IS
THE SUNDAY OREGOKIAN, OBTLADVDECBiEBER 35904.
Mmmm M
MISS COUNTISS came into her own
last "week when she essayed "Ca
mllle." the final test of ability
which every emotional actress hoyes for.
It was altogether a commendable effort on
the part of the talented Columbia lead
ing woman. Mr. Baume was an excellent
Armand. and the other members of the
."mpany did woll in the lesser parts.
The Marquam attractions for the week
were unusually meritorious. Qadski ap
peared in song-recital, on Monday night,
and musical people wore more than de
lighted with the concert. "A Chinese
Honeymoon" was the bill on Tuesday and
"Wednesday nights. It was a good produc
tion, laoklng the great artists who -were
seen in it a year ago. But the-catchy mu
s c and pretty costumes -were the same,
while the people wcrexapable. "The- Prin
cess Chic," with Sophie Brandt in1 the title
rle and a fine support, completed the
week. It was the best light musical en
tertainment of the season, up to this time,
and the local public deserves a scolding
for not giving it more liberal patronage.
At the Empire, Manager Baker gave his
patrons a genuine treat, the first two
nights of the week, in "Shore Acres," a
grand old play presented by a splendid
company. The rest of the Empire week
was filled out by the "Black Patti Trou
badours,' an organization of genuine col
ored exponents of rag-time.
The vaudeville theaters, enjoyed a good
degree of prosperity and presented uni
formly good shows.
I am Informed an ordinance ha6 been
introduced in the City Council which
provides that the license for vaudeville
theaters is increased from $150 per year
to $10 a performance. 'As I understand
It the ordinance was referred to the com
mittee which passes upon saloon licenses.
I cannot "understand the connection, as
the vaudevilles contribute a good and eco
nomical form of entertainment for the
people who cannot afford to pay high
prices for their amusement. It is .sig
nificant that the saloons and breweries
are advocating the increase In license
for the vaudeville theaters because they
get many dimes which might otherwise
go over the bars. It is unfair to the mass
of the people to make the cheap vaude
ville business Impossible. They are, at
very least, innocent, and they give thou
sands of people much genuine pleasure.
If the City Council would earn the com
mendation of the people who elect City
Councils, the vaudeville license, it would
eee, should remain as it is. The "510
a performance" advocates probably have
an ox to grind, in which event it is to'
be hoped they will fail. A A G.
"THE CHARITY BALL.'"
Opens at Today's Matinee at the
Columbia Theater. 1
"The .Charity Ball," Belasco and De
MJlle's great society play, will be the
Christmas week attraction at the" Colum
bia Theater. The. scenes are laid in New
York and trace the joys and sorrows of
interesting people of high social stand
ing and toll a thrilling and touching story.
In this highrclass and luxurious, and still
extremely thrilling play, "The Charity.
Ball." tharo is ample opportunity for all
the company to display their highest mer
it?, and the week will undoubtedly be one
of groat gratification to the Columbia
patrons, as well as one of extreme pleas
ure to the company Itself. The theater is
an Ideal pleasure Institution in Portland
to all our citizens, and Christmas week
merits the zenith of a well-merited pros
perity
The plot of the play is intensely interest
ing anil well sustained, the action rapid.
the situations powerful and dramatic, the
dialogue crisp and sparkling, the comedy
element natural, pure- and refined, and
the story is delightfully told. Annie Cru
ger (Cathrine Countiss), the daughter of a
New York banker and broker, has lost her
heart-to John Van Buren (Edgar Baume),
Th pastor of one of New York's fash
ionable churches, who, on his part, has
fallen in love with Phyllis Lee (Blanche
Douglas), the daughter of an old friend,
whose loneliness and sorrow have touched
his heart. John and Anne have been
friends and companions since childhood,
and he, having resolved to ask Phyllis to
become nis wife, decides to tell Anne of
his happiness; she thinks he Is about to
propose to bor, and, with a sinking heart.
hears him tell the story of his love for
and honor in his ambition. Learning of
this, in her extremity Phyllis seeks the
man of God," and, ignorant of his love tor
her, confesses everything and asks his
counsel, and he, stung to the soul, learns
of his brother's perfidy and intended base
ness, and beholds his idol shattered. A
spirited -scene takes place between the
two brothers, which is interrupted only
by the entrance of Mrs Van Buren (Roy
Bernard), their old blind mother, and Boss
(Louise Brandt), their sister. After these
retire, John appeals to his brother's bet
ter nature, until the - latter, who really
loves Phyllis but has been misled by am
bition and greed of gain, declares that he
will right the wrong he has done, .and a
the curtain falls upon the scene, John
Van Buren, with trembling voice, unites
in marriage to his brother the woman he
had hoped to make his own wife.
lore songs are particularly pleasing, and
alone prove him to be the most versatile
"Yonson" of the stage today.
