The San Francisco call., 1908-07-01
By Walter Anthony

Evidently the Princess doesn't care
how much II costs. This weeks show
Is the limit of excellence and expense
and is a three star performances
There are May Boley, William Bur-
ress and Julius Steger, any one of
whom could pack the play to success
The three conjointly make TT Hap
pened in Nordland" scream and Ellis
street, San Francisco, appear like
Broadway, New York. The Princess
company has struck its gait, and now
we know what we want.
After everything has been tried by
the Princess people from high class
comic opera with grand opera manners
to music comedy and musical plays we
have Lew Fields 'It Happened in Nord-
land produced by q cluster of new
stars and rejuvenated company, not
to forget Zoe Barnett. who has re-
turned, and SelH Simonsen, orchestra
director, who has arrived and made
good in a night The play has caught
on. 1t is going to fill a long felt
want, and. the electric sign above the
doors will blazon that same name for
four weeks to come or everybody's
guess is wrong.
There isn't time to talk about the
play, but that is of no consequence,
nor the music, for that is Victor Her
bert's at his dveliest. But the people.
MAY BOLEY ExCELs
May Boley, late of the orpheum, is
the best (what shall we call her?)
prima donna Coincidence soubrette
that we have had located in the city
even when Fischer made speciality of
the Weber & Fields line of plays
William Burress, who is named next
only for reasons Of politeness, plays
the role which Fields created In New
York and had the audience in tears
and shrieks during the second act
scene where he shows how a Nord-
land navy should be maneuvered.
julius Steger, also late of the Or
pheum In the role of DR.. Blotz has a
character less a burlesque than. the
others and explains. while you listen,
why the part of a phoney doctor
which he created in New York was
accounted one Of the best creations of
his career, All this sounds like adu-
lation. and maybe 1t is; but the
pleasure of writing about a Princess
show without using the word but" is
too great to be readily relinquished.
There is nothing the matter with 1t
from the three star" lead to the last
girl In the chorus.
IS REAL CoMEDIENNB :'s
Miss Boley sings, dances and bur-
lesques; she is a real comedienne and
her sense of hunor is as keen and
adroit as her methods are. clean and
wholesome. There is no leer in her
laugh. Her burlesque account of the
sleigh ride and her rescue is to be
heard, not written about. Zoe Barnett
returns as sprightly and dainty as
ever. = Cunningham has burlesque
role, too, In which he does not sing a
note, but he makes good just the same,
though it is doubtful If he enjoys the
part Christina Nelson sings THE
Knot of Blue" for four earned en-
cores, and Virginia Foltz, another new
conner, more. than fills the soubrette
role OF Parthenia. Frank Harrington.
still another new member, is a val
liable addition to the comedy corps of
the company and made headway into
favor easily. Reginald Travers. and
Robert Leonard are two more new
names to add to the list of the Prin-
cess importations.
Steger sings three fine songs, two OF
which with harp accompaniment, and
is forced to repeat the melody he
b ught into popularity in his playlet
at the Orpheum.
In short, there is nothing to say of
the show at the Princess hut that 1t is
an unqualified success from curtain to
curtain. If in doubt go and see 1t
and see for yourself that the press
agent did not write this story.