The San Francisco call., 1906-11-06
THREE PLAYHOUSES
CHANGE BILLS.
By James Crawford.

Running for Governor" the COM
edy drama played by Robert Downing
and eight other persons last evening at
the Davis Theater, is welcome as a
nerve sedative. Lack Of repose is con-
hned 10 the implication thereof con-
veved by the title. The atmosphere
IS almost sOpOrific, and six Of the nine
players are so comfortably buXOm as
10 be restful to the vision. There is
no running for governor or anything
else. Mr.. Downing. the gubernatorial
nominee. waddles to the goal Of. his
ambition. for since his JOhn-the- Baptist
nights here. about four years ago, he
has relinQuished little or no avoirdu-
pois. But his pOnderOus personality
accords nicely with the tempo Of his
present dramatic vehicle.
de is John North, who divorced his
first wife for infdelity, went to the
state Of Washington, took unto him
self a second helpmeet, acquired
wealth in the lumber trade and was
nominated for governor. The action
Of the play hinges upon the arrival OF
the divorcee at his happy home and her
blackmaiIing efforts. 1t is not very
profound plot nor is its unfolding ex-
fremelv artistic. There is plenty Of
commonplace talk, a paucity Of intense
situations and the climaxes are not Of
the kind that annoy the man who
hoists the curtain.
Nor is there any reason to question
the authors announcement, printed in
the program, that the characters were
drawn from life. Indeed, to an abb
sence of conventional characterization
nav be ascribed much Of the play s
soothing effect, hereinbefore noted
Aside from the work of Mr.. Downing,
which was rather consistent through
ont. the only distinct individualism in
the cast was shown by Miss Kinnie
cole. who portrayed a typical every
day housewife with marked faitnful-
running for Governor" is on for
the week.
Comedy drama was given an inning
also at the Colonial, where Out Of the
Fold" received its first San Francisco
production. 1t proved to be Of the rural
Kew England species, with snow
storm. a schoolroom scene and several
other oft-used and ever popular bids
Interest, however, centered in the WORK
Of Miss Izetta Jewell, who came mere
heralded as an emotional actress OF
more than ordinary strength and whose
first fair opportunity ii was TO snow
what she could do in that line.
Her role that Of a school teacher who
had been swronged" and sought to
bury her past in the village where the
action Of the play takes place, afforded
her fulsome chance to sigh and suffer
and rise to situations demanding subtle
treatment She more than made good
ali that the Eastern critics have writ
ten about her. All she did was reflect
i've Of a proper appreciation of the dra-
matte values. Temptations to be
STACY" were numerous, but she
Stunned them just widely enough to
preserve the spirit Of her part without
impairing the due impressiveness OF
the scene. Above all, her performance
was marked by the sincerity that con-
vinces
The remainder of the cast was nicely
balanced and the staging left nothing
10 be desired in the way Of realism
The play is to run until next Monday
Lonesome Town" was revived at the
Central Theater last evening for q
weeks run. with the members Of the
Kolb and Dill company in the parts al
lotted them in the first production.
For next week is announced 'In
Paris" and the preparation for its pro-
duction is said to be most elaborate