The San Francisco call., 1903-12-08
ALCAZAR GIVES
"BARN" DRAMA
"A Royal Prisoner" Just Like
Shows of Childhood When
Pins Were Taken at Door
THRILLER ON AT CENTRAL
ElIery's Band Makes a Hit at
Alhambra - Good Patronage
Rewards the PlayhOuseS

The small brother has a play this
week The barn was busy, but "A
Royal Prisoner was goOd-naturedly
put on at the AlcaZar. with every one
10 help. even TO Frances Starr. Small
brother must have enjoyed IL last night
almost as much as the rest of US did.
Sisters hand also is seen in the love
scenes and she, too. must have had a
gorgeous time. I know 1 did. Brother
hasn't his name on the programme. so
can't thank him for it Sister neither.
But I'm grateful just the same.
You can't afford TO miss A Royal
Prisoner" OF course there isn't the
dear OLD burlap curtain in front, nor
the victorious perfume of coaloil.
Neither are there the lovely old keggly
seats, and Mr.. Belasco won't take pins
at the door. Otherwise it's all there.
the drama OF our barn days. Brother
has stacked II with Expresses and
things, and there are plots TO burn.
The scene is, Of course, laid in Russia,
and there is q lovely and lowly lieu
tenant with whom the Empress falls in
love. He manifests no disinclination.
but keeps his hand in before the
grande passion by several tri1ing af-
fairs. The first scene is laid in a st.
Petersburg prison, TO which two pris-
oners are brought, the lieutenant and
the great Duke Courland. Just for
ducks. as brother says. the lieutenant
takes the place Of the Duke. doomed
10 be hanged at sunrise for political
sins. He himself is in durance vile
FOR flirting. Those Russian prisons
are really very up-to-date sort of af-
fairs. They keep lager or something of
the kind-at least the jailer got tlpsy
on it-for the perennial refreshment
Of the unfortunate prisoner. However,
the Lieutenant persuades the jailer TO
get drunk, and the Duke escapes. The
Lord and brother only know why the
lieutenant doesn't.
The second scene finds the false
Duke IN the guardroOm that brother
has made into a family reception par
lor- Here the Empress. young and
lovely, enters disguised as a spy. It
seems she has ieanings toward the
Duke. This doesn't seem TO make much
oinerence, however, for her affections
are Immediately enslaved by his sub
stltute. II is positively thrilling where,
with I VIII put him now TO the final
test. the Empress declares herself a
spy and offers TO kill the Empress in
order TO place Courland upon the
throne. The lieutenant nobly refuses.
with both eyes to heaven, and she i'm
meoiately falls in love with him
wouldn't you? But he determines
70 choke the lady and calls in the
guards 10 help. Naturally the curtain
goes QoWn IN j am the EmpreSS.
They are at the palace in the next
scene. Courland (the false) has the run
Of the place, and the Empress comes in
looking like a jewelry store. She asks
the Duke to demand what he will.
Wisely the Duke demands the lieuten-
ants freedom. He gets IL. and is short
ly sfterWard discovered. I'm still won
dering II he gets the Empress. for I
didn't wait for the end. But brother,
and especially sister, couldn't be so
cruel as TO deprive them Of each other
They were very good TO brother at
the Alcazar last night. Adele Block
played the Empress so heartily that
her crown tipped over her left ear;
James Durkin slapped himself convinc-
ingly as the lieutenant; John B. Maher
might almost have belonged TO grown
up drama, as the Count Ivan Schou-
naloff and Miss Frances Starr was gu
gar and spice as Theodore Vanka.
George OsbOurne was the drunken ma
jor, and Mr.. Belasco furnished the
handsomest Of trimmings. I wouldn't
have missed IL for anything. Nor
should you.