The San Francisco call., 1908-09-22
BY Walter Anthony

by Walter Anthony
If you bar a certain few barren spots
in the business of The Toreador" there
is little to complain of at the Princess
theater this week, where the burlesque
Spanish is being played and sung.
When you consider how the local COM
pany takes on new piece every week;
how the musical comedies and comic
operas which are presented were writ
ten for definite principals and starred
in by them over a bill plastered land;
how the adaptability of the company
is taxed to fit the requirements of these
all this you will surely take off your
hat to the Princess ladies and gentle
men and concede the obvious fact that
they can "go some
The play was mixed by six hands
James G. Tanner, Harry Nichols.
Adrian Ross, Percy Greenbank. Ivan
Caryll and Lionel Monckton. The first
two wrote the book, the second pair
wrote the lyrics and the third couple
attended to the notes. 1t is a sort of
Spanish stew, you see, and 1t Is plen-
tifully provided with pepper. The
story doesn't matter; 1t has been told
before. The play is by no means new
to us.
Zoe Barnett streaks a bright red
vision through the play. She is Donna
Teresa, with wicked. piercing stiletto
and glances to match. Arthur Cunning
ham is in splendid voice. He sings the
famous "toreador song"-not the Car
men," but the other one-and gets great
applause. The new tenor, Melvin
Stokes. has no chance to warble in the
role of Augustus Trail, but makes
amends by graceful and intelligent
reading of the lines. Walter de Leon
does the blase Englishman, Archie =
splendidly. His song, "Everybodys
Awfully Good to Me-" made triple en-
core hit last night. His comedy is as
infectious and the best he has done at
the Princess Christina Nielsen, Sybil
Page, Muggins Davies and Sarah Ed
wards figure among those present and
pleasant, and Fred Kavanaugh as the
terrible Carlist, ready to blow some
thing UP, is an explosion worth wit
Messing.
Ferris Hartman has not reached the
confines of his versatility yet. His bo
gus toreador is hugely funny. 1t is the
funniest thing he has done, for me at
any rate, since he's been at the Prin-
cess. Mother Hasn't Spoke to Father
Since" he makes as deliciously nom
sensical as 1t Is ungrammatical, and his
mock despair when he finds he must
do a bull fighting act is ludicrous. with
wealth of facial play, much trembling
OF knees and a generally caved in ex
preston. Walter Catlett has less to do
than In other pieces, but works his
nimble legs into a situation or two and
received an encore for an acrobatic
dance last night.
The orchestra is. as usual, excellent,
and the chorus keeps together In the
musical ensembles. even If the mem
bers are not always unit In the mat
ter OF bowling left and right. Scenically
the piece is up to Princess standards.
ALCAZAR
David Warfield's third week at the
Alcazar started off last night with as
large and as enthusiastic an audience
Master" when 1t opened two weeks
ago. It is notable, too, that many In
the audience were those who have
are returning to see Warfeld as Won
Barwig a second and a third time, for
the spell which the great actor casts
When the curtain rises on his first
scene it Is like meeting an old friend
whose companionship is ever charming
and desirable.
cellent and Miss Antoinette Perry is
making friends by the hundreds for
her sweet and unaffected portrayal Of
the character of Helen Stanton. 1t is
difficult to believe she is acting, SO
naturally does the role fit her. Marie
Bates as Mrs. Houston is one of the
for many seasons and, in short. the
entire company supplies an unbroken
support for David Warf1eld's incom-
parable performance Of Herr Anton
Won Barwig, the music master.
VAN NESS
second and last week of it's jovial run
at the Van Ness theater- 1t is a
Paul Nicholson, Henrietta Tedro and
the other principals Of the large cast
their lyric PRarios'sS hls3rionic and eomeay Sps
ability. Nicholson is great favorite
and is forced nearly every night to
respond to insistent applause with a
pretty girls. who are singers and
dancers. The final performance will
be given next Sunday night and on
Young, the we'll known comedian, will
take the stage In The Time, the Place
CENTRAL
"The White Tigress Of Japan"
thrilling four act melodrama suggested
by the recent war between Japan and
Russia, is the attraction at the Cen
tral theater this week. The play is re-
Picto "ith SSai Ing lhSAooiie - oA.N - .
sents several beautiful scenes showing
life In Japan. ]. Anthony Smith as
sumes the role OF an American army
army and after a romantic courtship
is betrothed to Laura Hudson. daugh-
ter OF the white tigress, which part is
Hebron Is seen to good advantage in
the. role Of a Russian officer of high
rank Frank Bonner Is seen In the
and assirts in the sensational rescue
OF the hero and his sweetheart, Elmer
Booth. Master Robert Osborne and
drama. PieasinSp psnyeciaItias are given
between the acts.