The San Francisco call., 1908-03-24
CAST OF CHARACTERS
In Pinero's Play
The Second Mrs. Tanqueray
BY Waiter Anthony

Society made a feeble effort last
night at the Novelty theater to sur
round "The Second Mrs. TanQueray'
with the feathers and fuss that might
normally be expected to characterize
an audience on the occasion OF the first
night of q Mrs. Patrick Campbell sea-
son: but evidences of fnery were not
apparent except in the boxes and in a
fringe which extended back few rows
doesn't like The Second Mrs Tanque-
ray" The thought is 1T for pleasant
contemplation. 1t must be admitted.
however. that the audience. though not
representative of the inner circle, was
large At any rate my compliments to
one gentleman in dress suit uniform
who. q row behind, slept peacefully
of all men and challenged contradiction
by snores SO loud that no one could
doubt his deep sincerity.
OF Mrs. Campbelrs art there can be
as little question as OF a w. Pinero's.
He wrote the play, you know. Olga
Nethersole has played 1t here, and so
theater goers are familiar with the
plot. Mrs. Campbell almost made
Paula a human being. II there is q
it by her remarkable portrayal of an
utter fmpossibility
Paula is the second Mrs. TanQueray.
The wish that there may not be q
third Is not so fiippant as it might
seem Paula marries after a seething
career which is well known TO her hus-
band, who has a child by his former
wife. The child is as pure as any
heroine at the Central, but neyerthe-
- - - -
Mrs. TanQueray's former lovers. Mr.
Tanouerays affection for his wife does
not seem to be a determined factor
whether he loves her for her beauty OF
person or for her soul But that he
loves her there is no question, for he
marries her when nobody else ever
Gid Then comes repentance They dc
not seem to get along. Mrs. Tanqueray
makes no friends. for her former loca-
ton in the circle of society is sufl-
GENTLY advertised The daughter OF
the first Mrs. Tanoueray doesn't love
her new mother and is sent to Paris
where she falls in love with Captain
Ardale the former lover of her step
mother It all comes out in surpris-
ingly eloquent style in Pinero's master
piece and the second Mrs. TanQueray
kills herself about it, while the step
Daughter regrets out loud that she had
not been more merciful to the woman
with a past
The daughter, Ellean, was played de-
mureIy at first then vigorously at last
by Mrs. Campbells daughter. Miss
Stella She is her mothers daughter
in comprehension and dramatic in
stinct Mrs. campbells conception OF
the role of Paula is wonderful in its
reach and range. Her singularly
haunting voice, even though robbed
somewhat of its effectiveness by g
stubborn cold, is plant TO every mood
from gay to deepest tragic sadness She
depicts with true art the soul of the
woman whose transgressions jangle
the happines of repentant days. Her
support, though none too good is ur
to the standard of the companies
which have visited US Of late.
The management Of the Novelty an
nounces that tonight the Pinero play
will be repeated On Wednesday and
Saturday nights The Notorious Mrs
Ebbsmith" will be staged. "Hedda
Gabler" is the bill for Thursday night
The Flower of Yamato" and Electra
will be the double presentation Fri
day night, and "Magda" will be given
Saturday afternoon This schedule is
change from the repertoire originally
/ aunounred