The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 23, 1902, Page 13

THE SUNDAY CALL 13 o G reRrIS HagTrAN oF TT & SLASH IRIGAND S o ,.."-‘."5" CECRCE OB crAaAND SFPERA HOUVSE < N THE struggle for supremacy in pop- ular favor between the comedian and the Amazon, the former would seem to have won. And the battle was short, sharp and cecisive. Time was, and not so long ago, when no extravaganza, comic opera, musical comedy or-éven farce comedy was con- sidered complete without a battalion of shapely young women, whose chief talents were the ability to wear a scanty cos- tume withont too much sélf-consciousness carry a spear at the proper angle and keep the alignment perfect during a long serles of Intricate evolutions. They marched upon us in an all-conquering host, rank upon rank, company on com- pany, until even the scenery was crowded out of place to make room for the kaleido- scopic picture of pink fieshings, tashing heimets and burnished snicids. Une come- dian was declared to be quite suricient for any production. Now the Amazonian host has dwindled to a single pale, pink line, while the come- ian has multiphed himself into a squad. ke note of ail the late comic opera suc- es for proot of this fact. Every onc remembers the vogue Amazon obtained in such glitter travaganzas as +Sinbad the sailor, he Glass Slipper,” etc., only a few years ago. The gorgeous pageants and transforma- tlon scenes of wnich she was the most fascinating component t, brought nightly crowds to the theater for weeks and weeks at a time. Indeed, the comic’ upera or extravaganza of that period was made or marred by the composite shapeli- ness of the Amazonian beaucdes who made up the biggest item of the salary lst. Eddie oy was then the greatest comic opera funny man in America, and he had pienty of opportunity to kecp the audi- ciice amused while the Amazons were be- low stairs changing their costumes from the scanty seaweed drapes of the South Sea Isiand maids of tne first act to the scantier outfits of the King's war- riors in the second act of “Sinbad.” Foy reached the pinnacle of his fame as a comedian when the Amazon march was the greatest spectacle of the age, but when this dazziing feature of extrava- ganza became trite and stale Foy, too, sank into obscurity. With the coming of the first shadow in the eclipse of the Amazon, Frank Daniels saw the comedian’s opportunity. In the “Idol's E and also in the “Wizard of the Nile,” he not only had a star part written for himself, but created another of equal humor and ridiculous- ress that he tlirned over to Alf Whelan. The Amazon was still reckoned with in both these oriental productions, but she was made woefully subservient to the horseplay of the funmakers, Then Alice Neilson carried the new or- der of things a step further, and the shadow of the eclipse deepened. In the “Dancing Girl? and the “I’ortune Teller” she quite outdld even I'rank Daniels’ sen- satlonal Innovation by having four in- stead of only two comedians. This squad, headed by Joe Cawthorn, was given the freedom of the stage whenever the pretty little prima donna thought it was neces- sary to change her costume, which she did about twice in every act. Each was allowed to select his own way of making the audience laugh, and it soon became a case of one against all and all against one in this happy go-as-vou-please scrambie for public abplause and tne center of the flmhgiu circle made by the calcium spot L. $ehan as soon as. Mis Neilson’s daring plan became a stage tradition, which it did right speedily, while the dainty little Californian__singer played to packed houses, a multipiicity of comedians be- came quite the proper thing. Acting and singing in duos, trios and quartets, they quickly proved themselves a stronger at- traction than the serried ranks or Ama- zops, with the added merit, from the man- agerial standpoint, that they cost less in costumes and accessories, Two of the latest examples of the in- creased popularity of the comedian and the diminishcd attractiveness of the Amazon are ths “Princess Chic,” which was recently presented for two weeks at the Columbia Theater, and “The Amee: which is now on for a run at the Tivoil Theater. The “Princess Chic” company was made up of a host of pretty girls, both spright- 1y and pleasing to look upon. They were headed by Maude Lillian Berri, a beauti- ful California girl, and one of the tallest and shapeliest prima donnas that ever masqueraded as a boy, but it is never- theless a notable fact that the audience seemed to like her best when only her face was visible, while she sang, in her rich, clear soprano voice, from behind the flimsy bars of a_mock prison cell in a painted castle. What success the com- pany made here was all due to the ener- etic humor of a quartet of comedians. geaded by our own Tom O’Leary. And now if vou will go to the Tivoll and see “The Ameer” you will be made still more unmistakably aware of the fact that the comedian has quite eclipsed the Amazon, for all the popularity of the comic obera is written ‘into the lines of the comedians. There are the usual four funny men. The Ameer, in the person of Ferris Hartman: the court jester, plaved by Mr. Webb; the grand Vizler, repre- sented by MF. Cashman. and the chief of the brigands, impersorated by Mr. Cun- ningham, with Annle Mcyers enacting a the ALIdRY P Hovo Misd BERTHA CamoINER Ny TrE AmMPER FAIR MAIDS OF THE CHORUS NOW LACK FAVOR ) IN THE PUBLIC EYE BUT THE FUNNY MAN IS ON THE BOOM, masculine role of considerable humor, carry the whole piece from start to finis. There is an Amazon march to be sure, but it is not given much prominence. In fact, it is nothing more than a stop gap between jokes, which are, after all, nog of a yery high order of wit, although the serve to keep the audience in a continua uproar. Here are some of the best, which You may judge for yourself: The Ameer—'‘What ship did you say you came over on?”’ ‘The Never Did.” The Court Jester- The Ameer—"Well, that was the worst thing the Never Did ever did.” And this: The Court Jester— Wh is a can tied ““What is it that stands first on one leg and then on the other—has wings and barks like a dog?" "The Ameer—“What js {t stands first on one leg, then on the other—has wings and })m"k?a like a dog? Um, I dunno. What s i7" The Court Jester—"“A stork.” The Ameer—"But a stork doesn't bark like a dog.” The Court Jester—“I know it doesn’t. I just put that in to make it harder.” The plot is flimsy enough as comic op- era plots are now required to be, but there is enough unctuous wit in the per- sonality and vigor of these four come- éians to move the shadow of the eclipse of the Amazon one more peg toward total darkness. TR iz One of the quaintest old songs in stage- land is “I Feel Just as Young as I Used to Be,” sung by George Ober, the new stock star at the Grand Opera-house, this week in “A Midnight Bell.” There is a story to this song, although nobody seems to know who wrote it. Probably, like Topsy, it *“just growed.”” At any rate, Ober has been singing it for the past twenty years, off and on, and although he has no copyright on it, he sings {s so quaintly that no one ever ‘succeeded in imitating hi When be headed his own company, playing through Middle States many years ago, this old song was frequently introduced in farces when Mr. Ober played old men. Then, when he joined “A Te: perance Town" to create the role of Uncie Joe, “the oldest inhabitant,”” he wanted some quaint song that would be in the character. Mrs. Ober suggested “Just as Young as I Used to Be,” and wrote out the words and music from memory. Hoyt was so pleased with the song that he wanted to publish it among the musical numbers of the play, attributing it te Mrs. Ober. When the proof sheets were submitted to her she wa: urprised to find her name on the ti age as author, but was obliged to decline the honor. “I presume the author must be dead,” said she, “for I first heard the song when I was a little girl, and it was ol then.” So far as known, the song is found only in a few very old music books, and in ali that Mr. Ober has examined it is_attributed to “Anon.” the mysterious person who has writtén so many good songs. Meanwhile Mr. Ober holds practi- cal proprietorship of the old song by vir= tue of his ability to sing it better tham anybody else.