Omaha daily bee., 1895-09-22

~ nv NV'u bt II is ANai VI
its ordinarily accepted meaning. In spite OF
the fact that they, in common with all other
localities hereabouts, were extremely and un-
seasonably warm. that little comfort rewarded
those who sought refuge there from the cruel
and relentless heat without. It was a week
Of fierce July transferred, for the spelling Of
the late maturing crops and the bodily tor
ture of people, to the early days of September,
when the bell is commonly heard to ring for
the calling in of straw hats and ones
thoughts are busy with ways and means for
the of ones spring overcoat. But
in spite OF the untoward climatic conditions
the play houses prospered, thanks to our
country cousins. who were with us in num-
bers altogether unprecedented. Early in the
week. before the pilgrimage set in from
every Middlesex village and farm" business
was not what had been expected for fair time,
but later, in the very vast and middle OF the
whitening heat. the yeomanry turned out gal
lantly, and the theaters made hay, IL one may
say so. while the sun shone.
The stage Trilby will make her first APP
p%earance among us this week. Most other
cities have had an opportunity to judge in ad-
vance of Omaha of the merits OF MIR. Potter's
work, and 1t seems a pity that we have been
thus sighted, for have we not among us the
source and fountain head Of that goodly flow
Of "Trilby evenings" which erstwhile re-
freshed the land? However, 1t is believed
that so long a stage wait will but tend to
sharpen appetite.
OF Mr.. Du Maurier's story 1t is surely need
les to speak at this time by way of descrlp-
ton. First published serially in one of the
great monthly magazines, 1t speedily attained
such popularity in this country as excited the
surprise Of readers in England, where the
book is even now ~plodding through the earli-
est editions. 1t is not to be wondered at that
so sweet and delicate a tale should have at
tracted the attention of discriminating read
ers, many of whom will continue to love 1t
after the extraordinary hue and cry from
the rabble has died away. Meanwhile, the
Trilby craze is here-waning, indeed, like the
silver question and other feyers of the hour,
but still a quite appreciable quantity. One
was asked the other day by not at all a liter
airy bootblack, Have you read this new book.
"Trlllaby?'" And a LEGAL caterer has ac-
quired more than a local reputation for
the excellence of a certain ice cream mold of
his, whereby he makes and purveys to social
entertainers simulacra of Miss O'Ferrall's foot
in colors to suit.
Notwithstanding the success achieved by
Mr.. Potter. who would seem to have over
come the great technical difficulties in the
way of an adequate dramatization Of the
book in a manner which has brought him
gold and fame, it may be doubted by one
who has not seen the play If the subtle and
delicious spirit, which informs the writing of
III MluTIeT, anu Is It's C0lPlPSl CHdTIl, can
be preserved even by Mr.. Potter and the com
, pany of artists which is presenting his work.
That the play, judged apart, Is an excellent
one, is as likely as that it viii be fittingly
performed, and a chorus of unstinted praise
from all quarters indicates that in the opin-
ion, at least of the critics, the Du Maurier
flavor has been surprisingly retained. Well.
"~seeing's believing as the old proverb hath
y, and no one will BE- more truly delighted
than the writer if Mr.. Potter's players and
Mr.. Potter's play shall give him to breathe
the same atmosphere which exhaled from the
installments of this beautiful story when
they appeared and were awaited in the
monthly pages of Harper's magazine.
1t seems that an injury has been done Alan
Dale, the well known dramatic critic Of thu
New York World, though it has come about
less through certain omment in this column
upon the unfortunate combination of a pun
ming sentence bearing his name with a
wretched play, which was wretchedly played
here a few weeks ago, than by reason of
that combination itself. A very pleasant let
ter from Alan Dale may be of interest in this
connection to any who were induced by his
supposed recommendation to see the play
in question. He says: "You have done me
an injustice in attributing to me Mandatory
eplgrams' on the subject of "a Fatted Calf"
| am roasted so much for what l 60 that
object to being slated for what / don't do.
1t seems to me that INSCRIPTIONS managers,
who wrongfully use a critics name to boom
their wares, should be shown up. A dramatic
| critics name is valuable to him, and a mis-
quotation of his utterances Injuries him with
the public.
81 have never seen the play in question
| know nothing of it. 1t may be tragedy,
comedy or comic opera for all l know to
the contrary. | can quite believe, however,
that you are correct in your judgment, for the
title of the piece itself is a sort of give
away l ask you to set me right. You
yourself may suffer in the same way one Of
these days. Then you will know how UNI
pleasant it is"
One cheerfulIy makes all possible amends
to Alan Dale by giving his disclaimer equal
prominence with that which the original COM
ment enjoyed in this column. The schemes
of knavish managers. however, are well laid
and far-reachin2, and doubtless the New
York World will still be made to say on the
garish paper" of "A Fatted Calf" through
out the country that that unspeakable animal
is good meat"
Winsome Gladys Wallis, a new star in the
theatrical armament, and 'Fanchon,' an old
stage love story In a new dress, Will be seen
at BOyd's theater Tuesday and Wednesday
nights. This is not, however, Miss Wallis
first season as a star, for she played through
the south for a while last year at the head
Of an organization. She is a petite and
charming young comedisnne, unless all who
have had the opportunity of seeing her have
had their judgment bewitched. She should
be well adapted for the part Of FaHchon, and
her success in Chicago, where she first at
tempted it, has certainly been Of no ambigu-
Gus quality. She has been somewhat as
sisted in her achievement by Clay M.
Greene, who has rewritten the old play.
In setting about this task Mr.. Greene says
he went to the source whence "Fanchon"
sprang, George Sands novel, LA Petite
Fadette,'' and has written what is practically
. new dramatization, not departing, how
ever, from the original play in the story.
The dialogue has been brought down out of
the clouds of fustian in which dramatists used
to delight, the old long speeches have been
chopped up into crisp dialogue, the element
Of witchcraft has been somewhat emphasized,
and several CT the charac ers hsve been devel-
oped along lines better suited to mOdern
taste. The old play was in five acts. The
new version is in three. The drama will
be adequately staged, for r. f. McClannin,
who created the role of Father Barbeaud in
1861, is the stage manager of the company.
There will be entire new scenery by Walter
Burridge, new and original music and
choruses by J. C. McCabe and new dances
arranged by Nine. Cerito. In the cast are
Frederick Paulding, Mr.. McClannin lin his
original role). Edwin Brewster, j. II. Ready,
David Spencer, Arthur Dawson, Robert
Hearty, Miss Lillian Andrews, Miss Alma
Aiken Mathews, Miss Florence Lillian
Wickes, Miss Grace Gibbons and Susie Win
ner. There will be a Wednesday matinee.