The San Francisco call., 1903-09-27

and the play was Julius Caesar" When
the stage manager handed him the part
of the First Roman Citizen Harlan looked
it over contemptuOusly and then returned
it with the remark that he had been en-
gagged to play comedy parts. He laid par
ticular emphasis on the word comedy.
1T is a comedy part" said the stage
manager.
Il don't see where the comedy comes
in said Harlan.
''You are supposed to make the part
funny" said the stage manager
"Oh, am, am To- demanded Harlan.
"AH right, I'll do it," He concluded to in
troduce gags" so he consulted with
Brutus and the leader OF the orchestra.
and both Of these worthless agreed to help
him.
At night when Harlan made his first
entrance Brutus demanded OF him In
stentorian tones:
What would'st thou. noble eitizen?"
"a chord in G" responded Harlan with
a smile, and the accommodating leader
Of the orchestra struck the chord To the
horror of the admirers Of the Bard OF
Avon the First Roman Citizen started to
sing 1.-THE Wild Man of BOrneO. and.
moreover, he sang IT so effectively that ne
had to give several encores. Ia ended his
experience in Shakespeare nevertheless.
Grace Elliston is to be Richard Mans
fields leading woman this season. She
has done excellent work as Bonita IN
Arizona" and last season in support
Of Henry Miller in THE Tanning OF
Helen"
1t is made known. writes William Win
ter. that Mansfield intends 70 open his
dramatic season at the new Lyric Theater
in New York in October with the play
of "Old Heidelberg" deferring 70 a more
appropriate season his new drama on the
grim subject Of Ivan the Terrible" This,
obviously, is a prOpitioUs arrangement for
the public The play of ''Old Heidelberg"
tells simple. sweet, romantic. touching
story, and doubtless Mansfield's adapta-
tion of the German original will do JUS
tice to its characteristic German blending
Of poetry, symbolism, Joviality. senti-
ment, sadness and humor. The character
Of the Prince seems exactly suited to
Mansfield's peculiar temperament and
style and II could not have been more
fortunately chosen; for no English
speaking actor is so thoroughly imbued
as Mansfield with the romance OF the
German Fatherland. For Ivan the Ter
rible" there viii come a time. At pres
ent the public need is pleasure. the in
nocent-"Airth and merriment which
bars thousand harms and lengthens
life"
Reports from Montreal are that The
Bonnie Brier Bush is doing a wonderful
business there. The keen Scottish hunnor
Of Ian McLaren has always appealed to
Canadians, and although MOntreaFs popu-
lation is largely French, it appreciates the
subtleties Of THE Bonnie Brier Bush
and enjoys every point made.
j. II. StOddart. the sterling actor who
represents Lachlan Campbell. speaks
evening there were insistent demands for
a speech, as he stepped before the cur
tain in response to a call. he astonished
his hearers by making few felicitous re-
marks IN English, broad Scottish and
scholarly French IN regular order and
without the slightest hesitation.
Owen wister, the author OF THE vir-
ginian." says that he's gradually coming
to feel more like Ial theatrical than a
literary person. He has spent the entire
summer with Kirk La Shelle in dramatic
ing the book, and he is now a daily visitor
at the rehearsals Of the play which are
under the personal direction OF Mr. la
SheHe- he says that he now understands
for the first time the irresistible fascina-
ton OF the stage and it is not unlikely
that a novel of theatrical life will soon
issue from his realistic PEN
Miss Roselle Knott, who is starring this
year IN When Lnighthood was IN Flow
er' IN the role Of Mary Tudor. says that
the most delicate compliment ever paid
her was few seasons ago when she was
appearing with a company that was not
ali II should have been artistically. The
company, which was booked TO appear in
certain town on Monday, reached the
town on Sunday morning ana Miss Knott,
as Is ner custom, attended church ser
wees The minister. a younSs good look
ing man, prayed devOutly for rain,
and during his prayer he looked intently
through his half-closed lids at Miss
Knott After the service Miss Knott and
several other strangers we're introduced
to the minister and finally Miss Knott
said to him:
Why did you look az me as you prayed
so earnestly for rain
"Oh. you noticed it, did you? Well. I
will tell YOU / have seen you in parts So
much better suited TO your talent than
that in which YOU are playing this year
that have prayed il VIII rain to-morrou
night, so that as Few as possible OF nv
flock viii see you
Gertrude Coghlan has a new pIav thai
was written for her b. her father fbe
late charles C0ghlan. and she intends tn
bring 1t to New York in the near future.