The San Francisco call., 1906-06-24

ashti. sent for refuseth to come.
Ahasuerus. by the counsel OF Memucan.
maketh the decree OF mems sovereign
ty"
When the eyes Of Ella Wheeler VIII
COX fell on those few concise sentences
above quoted. from the caption Of the
first chapter Of The Book of Esther" "
she saw at once the immense dramatic
possibilities contained in that nutshell
statement which reads in a way that
reminds one OF the brevity and con-
densed significance of one of Shake
speare's stage directions. So Mrs. VIII
cox inspired by this beautiful book OF
the Bible. wrote a play about Queen
Esther. II was successfully played at
our Majestic Theater some months be-
fore the quake. Adele Block, imper-
sonating the beautiful Jewish Queen Of
the mighty monarch Of the Medes and
Persians. pleased US very much.
Now Bishop and Greenbaum Of Ye
Liberty Playhouse. Oakland. promise
US a revival OF this Biblical drama
~sumptuous" revival That alone
would be good news enough 10 a the
atrically stricken people. but to make
Il more penetrating to our apprecia-
tion these enterprising theatrical man
ayers add 10 IL the news that the glo-
rious part of Queen Esther is 10 be
played by q San Francisco girl. one
who. brought UP and trained right
here in the midst Of US, has made con-
sioeTah bic addition to the dramatic lus-
ter OF California by winning a secure
place among American actresses OF rec
ogniZed talent. This is Katherine
Grey. who. after Eve year absence.
is 10 return TO US to play in the fasci-
mating role Of Esther. 1t was expect
ed that her engagement would open
upon this date (the 24th). but from
some unavoidable causes of delay the
managers have postponed the presen-
tation OF the play until next week
The weeks postponement OF this
good thing coming TO Us is not to be
regretted Il may be just as well TO
walt week For the story of Esther
ano Nashti IS so great a theme that
better than having il thrust upon us
too sudden for thoughtful considera-
uon VIII ii be to come. thus as fate has
fixed il. after we have had time to
contempiatively enjoy the anticipation
OF the first serious theatrical pleasure
70 arrive since the quake made us
more serious than we ever had been be-
fore II viii be interesting to speculate
lot few days before Witnessing the
Biblical drama about how this Califor-
MA girl VIII interpret. by the manner
OF her playing the character Of this re-
markable woman. who was lifted from
loWly estate TO become so great
queen. and at the risk Of her life the
savior OF her people. It matters not
how much we may differ in individual
opinion as to the greatness Of author
ship with which Ella Wheeler Wilcox
and her collaboration. Luscomb Searelle
have handed so great a subject. the
iargeness Of the theme viii attract our
attention and makes US wish to see
just for vivid visual reminder this
mimic presentment Of a great drama Of
nve hundred years before Christ so
staged close home to US and so en-
acted by the talent OF one OF our own
California actresses as TO closely link
the big history Of the far past TO an in
teresting item OF today's news
AS for Mrs. wncox's version of the
great Bible story those Of US who saw
II enacted here viii probably remember
II as a delightfully."- sweet presentment
OF the chief character, Esther. and an
proval Of that part OF IL is likely to be
unanimous AS Adele Block. at the
Majestic reincarnated TO our imagina-
tlon the dark-haired. handsome Jew
ess who took the Kings heart can
tive. she also held our hearts in bond
age from start TO finish. from the plain
peasant maid 10 the splendidly arrayed
consort OF most powerful sovereign
The beautiful words put into her mouth
compel US to adore her When we re-
member that great symbolic text. The
King held out the golden scepter" the
scepter OF sovereign grace. Of pardon.
OF Willingness to give anything in re-
sponse 10 prayer-eVen to the half of
the kingdom. we feel moved by the
fascination OF Esther, even as was the
mighty sovereign Of the Medes and
Persians, 10 hold out to Esther the
golden scepter Of the grace Of popular
sovereignty Holding out to her thus
the golden scepter means 10 give her
all that she asks. which is. even now
$500 years after Esther lived and loved
and kneeled. the still in some coun-
tries. withheld boon OF full toleration
and complete citizenship TO her people
the Jews.
So much for our acceptance Of Mrs
Wflcox's Esther. II IS good enough TO
go with godsend from everybody's
lips. But when the playwright ven
lures 70 take liberties with the old
Bible story and gives US her own in
oivfoual version Of Queen Vashti that
portrayal Is so contrary to the ideals
OF the many who admire and intense
". enthusiastically admire. Vashti. as
the few simple words of the Bible pre-
sent her TO US. that little doubt there
are hundreds, perhaps thousands. who
VIII want to shut the Wilcox picture OF
Vashti out OF their memories gallery
as some spurious Interpolation
esther
drama is entitled. makes OF Vashti a
woman impossible to like. TO sympa-
thize with, or even TO pity. Now
whatever may have been the private
opinion OF the historian of this old
drama OF divorce. deposition OF a wife
and Queen, and remarriage with
most deliberately careful culling OF the
most pleasing consort from an i'm
mense collection Of intended concu-
bines. and whatever may have been his
purpose of creating a prejudice against
the divorced Queen, he tells the story
as II he were telling the truth as far
as untwisted facts are concerned. And
oh my. TO many modern tastes is not
that few worded picture Of vashti
graphic and splendid? Isn't she glori-
Gus IN her defiant dfsobedience to mans
command. when mans command means
defiant disobedience to the higher law
Of modeety7 Isn't she the grand
dame" indeed? The imperious thor
oughbred. The fine woman holding her
head high-iike a fine woman and a
hne horse always have to do. Beauti-
fui we know she must have been, else
had the sumptuous King Ahasuerus
never summoned her 10 crafty his i'm
periaI vanity by bold-facedly display