The San Francisco call., 1904-07-26
mice AND MEN"
A CLEVER PLAY
Henry Miller and Miss Jen-
ME Busby Warmly Wei
coined at the Columbia
COMEDY WE'LL STAGED
Rupert of Hentzau" Sue
ceeds prisoner of Zenda."
Last Week of "RObin Hood"

/ New York gave a season and London
a year to Mice and Men, introduced
here at the Columbia last night by
Henry Miller. Away from the pleasant
persuasion of Mr.. Miller one rather
wonders at the record. Mrs. Ryley's
! new comedy does not-as seen last
night-tempt to superlatives. Pleasant
enough it is, new enough, clever
enough. It's story is ingenious, it's pc
riod picturesque, its people plausible
and we'll contrasted. Yet, in spite of
| pretty scenes by the way, the play runs
somewhat heavily its appointed course.
! The expected always happens. There
are effective situations, but one spies
them round the corner. One knows
from the first that Embury's arcadian
plan of educating wife for himself
he is not content with the wives that
mother used to make-must gang agley.
And so on. Yet tbs pretty story, cap
able of and deserving of subtler treat
ment.
The cast unquestionably has some
thing to do with the case. One is un-
accustomed to Mr.. Miller in renuncia-
tory mood, to begin with. He gener-
ally speaks for himself. John, and all
the Columbia knows how he invariably
conQuers. AS Mark Embury Mr.. Mil
Ter steps into the cooler realm of mid
die age. Peggy, it is true, persuadeS
him to momentary forgetfulness of
graying hair and gathering years. But
only for a moment. He finds that his
ward is in love with his nephew, and
like the good, kind thoughtful middle
aged uncle that he is, he steps aside in
favor of the young chap Quite John
Drew part, but not till now Mr.. Mil
ler's kind of thing. Perhaps when the
newness has worn off twill come cas-
Ter, but tits rather incredible vet to
see the gallant Henry taking such
medicine. Time has, however, not
dulled the actors love-making.
One wonders at Peggy's choice of the
impersuasive lover of Mr.. Tiden when
the Miller virtuosity is beside it. And
Mr.. Miller is in excellent form. He
was welcomed with extravagant felici-
tations by the audience. large one in
spite of rival attractions of sea and
mountain. In his greeting speech Mr..
Miller replied with very genuine feeling.
Miss Jennie Busley who has the i'm
portant part of the ward Peggy. is
young woman of considerable charm.
She is delightfully."- natural, arch, girl
ish, and is generally a piquant, small
person. fancy Miss Busley was some
what nervous, as the greater freedom
of her later scenes would indicate. But
her performance was a very pleasur
able part of the whole. AS the found I
ling, one of a row of them brought to
Embury's rooms by the beadle and
matron for his choice, Miss Busley is
particularly engaging.
Frederick Tiden is the lover and
has the unhappiness to be a cad of
Mrs. Ryley's making. Mr.. Tiden has
to throw carelessly away a letter writ !
ten to him by an old flame of his, in I
order that her husband may find it, /
But he is unoonvincing as a lover /
STACEY. unreal. He serves the cast, |
however, by wearing some handsome |
uniforms handsomely. John Glen I
dinning supports Mr.. Miller in able |
fashion, as his fiery old friend, Good /
lake, and Walter Allen is clever as the !
servant Peter.
Both Miss Heyer and Mrs. Fisher /
partake of the rather preponderating !
staginess in the cast, Miss Heyer as !
Goodlake's wife and Mrs. Fisher as /
Embury's housekeeper.
The piece is beautifully staged and |
there was evidence of ample enjoy |
ment on the part of the audience.
BLANCHE PARTINGTON.