The San Francisco call., 1904-10-04
BUNCHES OF FUN HANDED
OUT IN THE OFFICE BOY"
Frank Daniels at His
Best" "Everynan"
Again.

Mr.. Fairbanks speech of last night
may have been of more Importance
than Frank Daniels'-though you
would get 20 one who was at the Co
lumbia to admit 1t. A heartless editor
CwHo WAS NOT THERE) refuses
space, however, for Franks thrilling
periods. He surpassed himself last
night explaining that his proud posi-
ton was due to his devotion to Art,
that Intangible something upon the
boundless ocean what-you- may call
en- and-but I'm forgetting. AS to
THE Office Boy" One has been un-
hopefully waiting for something that
would live uD to the Daniels speech.
The Office Boy comes very near. 1t
is the brightest setting that this ir-
regular pearl Of a comedian has had
within my memory. Even, and this
says everything, il atones for Miss
Simplicity" that descended upon us
with Mr.. Daniels last year.
All that Miss Simplicity was not
The Office Boy is. Harry B. eSmith
has done his best in the book, particu-
larly in the first act, and to Ludwig
Englander the piece owes its bright and
taking music. Lyrics are scarce-but
so are singers, except at the TivoH.
There IS one trio, Signs" that was
NAlAAS 0pOn It's IhSHlN-SeNEnlH en-
core as l came back from a peep be-
tween times at "Everyman" They
added another dozen or so verses while
l waited Daniels, Sallie Fisher-who
really sings-and Sydney Toler have
the song.
Mr.. Daniels as the office boy has a
part that he should be grateful for,
almost as grateful as the part should
be for him. He is at his most olea gin
Yes, one could. Here it is. / saw Mrs.
Daniels, best of wives, convulsed at
the year-old Daniels jokesi
But The Office Boy" by no means
depends wholly upon the little come
dian. The stunning chorus, dressed
and drilled to perfection, holds the cen
ter Of the stage without any trouble.
Beside this be-satined array of pull
chritude even the Weber and Fields
beauties fade away. Then Sally Fisher
sings nicely and leads the ladies. and
Alfred Hickman is the jockey. The
rest don't much matter, but modestly
help Mr.. Daniels along. The Daniels
catchword this time? Ask anybody
the day after tomorrow. AS it is you,
however, it is very ingeniously
asked-with the right eyebrow tucked
into the harris my face red?" Go
TO see him if you want to know how
funny it is.
And from the pleasing vanities of
THE Office Boy" TO the pure austeri-
ties of "Everyman" was only a step
round the corner, to Lyric Hall. The
sage writing, what a text were herei
AS was TO be expected the "Everyman'
of last year served as advertisement for
this years production. A very good,
though not full house listened to the
play last night. Everyman, when I got
there, was just donning the robe of re-
pentance. 1t was only a moment more
and the spell of the old play was again
upon me.
How many times / saw "Everynan"
last year l have forgotten, but as then
l found the play last night absorbingly
interesting. Even more profoundly
charming I find Mis- Constance Craw-
ley's Everyman, in which, at her first
memorable essay of the part, she so
delighted us last year. The spiritual
quality has deepened, the religious
ecstacy Of the repentanr sinner is more
ferVently expressed the facial elo-
quence more thrilling and what a.
preciousness Of voice is this that Miss
CTawley brings to her task. Pictur-
esquely it is an unforgettable portrait,
and should. be missed by no one able
70 sit ".
Ihere are some important changes IN
the cast. with one exception all for the
better The exception is the Good
deeds, who is not quite what the sweet
faced and voiced Alys Rees was in the
part. The substitution of men for
women as Strength and Five Whites
that last amuses, Mr.. Greet-distinct-
ly lends effectiveness and Knowledge
is this year very ably personified. This
years mounting is also somewhat more
effective. The play goes for all this
week, with matinees on Wednesday
and Saturday.
BLANCHE PARTINGTON.