The San Francisco call., 1901-10-27
BY GUISARD.

tunity for his BERTHE the Lamb, not
l to mention Maclyn Arbuckle's Old
Nick, 1.-The Henrietta continues
- amply to justify it's existence. II IL
not every day that role Ike Berte liie
Lamb is created and still more seldom
that an actor can be found to fit it when
created 1t is one of those simple-subtle
conceptions that more easily come to grlet
than an onelet in the hands OF the usuaI
kitchen divinity. Ninety-nine times out OIL
q hundred it receives the same treatment
The hundredth time Stuart Robson nap
rens along-and VOLTA! there is lamD
that vrill live as long as many Marys go
70 school. 1t is fine and simple art that
Mr.. Robson brings to his work here only
the picture Of a dude he has to give US
a clever careless fellow. with genius 1or
idleness and clothes. He has never earn
ed a cent in his life, that he has innocent
ly spent sucking very handsome cane
at stage doors and labortously building
up a reputation for desperate wickedness
that every line of his ingenious counte-
nance unkindly bellies. In his set 1t is
the current fad to be desperate follow,
so he does his best that way, just as he
turns up his trousers when 1T rains in
Lunnon because the other fellows do. A
character built on simplest lines, and only
acceptable when it is played with the
genius for unconsciousness that Mr.. Rob
hands. There is no showing the funny
points at you, no crool1ing a busy finger
or overworking a wink to label a jest
that might otherwise bloom unseen. His
BERTHE might have stepped from band
box, with all the blessed lack of humor
that the ''chappie" type wears as COM
monty as it's chrysanthemum, so gloriously
unconscious he is OF his own comicality.
The big difference between BERTHE and
the dude in general is that he has thought
fit to p his manners and morals
as well lJlished, laundered, brushed and
combed as his shoes, shirt, hat and halc.
The way in which Mr.. Robson just
makes him say ION my honor as a gen.
tleman,' in denying that he is guilty of
a certain sin laid at his door, the way in
which he makes him stop short in his
denial to take the aforesaid sin (hls
brother's) upon himself, with the simplest
gestures and facial play, is small marvel
in the way of the portraiture of gentle
man. And the picture is consistent
throughout, not false stroke anywhere.
From his deliciously matter-of-fact love-
making to his equally wonderful stock
broking, the part is carried through with
the same firm, clean touch and Mr.. Rob
son has the sympathy of the audience
from first to last.
Old Nick is the other "fat" part and
shines both in the heavy emotional scenes
and in the opportunities for lighter work
1t is particularly powerful scene where
he finds out young Nick's" treachery.
and Mr.. Arbuckle who is ably seconded
by Russ Whytal, Roy Atwell and Charles
Lane, carries it off with flying coIors
His transition from the confident bluff
old "bull' of Wall street, who has SWING
the money market so long that he cannot
way, to the broken and ruined old man
with all that he had to live for gone is
a powerful and pathetic effort. Neither
does he fail In lighter vein. In his scenes
with the widow and with the Rev MURRAY
Hilton-who looks as if he had been left
over from the Episcopal Convention-Mr
Arbuckle shows himself a humorous and
genial actor.
1.-The Henrietta" runs another week and
| besides chose mentioned there is a good
company of players who take satisfying
care of the other parts.
| With Sporting Life" that opens 70
| night at the California Theater. comes
Miss Lillian Lamson as leading lad,r
! Miss Lamson Is an Oakland girl and q
| sister of the vivid. dashing actres-
| Nance O'Neili without the wide tara
! of our own Nance, Miss Lamson has had
a considerable stage experience and
achieved modest success. She made
her debut eight years ago at the cali.
| fornia Theater, with Frederick Warde,s
! company in Rome and Juliet" She
has since been identified with Gus Froho
mans New Dominion 'eThe stiu
! Alarm as the widow; with .sRhla
Jeans" for four-year run; with The
Power of the Press. for a season. and
with William Bradys NAVAL Cadets ;,
in which she appeared in this city.
Above IS pictured one of the new lead
ing ladies of the Alcazar Theater. Miss
Margaret Wycherly. who comes with an
Eastern reputation that should count.
Another new actress to be added to the
A I<.az force L.