The San Francisco call., 1908-12-22
By Walter ANTHONY

Travelling troupeS may come and go,
but the Alcazar company goes on for
ever showing most of 'em how q show
should 60 Now there's Brown of
Harvard" for instance, this week at
the stock house in Sutter street. The
last time we saw 1t was nearly a. wear
ago to a, day. 1t was at the Novelty
theater, believe, that Henry Woodruff
was the loud college yell.
Bertram Lytell, versatile Bert, is in
the part at the Alcazar and carries as
open a heart and as yielding pocket
book as even buoyant Harry did. Then
there is Howard Hickman as poor.
weak Wilfred Kenyon. He measures
UP to the standard that our visiting list
maintains, and so do Ernes. GIendin-
ming, Walter Whipple, A. Burt Wesner,
who as "Tubby" you'd never recognize,
and so also does Evelyn Vaughan as
Evelyn Kenyon AS in name so other
wise, she more than half meets the re-
quirements other character and IS
charmingly coquettish and ..co-eidish'''
as Toms college sweetheart.
The second act is given to much mu-
sic, Of which Wesner supplies the COM
edy, Glendinning the melody and
male quartet the harmony Glendin-
ming displays pretty barytone voice
and might be a musical comedy star if
he had less sense. Wesner reflects
moods from the Wigwam-ancient OF
days--and his stunt is a regular Or
pheum turn. The male quartet will
do better tonight no doubt. 1t was
timid last night.
The boat race scene in the third act
was better done than / have ever seen
It before. You could almost see the
Harvard strokes pulling daylight be-
tween them and the Britishers, who
were, of course, beaten again
Lytell, as the irrepressible and gem
erous Brown, was an effective Juvenile
comedian last night The role fits him
better than Golfers in Caught in the
RAIN" As Brown there Is an under
lying sentiment and seriousness that
suits Lytell and he was admirable and
convincing.
showed Alcazar possibilities as Claxton
OF the play we will say nothing. 1t
is a success and we like it. It's faults
are too obvious to waste time in dis
closing-as, for instance, the anti
climax in the third act wherein the
victorious Harvard crew is robbed of
It's applause by faulty melodramatic
touch--so, as with our friends, we love
it because and not in spite of its de-
fects. The staging of the play is. as
usual with AlcaZar productions excel
lent. There was large audience there
last night.
VALENCIA
The second and last week of the
Valencia's Offering, The Lost Para
disc" was begun last night before a
well filed house. The management,s
choice of this play has been proved
wise by uniformly excellent attend
ance. 1t is drama from the German.
based on the strife between lahor ana
capital and woven into the somber
background of the struggle is an ex-
quisite romance. Miss Peggy Monroe
a former member Of the Company. is
back again.
VAN NESS
This is the last week in which tn see
Charles K1ein's drama of contempora
neous life, The Lion and the Mouse
at the Van Ness theater The plav Is
proving popular in spite of the fact
that 1t has been seen here, last season
and the season before. 1t is an inter-
esting and at times thrilling story of
politics. intrigue and romance. and the
company presenting it is ADEQUATE and
good. Ben Hur" follows next Monday
night.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
A lively bill at the Pantages- -Empire
theater attracted three large audiences
yesterday afternoon and last night. The
policy of the management in bringing
high class acts to the popular house in
Sutter street is being justified by in
creased attendance. The acts this week
are nicely varied and are well pre-
Sapted