The San Francisco call., 1909-09-05

iIlusionists Of the stage and
y perhaps il isn't. After the
grease paint has been removed
the costume changed, and the
wig hung up. and the mime becomes a
man again, there is danger of disillu-
sion in q meeting between the one who
sits in front and watches the show
and the one who pretends TO be what
he isn't for two hours or so a night
1t may be a reasonable wish TO greet
Arsaces and to ask that Voltaire hero
why he slew his own mother. and it
may be the part of good judgment to
ask King Lear, after the play is over,
why ne turned Cordelia down in favor
OF his other daughters; but Russ Why
tai and I think otherwise. Whytal is
only one Of the members of the splen-
did cast which is playing Augustus
Thomas superb drama, The witching
Hour" at the Valencia theater. He
was the one I met behind the scenes
last Tuesday night. and he told me 1
lad made mistake in coming on that
side Of the footlights.
4 FTER very witching hour spent
a with the players at the Valencia
theater, wherein cordiality and
courtesy met in their treatment, / was
bound 10 admit regret that the sub
stsntial fact OF personal individual ex-
istence. apart from the roles they
played crowded too vigorously on the
train OF fancy which Thomas drama
inspires, and I do not know but that I
should prefer to remember Mr.. Jack
Mason, conpanionable as he is, as Jack
BrookheId. or Miss Amelia Gardner as
the lovely Helen.
But the greatest shock OF the real
against the imagined was provided by
charming Charlotte Ives. In the play
sou know. she is Jacks niece. She is
the little lady with whom Clay Whip
pie, poor, weak Clay. is in love, and
sne it is whose happiness is side
tracked during most of three acts be-
cause her sweetheart is obsessed by
the sight OF a. catseye- jewel.
When l saw what she wore at her
throat / gathered a shock only slight
ly less than that which Clay WhippIe
feels when Tom Denning thrusts his
catseye scarf pin under Clay's hor-
rifed gaze. Miss Ives wore a cats
eye. It fastened the ends of her pretty
lace collar together. Perhaps / should
explain that the plot Of "The Witching
Hour" gets its impetus from the cir
cunlstance that Clay whipple has in
berited from two generations before
him a horror of a catseye jewel. The
phosphorescent CLEAN OF the hated
stone shakes his reason till it nearly
totters. Hence the prescribed stone,
when poked at him by a drunken COM
panion, drives Clay Whipple to mur-
der He picks up heavy ivory knife
and strikes the man who was once his
friend.
Miss Ives plays the role of Clay's
Sweetheart Imagine the irony of the
real situation when Clay makes love
10 the pretty girl and faces the odious
CLEAN of the gem at her throati It's
hated luster in the hands Of another
drives him to murder, an inonensive
drunk.
She noted my establishment at sight
OF her pin. Il bought it yesterday"
said she. proudly. isn't It beauty?"
TT certainly is" 1 admitted. but
why did you buy a catseye?"
POOH" she replied, plying my
ehildishness. you can't see it from
the audience"
1T 6on't suppose YOU can, saws L
but how about poor Clay, who goes
mad when he sees a catseye scarf pin
in the necktie of an inebriated friend?'
According to the business of the
play.v she instructed me. CLAY Whip
pie is not supposed 10 look at my neck,
but 70 gaze sdorinsly in my eyes