The San Francisco call., 1905-04-30

self asking at the play the other
night. Characters, all flesh and blood
under their chitons. convincing in their
most fantastic extravaganza, hkable
in all their Weaknesses. posed in de-
liciously absurd comedy rising to finest
poetry, stalked the stage. The atmos-
phere was as familiar it was de-
lightsome Very soon in the course of
the piece il was evident of what it was
reminiscent-and that most honorably
Of Shakespearean comedy.
In no phase of the play is this more
to be felt than in the loving fashion in
which the dramatist has dealt with the
foibles of his people. You must like
them, even the gormandizing Names,
while you laugh at them. It is sweet
hearted view, the view or a man in
love with his kind, that the dramatist
takes throughout. His subject, more
over. the eternal duel Of sex, invites
to easy vitriolism. Mr.. Shaw has
made ii the target of some of his dead
liest with Man and Superman" Ib
sen, the text of some of his sternest
satire. But here, of the story of the
Greek warriors stranded among ANA
IONS, finding themselves ignominious
cSptives of the women warriors and
finally, subduing them by love. the
German dramatist has fashioned his
play with wit as keen as Mr.
Shaw's. an insight into human nature
If from the other side-as acute as
Ibsen's. and besides, TO these a poetry
unapproa chable.
The drama has. too. the same wide
and apparently permanent appeal as
the Shakespearean drama. Its fun
would have been Just as good fun to
the grounding at the Globe Theater
800 years ago as ii was to you and me
this week That it needs no pickle to
last for another 900 years would also
seem TO he apparent. For the comedy
is built upon permanent factors in the
human race and in the broadest fash
ion. Mr.. Mischs figures, even to the
least of them have a fashion of stand
ing out of the canvas in a way that
does not exactly remind of. say, Mr..
Fitch's Names. though he does smell
Of Falstaff. Malvolio, too. perdie, is
real in the sense in which these are
real, TO the measure of his Importance.
Peleazar. the one grotesque male of
Halcyone (the Amazon island) that
one is permitted to see is another dis
tinSuished instance. And Antiope-
what may one not say of the firm, del
icate. sensitively poetic treatment of
this truly exquisite figure? 1t seems to
me that there will be Antiopes of his
tory as there are Juliets. and fighting
factions as to their rival worth.
Much Mr.. Misch owes to the in
terpreters of his play this week at the
California. Miss Angiin has returned
70 her former meter of high comedy
with all imaginable grace. There was
an overmodern touch in the earlier
scenes last Monday night. but her per-
formance has since risen to the classic
key in which the beautiful love scene
was so happily pitched. Loveliest pa
ganism is this. Miss Anglin ideal in
her picture of the queen. yielding to
the charm of the night and of love. She
is throughout wonderfully effective.
particularly in the poetic suggestion.
A truly charming note is that struck
by Blanche Stoddard, who, as the
spirit of Halcyone. delivers the pro-
lOgue. Mrs. Whiffen has a pretty mo-
nlent, and there is glittering
chorus of femininity with helmets
and shields.
Frank Workings Lysander is hand
some and manly and full of the ro-
mantle spirit and the actor will
doubtless by now have shaken down
into his very gorgeous-if somewhat
scanty raiment. Walter Allen is cap
ital as Names. Walter Lawrence as
the Neutrality-suspicious. male-mem-
ber of the Halcyonean population, is
excellent, and Hall McAllister, Edward
Emery and Walter Hitchcock all
spend much conscience and ability on
small parts.
The production again is of surpass-
ing beauty of picture and costume. The
moonlight scene in the garden of the
palace is perfect as it is exquisite in
illusion. The shores of Halcyone,
with it's Greek blue sea. is another
charming picture. The costumes, in
Guiding some wonderful Amazon con-
fections Of Miss Anglin's, each one a