The San Francisco call., 1906-07-17
ORPHEUM PUTS ON
ONE GREAT ACT.
Embraces Many Features
That Have Established
Success in Vaudeville
FUN AT THE DAVIS


institution there might be warrant for
oeiieving that the stellar act of the
current bill at the Orpheum has at
tanned the limit of endeavor to please
a many-sided public 1t embraces
nearly all the elements of assured pop
ularity In that line of amusement max
ing, and presents them in a way that is
renectlVe of keen managerial discern
ment and lavish pecuniary outlay.
Variegated costumery. illumination and
scenery constitute color scheme that
Is enhanced by frequency of change
and rapidity of action, while the aural
sense of the observer is gratif1ed bv in
strumeRtal and vocal music judiciously
selected and capably interpreted More
over an atmosphere of militarism ap-
peaIs with especial force to the senti-
ment or community that is now justi-
hably prone to soldier worship.
There are about a dozen busy and
talented people in this latest and great
est invasion of vaudeville. Three of
them are girls-pretty, of course-one
of whom stands in the orchestra box
and swings the baton that keeps the
folk on the stage in tempo as they play
various brazen instruments. The re-
mainder of the femininity alternates
with the male contingent in changing
garments and keeping the stage occu-
pied. But while the maidens do little
else than strut and pose and display
graceful curves, the men make music,
in solo, duo, quartet, sextet and octet,
and every number thus produced is
what Manager John Morrissey would
term "a sure-fire hit" Each melody is
appropriate to the prevailing scene, a
glimpse of camp life. Siberia, India
and our own country are successfully
drawn upon for the picture. In the In
dian scene an imitation elephant looks
and acts most lifelike. An English cor
netist, John S. Leick. plays the inevi-
table Nightingale Polka" and other
they hare been played here since the
lamented Mr.. Levy blew his final blast
on O'Farrell street.
Another instrumental act, less spec
tacular but hardly Less enthusiastically
applauded, is the violin playing of Ar
gyra Kastren, billed as THE Greek
Violiniste." In a Hungarian bit by
Hauser and also in Rubenstein's famed
''Melodie in F'' she develops splendid
tone. and vieuxtemps' ''St. Patrick's
Day Variations" enables her to display
cunning tecf.nic.
Irving Jones tells of his trip to Lon
don and sings Of the extraordinary
agility displayed by colored brother
whose physical handicap is explained
by his sobriquet. "One-Legged Nose
That song is worth listening to twice
Claude Gillingwater's farce. 1.-THE
Wrong Man. is funny and well acted
but would be improved by pruning, es-
pecially in the stage coachs instruc-
tions to the would-be emotional star
whose money he needs. Her simulated
stupidity is not shared by the audience
and his reiteration narrowly misses
dragging the scene.
Two German comedians commit ora
fractures and two acrobatic comedians
an anatomical sense. The moving pic
ture is French, but absolutely clean
and there is not real live quadruped
on the programme.
Mistaken identity is the fruitful
theme of "A Gay Old Time" the three
act musical absurdity that commenced
an indefinite run Sunday evening at the
Davis Theater. In plot, characterize
ton and dialogue as we'll as in title the
piece is viyidly reminiscent of "A Hot
Old Time" which Comedian Johnny
Ray used as a road vehicle for half a
dozen seasons. But perhaps the Davis
management owes nO more to Mr.. Ray
for the idea than he owes TO Mr.
Shakespeare. whose Two Dromios" has
supplied many a farceur with basic in
spiration.
Whatever story there is to the pro-
duction receives fair treatment from
the players, headed by Eddie Weston as
the impossible Irishman which Mr.. Ray
created. The musical Interruptions are
frequent and mostly meritorious. Ger
trude Eulalie sings with the chorus, and
so does Gladys Graham. patriotic en-
semble finishes the second act and wins
encores. The pictorial accessories are
adequate.
That melodrama's clientele did not
vanish with the habitations south of
the SLOT was demonstrated last night
at the capacious Park Theater, where
'Mliss" was witnessed by an assem-
blage that would have filled any or
dinary-sized playhouse. Nor was the
old-time spirit of appreciation lacking,
for virtue was applauded and vice con-
demned as heartily as ever
Miss Agnes Williams Johns work in
the part made famous by the late Annie
Pixley proved her worthy of all the
space her name occupied on the pro-
gramme. Physically and vocally she is
admirably adapted for the role, and If
she did not Undue 1t with the piquant
subtlety that made it's creators per-
sonation so enhancing neither did she
have the practice that goes to make
perfection in acting.
All the other leading players were ac-
ceptable, and the staging was by no
means the least commendable feature
of the production. The first and second
acts were pictorially great, the painter
evidently having thrown the best art at
his command into the task of present.
ing California scenery to California
people.