The San Francisco call., 1904-12-19
"BILLIONAIRE"
IS PLEASING
Possibilities of Fun Are
Not Fully Developed, but
There Is Enough to Cheer
0RPHEUM BILL CLEVER
Variety Adds to Interest
and Audience Is Pleased.
California Draws Crowds

Harry B. Smith has done better things
and worse-not seriously worse-than
the book of THE Billjonaire,' which
made its first appearance here last
night at the Columbia Theater. THE
Billionaire" is programmed as a 'mu-
sical farce" with Gus Kerker at the
music. The title is ambitious. The
piece has not plot enough for farce, nor
music enough to be musical. The CEN
tral idea, however, is quite funny,
though developed only slightly COM
pared with its possibilities. There is a
Millionaire as chief character, and his
attempts to spend some of the un-
earned increment buying steamship
lines. theaters and such like trifies fur
nishes such story as there Is. However,
the Millionaire has only comparatively
modest share of the interest. A man
aging American mamma, with a pen
chant for French malapropisms, her
two rebellious daughters and an unim-
portant son and spouse take UP much
time. There is also a waiter with
plumful part, and a Hungarian Count
and soubrette who figure largely in
the cast.
of the last act, the stage and audito-
rum, with upper boxes and all the ap-
po1ntments of a handsome theater The
stage within the stage is cleyerly used
for the specialties introduced, and the
novelty Will doubtless attract many to
the performance. Audiences, the woman
with the large hat-extinct here, hap
plly-the matinee matron, the matinee
man, the gentleman that amuses him
oh nd
so on, furnish some good fun here. The
stage burlesQueS are not startling.
Possibly in Jerome Sykes hands the
bfllionaire, John Doe, was funnier than
Thomas Q. Seabrooke makes him. Mr.
Seabrooke's farce is of a particularly
mild brew. He seems rather to be say
ing that he could be funny if he wanted
to, but that he intends to wait until to-
morrow. You haven't quite shown him
why he should, and he won't. He has
all the air, too, of the taken-for- grant
ed comedian, and you somehow feel the
situation is your fault. Occasionally,
however, Mr.. Seabrooke seems to for
get, and you get taste of something
approaching fun. His songs are very
clearly sung. and the one, The Little
Street in Heaven They Cell Broadway"
was warmly welcomed.
OF the other men Harry Macdonough
gives an amusing sketch of the waiter
Baptiste, and Walter Percival Is a
splendiferous gOld-lace Hungarian as
Lieutenant Ladislas. He also owns a
voice and sings rather nicely.
Josie Intropidi as the managing mann
ma, in cerise locks and canned COM
plexion, is a very lively person. She
certainly does her best to fill the Marie
Cahill part and succeeds in being spas
medically amusing. OF the daughters
Miss Helen Dexter shows an unusually
pretty voice-a pure, clear, high So
prano. She has apparently only just
discovered it, for it is used only in
amateurish fashion. Dis mond Donner
is a pretty and attractive soubrette and
dances delightfully."-. ShE also has a
pretty voice, and shoulS take serious
note of the fact.
The rest of the cast fills in strenu-
ously, and a large, we'll drilled and CO.
quettish chorus is no small part of
The Billionaire's'' makeup. The piece
goes only for the week.
BLANCHE PARTINGTON.
Rose Melville, in isis Hopkins" be-
gan her second week at the California
last night to the usual large house Just
before the curtain went Hp Louis Nor
rell who plays the heavy, was taken
suddenly i'll. and the part was played
by Herbert Farjeon, the capable young
stage manager of the Alcazar stock
Considering the fact that Mr.. Farjeon
had no chance to reheaTse and was
compelled to read the part, he acquitted
himself exceptionally well. isis Hop
kins' Will continue throughout the
week and it is expected that Mr.. Nor
rell will be well enough to resume his
part tonight
The Orpheum bill this week has
something on it that is bound to please
everybody. One can thoroughly enjoy
the various numbers ranging from the
sopranos sweet notes to The marvellous
performances of bunch of cockatoos
and parrots. Aida Hemmi the soprano,
easily won high place with her clear
sweet notes. She rendered few favor
lite selections and the audience was
10th to see her leave the stage. Lucy
and Viate are a pair of dainty young
women who can do almost any kind of
trick on slack wire. Albertina Mel
ich and her performing parrots and
cockatoos came in for their share of the
applause. This is an original act-one
that is both instructive and amusing
Alfred Farland, the great banjoist: the
Dillon Brothers, Ford Sisters and Herr
mann all had something welcome to Of
fer and their efforts were, as usual, met
with merited applause.
AS special form of entertainment
for the Christmas holidays the Chutes
management has put on at the the
ater the Japanese musical extrava-
ganza, The Princess Fan-Tan." The
actors in the Japanese fairy tale are
pupils of local dancing school. A
large audience greeted their initial ap-
pearance yesterday afternoon.
There are over three hundred chill
dren in the bill and all are graceful
and droll. The main features of the
entertainment are the intricate and
beautifully costumed ballets and the
well known Song of the Cities, which
carried the house by storm.
The play is in two acts and the in
termission lasts forty-five minutes,
rr-1,;o1, +io,1