The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-25


claims that great work is never accom-
plished save by extraordinary industry.
Sometimes it occurs to me that the
sheer facility with which she is able to
put the enormously fine quality Of her
gifts deceives many a critic into sup
posing that this is all easy enough
werk They forget. 1 imagine. the deep
truth of that famous adage: AIRS est
celare artem.'
It seems that another American girl
has captivated London playgoers. this
time Miss Eleanor Robson, who in a
play by Londoner, Israel ZangwTl.
Merely Mary Ann won an extraodi-
nary success this month. The New
York Herald printed the following ca
blegram concerning the event:
LONDON, Friday.-Never before in
theatrical history did a young
American girl step so completely into
London's affections as did Miss Flea
nor Robson in Merely Mary Ann at
the Duke Of York's Theater last night.
Miss Robson's managers wisely muz-
zled the press agent and let the young
actress win her way almost unheralded
on the opening night. The result was
a demonstration such as few London
favorites ever received.
There were a few critical moments
during the evening. The London gall
leryite has a way Of making his wants
known that must be fearfully discon-
certing to a foreigner. During the
scene where Mary Ann tells the quaint
story of her vigil by her mothers
deathbed there were some bowls OF
Speak louderi" Miss Robson's face
flushed. and although the scene was in
a measure spoiled, she held courage
~ously to her part. At the end of the
act there was a storm Of approval. and
at the end OF the play the audience
stood applauding for ten minutes
Miss Robson had London at her feet.
The Daily Telegraph says: The
success last night was not Mr.. Fang
willis comedy. but it's heroine, or
rather the actress who played the
heroine"
Miss Eleanor Robson, who won all
our hearts," in a similar vein writes
the critic Of the Daily News. THE
whole performance was a triumph for
Miss Robson from first to last. Her
impersonation was absolutely above
criticism, and any success which the
play will undoubtedly achieve must be
attributed largely to her"
The Daily Mail says: Her success
last night was thoroughly deserved.
She has power, sympathy, a moving
voice and all the gifts that go to the
making a great emotional actress.
Miss Robson. without the least
doubt, will become the idol Of London
playgoers without exception
The other papers credit the Ameri-
can actress with an extraordinary first
night success.
In the audience were Lady Tama Ar
mold, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Lady
Doyle, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Crane,
Professor Ayrton, F. r. s.. and Mrs.
Hertha AyrtOn, Anthony Hope. Sir
Squire Bancroft, the Earl of Yarmouth.
W. S. Gilbert. Mrs. Madeline Lucette
Ryley, Baron Ernsthausen and Mrs.
Brown Potter.
The ordinary acting version OF
Hamlet is that prepared for his per-
formances by Kemble, and naturally
everything was subordinated to the
leading part. The play was first
printed in 1903, but as the edition is
full of paIpable errors and even of alb
surdities, it is supposed to have been
hastily prepared by a piratical pub
Usher eager to take advantage of the
popularity Of the drama In 1904
, just 800 years ago. there was pub
. Iished the edition that has been the
basis of all subsequent ones and this
so far excels the other that Shakespear-
can scholars think it must have been
issued under the direct supervision
of Shakespeare himself or printed
from his manuscripts. This is the
. version that Ben Greet's company OF
. English actors is to present, practi-
cally in its entirety. in the Greek thea
ter OF the University Of California on
Saturday, October 1. The company.
which is made up largely from that
that played ''Everyman" in the East
last season, includes. besides Mr..
Greet himself. Mr.. and Mrs. Crawley,
/ Agnes Scott. Alice Harrington, Daisy
Robinson, Sybil Thorndike. Helena
Head. Leonard Shepherd, Eric Blind,
Percyval Aylmer. Maurice Robinson.
Sydney Greenstreet. Sam H. Goodwin.
Frank Darch and Frank McEntee; but
for the performance of Hamlet they
will be reinforced by about FORTY OF
the most talented amateurs among the
students of the university.
Charles B. Dillingham; has completed
I his organization of the Louis Mann
company by engaging Dorothy ReveIl
as leading woman. Miss Revell is an
American girl. but is comparatively
unknown in this country. She served
a short apprenticeship in several New
York productions and then went
abroad to study. AS a school girl she
lived in France and. having a thorough
knowledge Of the language, she soon
obtained position in Paris. 1t was at
a performance of Les Affaires SOnt
les Affaires'' Cuisines is BusinessD
that Mr. Dillingham; noticed her As
tonished to hear she was an American,
he promptly engaged her In The
Sacnnd FiddIen Miss Reven. who, By