The San Francisco call., 1908-03-10

What New York, London and Chi
was repeated by the audience that wit
messed it's initial production in San
Francisco at the Van Ness theater last
night 1t was good emphatically
good, and to say that it is one of the
best of the later comedies seen west
of the Rockies for years would be SO
near the truth that it would not be
worth while arguing over it.
How would you spend a million doll
lars? There is not a single man who
draws wage, is given a salary or
draws an emolument who has not con-
sidered himself in such a predicament
at some time or another. OF course, 1t
is silly, foolish dream. but the kind
that men and few women like.
Brewster had a million; but he had
to spend that amount in order to fall
into legacy of seven millions. And
he had to do it in 365 days, which
means an average expenditure of $4,000
day without figuring on the interest.
Pretty easy to spend $4,000 day, think
you? Not at all. 1t was the hardest
job Brewster ever tackled. He was not
allowed to dissipate it or give it away
but spend it,
HC AISt SlOU,UUU went easy, anu
then, hoping to make rapid strides, he
played the stock market. He bought
when he ought to have sold. but in
stead of losing he won everything he
backed. He tried the races. The same
result. A 40 to l shot with no more
chance than a dumb man in an ora
torial contest landed him $4,000 to the
good. He even tried starring an ac-
tress. Here he thought he had found
his mission, but unfortunately the ac-
tress made good. the play made a hit
and Brewster nearly became apoplectic
He hired steam yacht and invited
his friends, and proved himself the
original come on" at Monte Carlo. 1t
was heartbreaking. The expenses OF
the cruise were almost covered by his
winning at the tables, and Brewster
almost wept. He deposited whole
wads of money in banks about to fall
but he only succeeded in pulling them
through and getting back his money
with heaps of interest and profits that
nearly drove him crazy.
Finally. few minutes before the
fateful hour, he finds himself broke but
supremely happy. Such is the play,
and from the opening lines to the last
word-which brings laugh-it is COM
edy. clean cut and clever.
/ Robert Ober as Brewster does excep-
tionally well, and he is supported by
strong company, in which June
Mathis and John Junior stand out
prominently. One of the most notice
able features in the production is the
storm scene. which is unequaled in
stage storms and which drew encore
after encore.
COLLEGE PLAY AT ALCAZAR
AT Yale" is the Alcazar's Offering
to the public this week. AS may be in
ferred from the title it is college
play so crammed with "Rahi Rah,
Rahv' that there isn't much room for
anything else. Perhaps that is why no
trouble is taken with the plot, which
leaves no room for speculation as to
the outcome. You know right from the
start that the villain is lying, and you
haven't any doubt, right up to the last
thrilling second. that the hero will es-
cape from his prison and dash to the
scene in time to take his place with
the crew, which, of course, wins. 1t is
distinctly not problem play.
Then there is a mob, which fails
sometimes to mob, but which, in the
serpentine. does really effective work
The racing scene is clever piece of
stage craft, very realistic. But the
play as a whole is as conventional as
could well be imagined. Once In a
while there is a bright line in it-at
least, occasionally there is something
Jndt STANDS out so distinctly against
the background of turgidity that 1t
seems to be bright. But there is plen-
ty of hilarious fun and once in while
genuine thrill. The Alcazar people
will be playing it well by tonight, that
is, If they learn their lines and busi-
ness by that time. Bertram Lytell and
That's Lawton have the leading roles,
and very clever bits of character work
are done by A. Bert Wesner and Daisy
Lowering.
"BELLE OF RICHMOND
THE Belle of Richmond. that popu-
lar southern drama in four acts by
Sidney s. Toler, made it's first appear
ance last night at the Central theater.
The play is splendid combination
of southern loves, laws and hates. and
Ernest E. Howells players adapt them
selves admirably to the several roles
The scenic effects, especially that of
the first act, an evening garden party
| in the south. are the best that have
been seen at the Central this season.
Miss Laura Hudson is the belle" and
acts 1t we'll. Ben McQuarrie, who had
not appeared since his accident during
performance of "Bunco of Arizona,
seven weeks ago. returned last night