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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 27, 1907)
THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN, PORTLAND, OCTOBER 27, 1907. " -Ay ' f U V III i .f?- A KrM Mm wmm - Cs ; Is 1 : :::-;':x:'':;v:W: iiii f v T.V : - NS.V 'A Mi, t. : I -3 1 WHO TjLAYS T i HE, return of the San Francisco Opera Company was the most Im portant theatrical event of last week, and once more the Marquam Is the Mecca for the many admirers of this popular organization. It opened Us en gagement with "The Idol's Eye," of which opera an excellent performance was given. , "The Highwayman" will go on tonight foi" the entire week. At the Helllg there was a musical show of the most mediocre character called "The Mayor of Toklo1' at the beginning of the week, followed by "A Message From Mars," a noteworthy play fairly well performed. Tonight "Checkers" will begin a three-nights' engagement, to be followed later by "The Three of Us," and Olga Nethersole In repertoire. At the Baker this afternoon the stock company will present "Diplomacy," which will succeed a very excellent per formance of "In the Palace of the King," which attracted large crowds last week. Empire patrons will be offered "Thorns and Orange Blossoms," and at the Star 'The Struggle for Gold" will go on this afternoon. The Lyric has broken away from the recent agreement to raise prices at the cheaper theaters and tomorrow night will go back to the old rates. The bill , will be "The Governor of Kentucky," while "Beacon Lights," the present Lyrio attraction, will be repeated this after noon and tonight. The new vaudeville bills will be put on as usual at the Grand and Pantages tomorrow afternoon. A. H. G. "DIPLOMACY" AT THE BAKER Sardou's Famous Play of Russian Intrigue and Police System. Starting with, today's matinee, the Baker Stock Company will be seen for the week In Sardou's noted play, "Di plomacy," which was originally trans lated from the French by Clement Scott. It Is one of the masterpieces of the modern drama and calls- for actors Of the highest ability and training. The four principal characters are Countess Zlcka, a cold, unprincipled spy in the Russian service; Baron Stein, a famous and cold-blooded diplo mat, and the two brothers, Henri and Jullen Beauclerc. The other characters are all parts that require strength and unusual temperament, and the atmos phere of the play Is one of lnteslty and passion. The wiles of Russian' diplomats are powerfully demonstrated by Sardou, the wonderful secret police system playing an important part in the ravel ing and unraveling of the plot. Ac cording ' to the story, the banished Count Orlof, of Russia, wants to return to see his dying motherland no one but a young girl friend (Dora) knows of . his Intention. From Dora the Countess Zlcka, tool of the Russian Baron Stein, worms a suspicion, and, warning the police, Orloft is turned back. Going to Paris, he bitterly ac cuses Dora of being a spy, and other prominent personages being brought Into the plot, it assumes wide propor tions. This Countess Zlcka Is the one who steals the plans of fortifications and places them Into a letter from Dora to Baron Stcln, so Dora's hus band, who had charge of the plans. Is naturally the victim. Like all great and powerful things, "Diplomacy" Is hard to cover in a few words there is far too much to it. It Is almost im possible to shorten to a few para graphs and make clear what It It all about. It Is one of the truly great plays of the nineteenth century, and the Baker Company's production next week will long be remembered by all those fortuhate enough to see it. It will open this afternoon and con tinue all week, with matinee Satur day. The cast for "Diplomacy" will be as follows: Count Orloff Mr. William Bernard Baron Htein Mr. Robert Homans Mr. H. Beauclerc Mr. Aultln Webb Captain Beauclerc ;Mr. Donald Howies AlKle Fairfax Mr. Howard Ruse!l Markham Mr. William Gleason Antolne Mr. James Gleason Mr. Sheperd Mr. C. H. Lewla Messenger Mr. K. E BracVbury Marquis D Rio Zares..Mlna Crollua Gleason Countess Elcka. ...... .Miss Marlon Barney Lady Hsnry Fairfax Mrs. Roy Barnard' - .PVI 1 1 SRP bs?V SCENE. esss- , - - yea- 11 JldS " V. VAvvet i B ti IE IE la a ..