Thoee who have not seen the new "Yon
Yonson" have missed a decided dramatic
treaty Those wno have will .come again,
for Its cast, musical and specialty fea
tures are thoroughly np to date, and the
scenic Investiture is better than ever.
'YON YONSON."
Old Standard Play to Be Received by
Portlanders Again.
It is remarkable what hold some plays
have upon the theatergoing public Each
succeeding season witnesses the wreck of
many pretentious dramatic productions
and popular attractions ride smoothly to
success. A striking instance will be wit
nessed at the Empire Theater at the
matinee today and for four succeeding
nights, with a special matinee tomorrow,
Monday, when the pioneer Anglo-Swedish
comedy, "Yon Yonson." will hold forth.
To attain the success and to hold the
favor of theatergoers, an attraction must
possess undisputed merit. The prestige
Of "Yon Yonson" and its claim to much
originality lies in the novelty It affords
through Its exposition of the comedy
traits and peculiarities of the American
ized Scandinavian, and also bids for favor
through Its treatment of life and incident
in the pine-woods region of Northern Min
nesota. A successful play as a rule blends the
elements of comedy, loye, pathos and
realism. All of these elements are ' lib
erally employed In the construction of
"Yon Yonson," and the author has
evolved from them a story of continuous
and genuine interest.
The character of "Yonson" Is sTiown
through his evolution from the unsophis
ticated foreigner to the thorouchlv astute
another, yet still must smile and offer her f and Americanized Swede, and what hap-
congratulatlons. Prior to the opening of
the play. Dick Van Buren (Donald
Bowles). John's brother, has met Phyllis
in another" city and won her heart, and
he has lovod him "not wisely, but too
tvell." Dink is a member of the Stock Exchange.-
and aspires to be the "King, of
WcJf Street." and for that .reason "wishes"
tff.nnrry Anne, tho daughter of his chief
n'al, and sweeps aside all thought of duty
pens to him through this course of evolu
tlon form uproarious humor.-
David Brattstrom, who has everywhere
been commended for his artistic ? imper
sonation of the title-role, will be seen in
the Important characterization. While
his predecessors in the part. have been
clever, none have been able to bring ont
the depth of feeling nor the artistic effect
In this part as he has done. His Swedish
ATTRACTION FOR CHRISTMAS
Beautiful Maxine Elliott at the Mar
quam Tomorrow Night.
Miss Maxine Elliott, who has scored a
record-beraklng success with Clyde
Fitch's play. "Her Own "Way," comes to
the Marquam Qrand Theater as the
Christmas attraction tomorrow (Monday),
Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Decem
ber 26. 27 and 28.
Manager Charles B. Dillingham will !
present Miss Elliott with the same pro
duction as seen in New York. The offer
ing may conservatively be classed as the
greatest success of several seasons, for
It broke all records in New York, being
transferred to four different theaters- In
order that its run might not be inter
rupted. Miss Elliott has achieved a dis
tinct personal triumph in this play, and
those who have hitherto regarded her
simply as a beautiful woman will be
genuinely amazed at the depth of her
emotional feeling and the intensity of
her acting. She has the role of a beau
tiful American girl who Insists Upon hav
ing her own way In her own love affair,
and In the end, by resisting the Influences
of her relatives, she wins happiness. The
scenes are descriptive of New York social
life of today, and there arc many char-J
acter sketches drawn by Mr. Fitch in his
most satirical vein. Miss Elliott will be
assisted by a strong company, which In
cludes Charles Cherry. James Carcw, R.
C Herz. Georgie Lawrence, Fanny Ad
dison Pitt. Nellie Thorne and little Don
ald Gallaher. . . ,i
Seats are now selling for the entire en
gagement. Curtain at 8:15. Carriages
at 10:50 o'clock.
play that you think aboutan'd remember
for months, such a play Is "FoY Mother's
Sake."
The company presenting this dramatic
gem has been selected with the utmost
care for their individual fitness for the
part they were to portray.
The little sunbeam. Marie Heath, will
"again be seen as Jo Pemberton, the part
she made famous last season.
"THE
BETHLEHEM."
the
"FOR MOTHER'S SAKE."
Popular Play Is Coming to the Em
pire This Week.
"For Mother's Sake" will be the offering
at the Empire Theater Thursday. Friday
and .Saturday nights of this week: also
at the regular Saturday matinee. Why
do plays like 'The Old Homestead,"
"Shore Acres." "Way Down East."
