The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1895-04-06

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Friday evening of last week theatre goers
had to choose between Marie Jansen in
~ "Delmonicos at g. at the Lansing and
SH Hoyts' "A Temperance Town at the Funke.
FvI1 y k{c Both houses were well filled. If Miss Jansen
NV has a prediction for comedy, as reported, she
W w would do well to exchange it for something
~ more in her line. She might, for instance,
return to comic opera where she had some success. "Delmonicos
at g. is a very faulty play. In fact ii g one big fault. Miss Jansen
did the proper thing when she shelved it in the east. and it was a
mistake when she took it down again for use on her western tour.
There are people in her company capable Of better things. They
overact the play-the manuscript makes them do it. "A Temper
ance Town" had been seen here before. 1t partakes more largely Of dka-
matte form than Mr.. Hoyts previous efforts, and one is forced to
believe that the man who gave us "a Brass Monkey" and tangled
"A Bunch OF Keys regarded himself seriously when engaged in the
building Of "A Temperance Town" His intention was to write a
play with a purpose. He did. however, put a quantity of the old
time Hoyt fun into il, and the play has been successful. 1t was
ably acted.
banning souls, one would think, is quite as serious an occupation
as saving souls. Mr.. Morrison and MI. Griffith and most of the act
DIE who have lately essayed the Mephistophelian role appear to
think it necessary to indulge in unseemly levity. Very few of us
think of the devil as a clown-and this is what these actors make of
the prince Of darkness and protagonist Of evil The pursuit of the
souls OF Faust and Marguerite is quite enough to occupy the atten-
ton OF Mephisto. and most Of the smirking and bufoonery that
modern Mephistos exhibit are entirely foreign to the part. Mr.
Griffith. since his last appearance here, has greatly improved his
Interpretation. Study OF Faust has wrought in him a nearer ap-
proach to the Mephistophelian ideal, and while his Mephisto is still
designed to appeal to what is called the popular taste. there are
fewer concessions to the gallery. This actor has an intelligent ap-
probation OF the sinister cunning and malevolence associated with
the character Of the son Of chaosand he is showing increasing ability
in his portrayal Of a most difficult role. The performance as seen
at the Lansing theatre Monday night is a triumph for an actor as
young as MI. Griffith. Good devils II rare. The Keene school,
in which noise is the principal desderatum, has had it's influence
on Mr.. Griffith. But he has in one season overcome, to a very con-
siderable extent, the disposition to indulge in the "Horatio at the
Bridge" style Of oratory; he can with artistic, il not financial profit,
still further restrain himself. But those who are inclined to criti-
CHE current renditons Of Faust can with propriety place some of
the blame on the socalled Henry Irving version Of Goetheis great
work, which is the basis Of most OF the representations we see nova
days. Mr.. Irvings version might well be revised. We do not know
that lavish electrical effects and gorgeous scenery are necessary in a
production OF Faust. but Mr.. Church has followed Morrison and
provided settings and sceric paraphernaia with a lavish hand-he
has even gone 60 far as to furnish sky that changes it's color every
fifteen seconds. The company is substantially the same as when
Mr.. Griffith left Lincoln. 1t gives him fairly adequate support, and
its various members. like the principal, show improvement. The
production undoubtedly, rank with the best productions Of Faust"
in popular dramatic form lately seen in this country, and it deserves
the success it is apparently receiving.