(tVMMM f1i Wm IE MBi m VI I HI HI Tosteiiiiilliil n wililillliltlBw AT mORM5 AMD the: zzxri&e. ca sa- Dora. . Mlon. . Miss Ioulse Kent .Mlfis Dorothy Bernard 'CHECKERS" TONIGHT. Famous Comedy-Drama Begin Three Nights Engagement. It is quite as pleasant to note the re turn to town of a clever, Interesting play as to tell of its coming for the first time. Such a play Is "Checkers," which on laurels here last season and doubtless will do so tonight, Monday and Tuesday nights at the Helllg Theater, Fourteenth and Washington streets, when It will be here again. The company, under the same manage ment, is composed largely of the best members of last year's organization. Hans Robert will play the title role, and he announces that so long as the play goers show their liking for him in the part he will continue to play it. And the same statement holds good regarding Dave Braham, who has played continu ously the most cleverlylrawn character of a ract track tout named "Push" Mfller, since the first performance of "Check ers," five years ago. Among the others of the old members of this play are Frank Daniels' pretty and clever niece, who last year played the part of Pert, but, Bhowing a greater tact for . comedy, she was assigned to Cynthy. the excruciatingly funny house maid, and with her Pauline Eberhard will be seen In Aunt Deb. Then there are Joe Wilkes as the crusty banker and Robert Craig as the Intensely funny Rube, Bud Breckenrldge. Among the new members of the "Checkers" company Is Miss Stephanla Longfellow. . It Is Impossible to mention her without remarking that she Is the niece of the lovable Longfellow, who during his long life stood among the head of American poets. This will be Miss Longfellow's first appearance as a lead ing woman. Since, in her teens, her first entrance on the stage as a member of Augustln Daly's musical comedy, "A Runaway Girl," she has ' played many characters, but always with her longing i ' ' i ' v is. " - , . , ' fx if. I . 1 !.: -r finest racing play I have ever seen." Bo Its playing is promised here, and an al most entirely new set of scenery has been built this past Summer, and the entire set has been painted to adorn the telllns of the tale. Seats are on sale at the theater. "TriE HIGHWAYMAN" IS NEW San Francisco Opera Company Meets With Cordial Welcome. Frank W. Healy'a San Francisco Opera Company did not take long to acquaint Portland theatergoers with the fact that they were again In their former environ ments at the Marquam. All of the old favorites and several new people, who are also destined to become popular, re ceived the hand of welcome from the house last Tuesday. "The Idol's Eye," given for the last time Saturday, had much good fun and music. For the week commencing tonight the company will 47" TJXZT ttEZjLIG- eyes and heart on the part of some gen tle, natural ingenue. And In the part of Pert it la thought she has found her quest. The story of "Checkers" has been told and acted so often, It Is needless to set It forth again. It has ma or times bean tersely termed "a slice of life."" It has a natural, dainty . love -" story and as strong and vivid a racing act as was ever put upon the stage; an act so real that the lata Hon, William C. Whitney, at the close of the first performance In lit Zark. - said: " 'Checkers' la the present. DeKoven and Smith's romantio comic opera In three acts, "The High wayman." The piece Will be welcomed as a new work In this city and if the critics of San Francisco and Los Angeles are to be accepted, the company does Its very best work In "The Highwayman." In the original production, Arthur Cun ningham was engaged to understudy Joseph O'Meara in the title role, and as Dick Fitzgerald, the young knight of the road, Cunningham alternated with O'Meara on the road. He sang the part so successfully that he was engaged by the Tlvoll management and remained there tor many yaaxa. Tk range of Cunningham's voice Is so great that he sings parts written for tenor robusto, baritone or basso-cantantos equally well. Cunningham, Kunkel and Wiener, as well as several of the chorus and small-part people, appeared In the several produc tions of "The Highwayman" at 'the Tiv oli. Aida Hemml made her first ac quaintance with the role of Constance there and with- such great success that Mr. Cunningham complimented her sing ing. Maude Beatty as the young English of ficer, Lieutenant Lovelace, Is very much at home In the military finery; Daphne Pollard as Doll, William Blalsdell as Toby, Lillian Raymond as Pamela, Oliver LeNoir as Sir Godfrey, D. S. McFadden as Lord Kilkenny, are all well cast. The beauty chorus will be seen and heard to advantage. "The Highwayman" will be beautifully costumed and the scenery, as In the case of all productions of the San Francisco Opera Company Is correct In every de tail. The only matinees of "The High wayman" will be given Wednesday and Saturday. The Beatrice Dierke Recital. The greatest Interest Is manifested In the piano recital to be given by Beatrice Dierke, the eminent pianist, at Murlark Hall, Washington and 23rd streets, Tues day evening, October 