"York State Folks" and "For Mother's
Sake." live long after "farce-comedies and
melodramas, born about the same time. the. hees.
are forgotten? The reason is perfectly Lang Sync with startling vividness; a
apparent, once you stop to consider. Plays
of this class have, the two most potent
and essential qualifications for success,
heart interest and naturalism.
One goes to the theater and sltsthrough"
four acts of lurid Tnelodrama, based on
an improbable story, crowded with im
probable situations. Impossible climaxes
and stereotyped speeches, blood and vil
lainy run rampant; you stagger from the
playhouse and Inhale deep draughts of
cool night air and thank heaven that life
is not as black as It Is painted. How dif
ferent is the impression after witnessing
a play with a good, wholesome plot," based
on a consistent story, whose situations
are natural, and whose interest is un
flagging. Whose men.' women and chil
dren act and talk like, human beings,
whose counterparts arc seen In daily life.
A play that causes you to forget the
city and Its busy strife and takes you
back once more to the wild flowers and
A play that brings Back Auld
Ben Greet to Present Play of
Nativity at the Marquam.
If you were impressed and absorbed by
"Everyman"; if you were delighted by
the beautiful voices and nontheatrlcal
art of the Ben Greet players, you will tie
pleased to learn that next Friday and
Saturday, December 30 and 31. two after
noons and two evenings, this English
company will return to the Marquam
Grand to be seen In their Christmas play,
"The Star of Bethlehem."
Mr. Greet has a repertoire all hs own,
and ho has a play for each season of the
year. In the Winter he gives "Every
man." In the Summer, "As You Like It"
In the open air. and at Christmas "Tho
Star of Bethlehem." Not a pantomime,
nor a stage-carpenctercd "religious"
play this, but a splendid dramatic story
of that first Christmas In far-off Beth
lehem, with lordly Kings crossing tlvj
pathless desert at the guidance of that
wonderful star, with simple shepherds
following the same glory in the sky; with
the cruel Herod raving In his jealous
anger; with gentle, holy Mary, the
virgin, holding the sacred infant In her
arms. Delicate themes these for any
stage manager to present, but none who
saw the wonderful reverence that these
English men and women bring to their
work In "Everyman" can doubt that in
"The Star of Bethlehem" they will acquit
themselves with honor and esteem.
There arc four acts, or scenes, to "The
Star of Bethlehem." which show the
fields near Bethlehem, the Palace of
Herod and the stable. The characters are
those of the three wise men, the shep
herds, Herod and members of the holy
family. "The Star 'of Bethlehem" Is an
Ideal play for this time of year. Mr.
Greet, himself, will appear as Mak. a
stealer of sheep, whp is caught and pun
ished in an effective but primitive man
ner. The four performances of this beautiful
play will be given for the benefit of the
Baby Home. The sale of seats opens
Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock. De
cember 2S.
JOINS THE COLUMBIA COMPANY.
Blanche Douglas Has Returned From
-Tour .of the Orient.
Blanche Douglas, just returned from a
tour of. the Orient wltli Daniel Frawley,"
has been engaged by Manager Ballard as
a member of th Columbia Company.
Miss Douglas, who will -make her first
appearance at the "Charity Ball" matinee
this afternoon, has been a favorite mem
ber of both the Frawley and Nelll Com
panies for several seasons, and her en
trance into the ranks of the Columbia
B. C. Whitney's production of "The
Show Girl, or the Magic Cap." will bo
seen at the Empire Theater the first week
of the new year. This extravaganza is a
beautiful production and contains a cast
of well-known singers and abounds in re
fined specialties. This music is by H. L.
Heartz, co-author of "The Tenderfoot."
and abounds in light, airy numbers, and
contains melodies to suit all tastes, from
delightful, dreamy Waltzes to catcKycoon.
songs. ,
There are 40 new musical numbers which
have been written for this production,
and among the lilts are: "That's the Way
of a Sailor," -'Property Boy," "I'm the
Simple Author-Manager," "Octette," "An
cestry," "I Don't Want a Southern Coon,"
"My Bowery Babe." "My White Wash
Man." "Oh, Shrine of Psyche," "Over the
Pllsener Foam," "Sometimes, Perhaps,"
"Maid of the Sunset Sea," "Psyche."
"Champagne and Terrapin." "Gondo
liers." "Reggie's Family Tree." "One
That He Loves Best." "The Sunbeam and
the Rose," "Somebody's Somebody."
In giving the public "The Show Girl, or
the Magic Cap," Manager Whitney has
outdone all his other big productions.
Williams and Walker Coming.
