany will return to the popular opera
house and will present Ferris Hartman s
new Christmas extravaganza, Little Red
Riding Hood" The fantasy is in Hart
full of good things. He has part as
King Fire Fly that should fit all his
peculiarities without a wrinkle, and has
provided the rest Of the company with
roles that show them at their best Miss
Florence Chapman, who has the title
role. is a newcomer, and said to be of the
very promising kind. Annie Myers will
be Boy Blue, with all her customary