29, at 8:15. The public Is anxiously awaiting this oppor tunity of again hearing this great pianist, whose fame has already spread all over Europe. Portland must be justly called a musical and appreciative community. Applica tions 'for tickets are so great that the seating capacity of the hall will be tested to its utmost. "THORNS, ORANGE BLOSSOMS." Bertha M. Clay's Beautiful Love Story Dramatized at Empire. Everyone who has read Bertha M. Clay's famous love story, Thorns and Orange Blossoms" will want to see the play, which will be at the Empire all this week. It is always a strong attrac tion for women, and matinees never fail to be crowded with the fair sex. There will be matinees Wednesday and Saturday. The play Is one of Intense Interest, rounding out a series of actual life pic tures of tremendous reality, appealing to all ages and all classes -a story that once known will never be forgotten. In brief, the drama tells of a young, winsome English girl, whose parentage, though somewhat obscure, lays claim to the distinctive gentiltiy found In the middle classes of England. She has an inborn contempt for the sham, mockery. Indolence and Worthlessness of that certain class masquerading under the title of nobility, and It happens that a young Lord, a chap with artistic tem perament and lofty sentiments, falls In love with the maiden, and'knowing that his suit would be hopeless were she to know his true station, he poses as a struggling young s.rtlst. Wedlock fol lows, and for a short period the couple are supremely happy. The marriage is kept a secret from the young man's mother, a supercilious, cruel and avari cious woman, who learns of the wed ding through a worthless young scion of a neighboring royalty. An Intrigue la set on foot by the mother, and she enlists the services of her informant by holding out the promise cf her In fluence in securing a much-coveted de gree of knighthood. And then Is unfolded one of the clev erest schemes ever taken from life or a playwright's pen, the action Is swift, dramatic, and of intense Interest. The wife is led to believe that her husband has tired of her, and -seeks a separation, and on the other hand, the young man Is shown apparent proof of the young woman's infidelity. He orders her from the house. The succeeding incidents of the story are olosely woven with pathos, comedy and strong heart interest. "THE STRUGGLE FOR GOLD" French Stock Company Will Present ' Four-Act Western Play. Ever ort the lookout for dramatic nov elties, Manager R. E. French has se lected "The Struggle for Gold" for the present week at the Star Theater. The French' Stock Company will begin the week with the new bill this afternoon. It Is a four-act story of the West, writ ten by a Westerner and filled with West ern atmosphere. This Is not a cowboy play, but a legitimate drama, with scenes laid In California. The times are those following -the gold excitement in that state,' although the period is later than '49. "The Struggle for Gold" is a melo drama of unusual Interest. The plot is conventional In spots, but the subject Is treated In a masterful manner. There' Is no one fn Portland who will not be deeply Interested in the story, since It is unfolded in San Francisco and the mining region of the Golden Gate country. There Is a mine around which the plot revolves. This Is owned by a business man and his son. They give a mortgage to a villain, who Is about to foreclose when an accident at the mine discloseB a rich body of ore, end this enables the owners to pay off the mortgage at the critical period In the plot. Typical Western characters are shown In "The Struggle for Gold." The class of people who won the West and made it what it Is today are the characters in the comedy-drama. There is a strong vein of comedy throughout the piece, which is supplied principally by an Irish woman and an Irishman. A subordinate comedy and love story is enacted by a young girl and her youthful lover, who has ambitions to be a Congressman an run the Government. Nothing will be lacking In the way o scenery, and as is the rule at the Star Theater, there will be realism wherever Manager French can find a place for it. The accessories at the Star are no less Interesting than the plays ' presented, while tbe company is composed of a fins galaxy of experienced players. "GOVERNOR OF KENTUCKY High-Class Society Drama Will Be the Monday Offering at Lyric. Among the wide variety of excellent bills giviai recently by the Lyric 3tock Company none will be a more delightful novelty than that which will be offered for the week commencing Monday night. "The Governor of Kentucky" is a beau tiful drama of Kentucky politics and so-