The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-05-23

SLdy Nithithl mas siShcu a Nohti AT
with Ira LaMotte of the Schiller thea
tire, Chicago, to remain under his man.
agement for five years. Mr.. LaMotte
has arranged for a winter season in
New York at a good Broadway theatre.
Mr.. Clement has enlarged his roper
toire. He will play Matthias in The
Bells and he will produce his own
dramatiZation of Maarten Martens
story, Gods Fool" Clay Clement has
Bilder" style and Maarten Martens
romantic simplicity and refinement can
be moved from the novel to the stage
without breaking the plastering by a
playwright who knows his business.
John Drew, who will play June
at the Lansing, is one of the best and
most polished of the younger school of
actors. For a number of years he was
Days leading man. Four years ago
when he left DAILY to star he was over
Swallowed by predictions of failure. He
has a temperament, rare among artists,
commentator or adverse criticism af-
feet him not at all. 1t is strange that
he makes so fascinating a lover. He
goes about the one occupation that all
mankind is interested in with such icy
indifference-yet with such success that
every girl in the room thinks the hero
inc a fool if she takes a little time to
consider his proposal An impertinent
and useless race of critics has made fun
of the matinee girls darling without
reason. The modern matinee girl of
New York city is not to be despised.
She goes to the theatre constantly. She
has reached that point in her dramatic
education by strict attention to the
course in comparative matinees where
mere good looks. including grace and
technical excellence, have no effect upon
her judgment. She recognizes talent
as quickly and more generously than
the critics do. Her appreciation has no
newspaper reservations connected with
advertising or with prearranged putting
of any other actor. 1t is genuine and
very rarely undeserved. Occasionally
especially If she is alone and has no one
to express her admiration to, she writes
letter to her hero. If the actor had
less vanity he would perceive that, in
spite of what the foolishly honest girl
says, ii is not himself, but his ability
to act certain parts that she admires,
he would accept the letters with a bow
as he does bouquets over the footlights.
1. e., as tribute from the dumb to one
who has the gift of tongues John
Drew has been the matinee girls idol
for some years. Idolatry has only
hardened his heart and iced his blood.
In congealing, however he has only
gained in fascination. Mrs. John
Drew, his mother. has made her Mrs
Malaprop classic. 1t will hardly be
played by anyone hereafter without
careful reference to her reading and
if any change is introduced there must
needs be shown good reasons for it.
Her son Johns first success was in
Butterflies" which was written for
him by Henry Guy Carleton. The part
that was given to Olive May. who af-
forwards became Mrs. Carleton. over
Swallowed Drew's part and he got into
something else as soon as the public
would let him. The light comedy and
mitigated tragedy parts that Mr.. Drew
has confined himself to cannot be said
to show versatility, which is not saying
that he has it not-he has been sure of
himself in the characters he has pre-
scented. For this reserve many thanks