The San Francisco call., 1908-12-28
By Walter Anthony

The cast of characters nicely framed
in the printers box" above is notable
mainly for its ommissions as related to
the production this week at the Amer
lean theater. where Murray and Mack
hold forth in "The Sunny Side of Broad
way, as the melange is called. The
best of the show is not in the list above
1t is skirted and there is a display of
linen-or is it muslin THAT will keep
up long line at the box office from
Monday on. Even Murray and Mack,
veteran entertainers of the emerald
style and the red ties to match their
whiskers, failed to outshine their bunch
of light footed chorus girls, who mainly
deserved the credit for the applause
which the play received last night at
the hands of an audience fresh from
Sunday dinners.
AS the mysteries of laughter are past
penetration 1t is unwise to say that this
man or that is funny or isn't. Mark
Twain's Laughing Sam is an illustra-
tion of one extreme in the disposition
to entertain an audible grin, and Ibsen
would not. If he could, be gay. So when
say that Murray and Mack are to me
unfunny 1 merely state what you may
deride II you read this.
UNNAMED PERFORMERS BEST
Not that I figure in the Ibsen class
VI Luudlc4y more ike
Laughing Sam but Murray and Mack
do not get on the furtherest reaches of
my sense of humor. They are tedious.
However, others more sensitively at
tuned TO fun, found merriment in their
antics and got, II one may judge from
the applause they paid as good meas
ure, their moneys worth.
I liked the chorus better. The cast
of characters printed above was cut
of just at the beginning of the list of
the dancing pippins," and New York;
named in the program, but as the
chorus is large as well as sprightly
space forbids a further directory of the
individuals who make the show worth
while. Besides I don't believe they
are the right names anyway
SOME PRETTY STAGE EFFECTS
The Wentz twin brothers were given
an encore for their horses dance" and
another for their clog steps, which
might have walked out of a musical
play of 10 years ago. Some pretty
stage effects were appreciated, notably
the "faceograph," which is something
new here.
The principals in the support Of Muir
ray and Mack are not particularly not
able for their comedy ability, but the
fairer members are unusually pretty
and that suffices.
Briefly I should say that "The Sunny
Side of Broadway" is without plot or
coherence-indeed the program says
so-that it is evidence of the change
in comedy fashions because Murray and
Mack are no longer funny with their
broat.sides of nonsense; that the play
is well staged; that there are lots of
catchy tunes and that the chorus of
singers and dancers and Bae Hamilton
in her sheath gown and Carolyn Ryan
as Flossie Ring, make a visit If you
are in a humorous and holiday mood
worth while this week to the American.
BY this time the town knows that
the Orpheum is staging its own show
the Orpheum road show-at the
vaudeville house in Ellis street. The
qualities of that aggregation of per-
Press and public" as the press agent
writes, unanimously affirm that it is
the best etc.
II is. This week there are two
changes. The road show Is held over
intact and to its interesting features
are added Gus Edwards youthful comic
opera in short gingham dresses.
school Days" and black and white
act provided by John P. Rogers and
Ben n. Deely. Both turns were sin the
money yesterday. The latter twain
had to consume all their encore verses
and the boys and girls OF the Ed
wards melange were vigorously ap-
proved.
There is not a weak spot in the
Orpheum road show, and 1t proved it's
popularity by a crowded matinee yes
terday, when many of those present
were seeing 1t for the second time