The San Francisco call., 1908-12-07
b Bsai.A Il DEI aad Evelyn sr-hs-iz-d.

TIE prophecy q last season which
Ee made thzr Max FIguzn would take
lis r1ght1ul place as one OF the ns-
lions few and hne comedians became
= boast last night Audience and star
mutually congratulated each other az
t1e American Ihe4ter- where EIgmzn
appeared IN The Substirute~ Z new
comedy The audience auoIzErdea the
brisk comedian into z s7eech making
mood and the star disclosed in ex tenn
Pore fashion those gifts OF ningifng
smiles and tears ard conmIagIfrg in
breath = sigh and laugh which
priceless gifts Figuan possesses IN rich
abundance
Il i san Frranctsro.s claim that Fig
man made his first real success here
L Vas Z season ago IN The Man on
tEe Box and We took him IN as one
o. Is Al once ard made him feel HIM
SELF 10 be what he was and iS-a bright
particular star with al the urfsuratfe
oHds and he'll throw laugh over the
foctlg1ts. a bit Of true pathos and 2
THRILL He might take four seconds 70
do II Il one must Be exact Last night
he even went 80 far into the soft
tzICEe- OF sentiment as 10 discourse
about his mother and teI about the
pictures that hung on the walls OF her
room And Ee made Us all believe
eEsTy word Of IL That IS Al achieve
menr n Eu age when sentiment IS torn
= u.
. vas Z beautiful picture OF 4 sons love
for the woman who bore him II was
excellent
HIS APPEALING MANNER
Figmz1 has ar appealing manner
which wins your belief AZ once. q con
16sEtiaI method q EmPzrri1g his lines
which hs meanwhile Luum{nes with an
alert facial play mirroring az the pre-
else instant the thought he seeks 20
convey He has hunor- but he also
hzs reverence ne Is AZ once impudent
and sincere To the feminine quality
T CT czu-fctous1eS< he adds the masculine
element Of physical and moral vIgor-
combination OF assets At once uu-
usual and splendid His fault lies n
Z 4 rzpsd method OF eIocutfon which
slower wits than his find difficulty 70
keep Up with He IS all touch and
go zzd the trigger IS hung On = hair
Last night his play tested IFS pow
ers far beyond the demands made by
( The Nan Oh the Box He was all
That he was II t.s former piece and
+ much more
The plot tells the story ot James
Smiths (FsgEz1J visit 20 { village
where he * 70 assume the role os min
fs-er. substituting for his sisters sweet
heart Rev William Rouse The latter
has been taken III in The law once Of
Smith and can not 90 20 his charge
The play makes Smiths presence AZ
the parsonage q rezsonzble necessity
On arriving he falls into g tangle OF
intrigue involving his beEoved's fzt1er-
but now divorced, wife The end comes
IN . courtroom. where Smith assumes
the defense OF Rev Herman Lothrop
and wins not only hts case, but his
swee-heerts hand as well
PLAYS CLEVER ROLE
+ Meantfrs FIguan as Smith has 10
tread the thin ice. which breaking
would land him IN trreversnce. ne has
20 De preacher and man q the world
lover. lawyer. detective. and he has 10
be the fun compelling element IL the
somewhat tangled web OF the story as
veil as the representative OF that fate
which abideth forever IN melodrsuz
Whereby the wicked are punished ard
the good rewarded He came out OF
the ordeal smiling and scathIess and
provided an entertainment which will
be long remembered by all who love
clean comedy and q healthy presentz-
tfen OF the emotions Of real life
II his support Miss Agnes Everett.
as the house keeper II the home OF
the minister. was the best and 9 very
good best Il was She Is an excellent
character actress Miss Lolita Robert
son as the leading woman was well
-ece1Te1 Eorr Ter SE4ceEu1 experiment
and syupethetic reading OF q rather
ungrztefui role Ernest c. Wards as
the district attorney with & vaultfnz
ambition was also good. as were sgd
uey Price Miss Ethel Martin and other
members OF the company
The play Is well produced and Man
zzer Abe Cohn asked ne 70 say that
there viii be an extra matinee Weduzz-
day. which do gladly for the subsz-
auent advantage of those who can "a
only On that day and who might other
wise miss q notable actor in pleasing
{ ufzr