Waldemar Young, Wm. Jacobs and Co. (2).

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“When Caesar Ran a Paper.” The skit was written two years ago by “Wally” Young, until recently dramatic editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, and was produced at that time at the annual show of the local press club, for which it was expressly created. It proved one of the hits of that entertainment and easily made good here last week, although in much faster company. The sketch is a travesty on editorial room life of the present day. The story deals principally with the efforts of an enterprising theatrical press agent to “land” a front page illustrated feature story of his star. The scene is laid in the private office of Caesar, “editor of Rome’s greatest daily,” and the action takes place the morning after a strenuous night before, when Caesar has been royally entertained by Marc Anthony, publicity promoter for Cleopatra, Egyptian dancer. There is a generous display of liquors, cordials and mixing paraphernalia. Caesar is diving his time between editing “copy” and mixing fizzes, when Anthony suddenly bursts in on his privacy, armed with photographs and typewritten “copy.” The dialog is bright and snappy, and the events that follow in swift succession and culminate finally in the arrival of Caesar’s wife, are ludicrously funny. The costuming is elaborate the players are clad in the conventional attire of the Caesarian Roman Empire period. Jacobs, another San Francisco newspaper man, has the part of Caesar; Young interprets the role of Anthony and Ethyl McFarland, a comedy and fairly clever danseuse, is Cleopatra. Joseph Roberts does a taxi driver “bit” and masquerades later as Mrs. Caesar. From a histrionic viewpoint, the work of the two chief principals plainly evidences a lack of acting experience, but they have a corking good vehicle and long before their Orpheum tour has been concluded they should develop the ease, stage presence and finesse of the “pro.” In its present shape the offering got over nicely here, where the co-stars have a strong personal following. On its actual merit, it should be moderately successful elsewhere.

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