The San Francisco call., 1904-06-20
TIVOLI PACKED
FOR ROBIN HOOD
Local Company's Production
of Favorite Opera Rivals
That of the BOstOnianS
NEW VOICES FIND FAVOR
NOroscO'S Clever Players
Give Audience a Treat
i'm "The Prince of Liars"

Robin Hood" was ever a word 20
ccn5ure with. That its magic is still
victorious last nights production Of
the opera at the Tivoli triumphantly
attests.
Things have not been Well with the
TivOI of late. In spite Of productions
recklessly costly in comparison with
those Of the old house across the street
heaven rest its timbers: 1 saw the
last Of them carted away the other day
luck has looked the other way. New
people have been engaged-to fail. New
operas have been tried-tO run a week
j seemed as though Fortune preferred
those knOck-knee old seats across the
way. with halo Of smoke and the reek
of the beer Of ages about her. But, like
the cat, she came back last night The
Tw0l is rejoicing this week in pro-
duction Of Robin Hood that the Bos-
tonians have hardly bettered-in fact,
perhaps not always equaled.
How we'll. how amazing well, the op-
era wears, Ii is still head and should
eus-aye. and body-abOve any of the
modern comic operas. Its humor comes
as freshly as the peep of a morning
Gus and atmospheric as the story.
Charminglv they have put il on, too
Ferris Hartman has done good things
as a comedian. but his accomplish
ments as n stage manager constitute
4 dangerous rivalry. The whole per-
formance went with rare smoothness
and snap. There is a light" man with
ideas. too-foA example one gets none
of the blue and violet horrors that in
old Tivoli days used to stalk abroad as
moonlight" And there has been an
artist at the pictures-they get a hand
for themselves alone. Altogether ii is
the kind Of success that howls, and
there was a big. joyful thunderous
house to make il so last night
NEW VOICES WELCOMED.
The new members Of the company
III I'm like every other sardine in box.
They might have been there for years.
Baron Berthald. John Dunsmure, Edith
Mason. Kate Condor and Willard Sims
are the new folk and without exception
valuable.
Willard Sims, who follows Barnabee
as the Sheriff Of Nottingham, has a
lot more than his courage TO commend
him. Tis an ungrateful task. To
follow a comedian like Barnabee, in a
part that he is identified with as Hob
son is with kisses, is to challenge a
countrywide prejudice. Any other
sheriff is in a sense a usurper. one
cannot help the attitude But had
had there been no Barnabee we could
have got along quite comfortably with
a Sims. He is an accomplished and easy
comedian, his humor, perhaps Of a vim
tage less dry than Barnabee's, his
drOllery less unctious. One misses, too,
the elder comedians physical sufficien-
cies and the soft. gentlemanly, blar-
ing villainy Of his Sheriff but
Sims is perhaps funuier when drunk
than Barnabee. It is a small master
piece Of tipsy navigation when he fol-
lows Dame burden into the cottage.
And. ar / have said before, Mr.. Sims
is throughout sufficient and accom-
plished IN the part, sings perforce
about as well as his august predeces-
sor and is eXcellently worth his salt.
Barron Berthald needs no introduc-
ton 10 4 San Francisco audience as
a comedian. Last nights was his first
local appearance as such. Still the
Berthald big fact is the singing. the
voice methods are still those, smooth.
fine, fluent that We knew in the sing
er's grand opera days. Comedy sits
somewhat uneasily upon Mr.. Ber-
thald's brow. His is a very mild brew
Of humor. And he lacks something
Of gayety, dash, picturesoueness. I'm
eithert Otherwise-and there's all of
the lovely singing. some tender and
graceful acting, otherwise-his Robin
Hood is much that fancy paints. His
singing is indeed delightful. the voice
as fresh as his sane and cultured
method insures. smooth, full and
sympathetic TO the last requirements.
A DASHING WILL SCARLET.
John Dunsmure is khe third of the
trio. and to a ringing, resonant culu-
waited basso adds a handsome and
gigantic stage presence. He made a
dashing scarlet and a large success
with the audience.
Schuster was cast as Friar Tuck and
was fat and happy in it, Arthur Cum
ningham was excellent as Little John.
and Teddy Webb was an amusing but
over-knOwing Guy Of Osborne.
To Kate Condor, who, borrowed from
the Bostonians, is the Alan-a-DaIe
much gratitude goes. She is a CRATE
fully pretty young woman TO begin
with. unusually graceful of presence
and bearing and sings charmingly In a
round contrslto. She has manner.
finish, style and though without the
warm depth Of voice Of Jessie Bartlett
Davis, she has yet voice Of charming
quality and use.
Miss Edith Mason was warmly well
coined by many of her old admirers Of
Southwell days. AS Maid Marian she
shows herself as engaging as she then
was, but with an added finish and i'm
port. Her voice was not at its best last
night, seeming a little thin, though
sweet and little tired. Miss de Filippe
was pretty as Annabel and Miss Tan
nehill was ample as Dame Durdin The
chorus fairly outdid itself and the pro-
duction is evidently in for the run OF
the century.
BLANCHE PARTINGTON.