Williams and Walker will be the New
Year's attraction at the Marquam Grand
Theater, Monday. Tuesday and Wednes
day nights, January 2, 3, 4, in a new
musicl comedy entitled "In Dahomey." It
Is novel and framed with good music,
negro melodies and humor. These royal
comedians have just returned from a
more than successful engagement In
London, of nearly eight months. During
this time they enjoyed the distinction of
a command to appear before the King
and a royal party of guests at Bucking
ham Palace. The contract with royaltj
was very close, but we are guaranteed
that Mr. Bert Williams, the droll hum
orist, and Mr. George Walker, the dandy
coon with the "smile that will not some
off" have lost none of their originality or
ability to entertain the American public
from their association with English aris
tocracy. These royal comedians have surrounded
themselves with a notable company of
colored performers, including their bril
liant wives. Mrs. Lottie Williams and
Mrs. Aida Walker, for this their first
tour of America, since their return, and
their new production of "In Dahgmey," Is
said to bo the best affort that its able and
accomplished authors havo produced. It
is also beautifully staged and costumed
in an appropriate manner. It is always
an assurance of the very highest class of
an entertainment when announced that
this company will appear.
Their engagement in Portland should
prove a great success and attract the
very best patronage.
"A Night in Japan."
Jiu-jitsu, the wonderful Japanese art
oT attack and defense, an exhibition of
which will be given at the Marquam The
ater Thursday evening, D'ecember 23, by
General Bunemon Nil. assisted by Pro-fessor-Ringler
and his group of 15 art
ists, ia new only in America. In Japan
it is as common as eating and walking,
and has been taught in the schools for
generations. According to the traditions
the science was evolved by a thoughtful
samuria (knight). Jiu-jitsu having been
suggested to him by seeing two kittens
at play. He was the "first teacher and
up to tho restoration every soldier was
compelled to practice it. For a time the
craze for rorefgn ideas and methods
caused Jiu-jitsu to be dropped, outside
the army and police, but about lS9u. when
the triumphs of the Japanese army In
China, their nerve and endurance In bat
tle, and the remarkable physical vigor
of the nation was shown, the science of
Jiu-jitsu was revived. Now, from tne
Mikado down to the humblest coolie Is
educated in Jiu-jitsu. Prince Kan-ln, a
cousin of the Mikado, is the president of
the Jiu-jitsu Association, and twice an
nually tournaments arc held In Kyoto.
To the unsophisticated eye, on the night
of December 29 at the Marquam Theater,
it will look to those in the audience that
the Japanese boys on the stage are not
In earnest, but they will be. You will
see General Nil standing in the center
of the stage. Opposed to him will be men
of slight stature and delicate appearance,
yet these little fellows will play with this
strong man. just as a cat would play
with her kittens. It will not be wrest
ling. The Jiu-Jit3U artists will not clinch
with each other, struggle and grunt, like
the professional wrestler, but you will
see General Nil hurl his opponent to the
floor almost as soon as the latter has
touched him. His hands will go out, and
he will do something with his legs, but
the young man who offers the attack will
never, or seldom get beyond General Nii's
guard.
General Nil will prove on the night of
December 29 to the women present how
easily It would be for them to conquer
a street burly, without the necessity of
bungling muscles and long hours spent In
a gymnasium. Sale of seats opens Tues
day morning at the Marquam box-office.
Football Teams to Attend Columbia.
Monday night all tho members of both
football teams will occupy the boxes of
the Columbia to witness the company's
presentation of "The Charity Ball." The
boxes will be appropriately decorated in
tho clubs respective colors, and several
large blocks of seats have been sold to
friends of both teams. The occasion; will
be a genuine college holiday affair, full of
the brighter side of life, and good cheer
for all.
Countiss Souvenirs.
Catherine Countiss delighted hundreds of
her little friends and admirers yesterday
by distributing hundreds of pretty Christ
ma? souvenirs at- the matinee of "Ca
West's Minstrels Coming.
William IL West's magnificent min
strels will be an attraction at the Mar
quam Grand Theater, at an early date.
THE STAR.
Acts in Keeping With the Holiday
Season Are Engaged.
Christmas bells will chime merrily at
the Star Theater today, and the pro
gramme w- be continuous from 2 to 10:30
P. M. There is no merrier placo on earth
than the Star Theater, and a programme
in keeping with the glad season Is on.
Tomorrow is a legal holiday, and the
bill will also be continuous from 2 to 10:30
P. M. The best acts obtainable have been
engaged for Christmas week, the head
liner Is the brilliant London soubrctte,
Daisy Harcourt. who opens the week
with an entirely new act. Miss Harcourt
is a London favorite, and her engage
ment last week shows that she is already
a Portland favorite, and her title, "the
greatest female mimic- in the world."
will not be- questioned. The Taggart
'amlly of marvelous acrobats Is another
attractive combination, with an act full