The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 7, 1902, Page 13

FTER an almost continual run of comic opera and musical comedy we mre to have a few theatrical novelties. Nance O’Neil comes to the Grand (mn,t-hou;s morrow night with & repertoire of mod- m classics, one of which has never been meen here before, and at the Co- Jumbis Theater one of Clyde Fitch's best lays will be seen. P e O'Neil's return after her world Nance tour. which included both Australia, where she scored & truly notable suoc- cess, and England, where her presenta- tion of her historical play “Elizabeth Queen of England” set all Lbndon agog during her brief engagement, has beea made something of an event. It had always been the California actress’ greatest ambition to try her talents on a London audience. It was not enough that she should have risen to stellar fame In her own country, and so it followed that when Australia praised her Elizabeth so highly the long-coveted London engagement was at last within her grasp. It was a hazardous venture, for English audiences are proverbially and traditionally jealous of their his- torical rulers, but it i something to be proud of to have it said that the Ameri- can actress looked more beautiful, more regally exalted than her famous proto- type of the British throne. Though Magda, in which Miss O'Neil has been seen and approved before, is to A = T WITYE TRE LIS D FIHS OV CO T THE CAZIFORNIAG. THE EUNDAY CALL. TRICAL STAK.S FHOTOS 37 IHIAS ’ Pe the opening bIl c(p-morrow night, “Elizabeth Queen of England” is to be one of the biggest scenic and costume plays of the season, with the possible ex- ceéption of “Judith,” McKee Rankin's adaptation of Ristori’s great biblical play of thé same name, which will be given its premlere at the Grand Opera-house. 1n both of these plays, it is declared, Miss O'Neil has raised a new standard, even for her exceptional talent. As furthér evidence of her growing am- Mton - inl gmact, besides “The Jew- ss” and “‘Camille,” Shakespeare's great tragedy, “Macbeth,” mn:: up alto- gethér the most notable engagement of the year at the Grand. She will have as chief 6f her support McKee Rankin, L. R. Stockwell and B. J. Ratcliffe. LR The Columbid’s attraction to-morrow night 1§ a remiarkable example of Clyde Fitch ability to make a play fit the actress rather than the actress fit the play. “Captain Jinks of the Horge Ma- rines” was written around Ethel Barry- more’s peculiar fascinations to introdyce hér as a star. It represents a series of pictures of an Interesting period in Amer- ican social life of thirty years ago. Many 0dd charactery are introduced, and there is plenty of /wit of the typleal Fitch or- der. The theme of the play, that of the love of a young New Yorker for an op- eratic singer, is treated whimsically, al- beit sympathetically. The progress of the T ée is interspersed with a great nu r of diverting eplsodes after the true Fitch manner. 13 CorvrrBra In the first act there 18 & scene in whieh Mme. Trenton! punishes the presumption of her invited visitors by shunting hev vulgar chaperon off on them in her place as their guest at a croquet party, and by making them exercisze her dogs, and an- other which satirizes none too severely the barbarian manners of the custom- house inspector; a third in which Cap. tain Jinks is arrested for attempted brib- ery of that incorruptible official, and a fourth in which the diva is visited by two members of the Woman’s Anti-Vivl Association, who beg her to make hep operatic debut In oratorio, or even in “Faust,” rather than the soul-destroying “Traviata,” a really delicious bit of sa= tire. In the second aet c.uere are other séenes of pure entertainment of the same kind. In one is an interview between Trentoni and Captain Jinks’ mother, scmewhat on the order of the celebrated one between Camille and the father of Armand, and another a rehearsal of what seems, to those who have never witnessed such a function in real life, a too-comis ballet. In the third act there are a serenade by a crowd of enthusiastic citizens, a scenp with the ballet, which is full of enthus siasm and newborn harmony, and & com~ ic scene with a comic policeman. But fantastic comedy as It is in its en- tirety, and broad farce as it is In many places, through all of “Captain Jinks" there sounds a note of genuine feeling. Without an actress, therefore, who knew bow to strike this note and make it sound Mr. Fitch’s play might have met with dige approval. Next to Miss Barrymore, Miss Eliza. beth Kenn dy, who will be seen as Mma, Trentoni, comes nearest to being the reg} embodiment of the character. - Apropos of the engagement of Mason and Mason at the California Theater § week from to-night, a story is told thag substantiates the absurdities of the migs taken identity around which their comedy revolves. The costumes and make-up worn in “Ry dolph and Adolph” are such as to make them look as much alike as two peas In 2 pod. Charles Mason was taken ill dur- ing the performance and a physiclan wag summoned. He had never seen either one of them on or off the stage, consequently @12 not know that they were dressed sfl made up to resemble each other as clos ly as possible. The doctor was shown to the Masong’ dressing-room immediately upon his aps rival, and as Dan was on the stage at the time Charles was the only occupant. After making an examination of him he started to prepare some medicine for his immediate relief when Charies, ans ticipating his cue, -Tushe . for the stage. In this scene as Charles enters Dan exits, ‘As Dan entered the dressing-room he wag greeted by the doctor with the assurance that if he would take the dose which wag in the glass he would feel better. As Dan was not aware of Charles’ ilinesy or that the doctor had been sent for he was at a loss to account for his presence therd, but thinking possibly he was some one connected with the theater, re~ marked: “I'm feeling pretty well as it js.” “But this will do you good,” replied the dogtor. “Drink it.” Thinking possibly the doctor was a friend of Charles, who had prepared a rs- treshing drink and was anxious to treat, Dan picked up the glass with the remark that he seldom drank, anyway, ang ‘“here’s to you,” drank it. As the doctop had prepared a good, hot dose that burned and seared his throat, Dan immediately concluded that he had been polsoned, but his cue was announced before he had & chance to expostulate. As Dan rushed upon the age, Charles and, suffering intense pain, hurried into his dressing-room and shouted: “Now, give me that medicine, quick!” “Not yet,” replied the doctor, trying to conceal his amazement. “You've got to wait half an hour before you get any~ thing more.” “Half an hour! I'll be dead by that time,” said the comedian. “The dose 1 just gave you will take ef~ fect soon, and you'll be all right. “The dose you just gave me? Why, you didn’t give me any dose!” “Why, yes, I did,” declared the doetor, emphatically, and then both eyed each other suspiciously, until Dan came in and the similarity of make-up showed the sur~ prised docter his mistake. LR Heléna Mora s one of the big fea- ures at the Orpheum this whkek. Helena Mora is the big statuesque woman with the wonderful barytone voice who sings four equally thrilling songs and changes her costume with each song. X