Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-11

The weeks engagement OF Richard Mans
field, too long for our poor purses, yet not
long enough for our desires. serves but to
define more distinctly the limitations OF
that actors greatness. Some OF the plays
which he presented here are the rounds
OF the ladder by which he rose and are
no longer worthy of his ripened genius.
His portraiture Of Baron Chevrial and MIR.
Hyde is character work superlativeiy
good character work. but no more; and
thereto the characters portrayed are CHASTITY
and hidcous TO such a degree as to render
them well nigh unfit for public representa-
tion. His Brummell is likewise a character
study and a marvellous one in It's deicacy
and softucss Of tone So Is his Shylock
30 is his Richard, so is his Arthur Dlmmes-
dale. If these things be true Mr. Mans
field is essentially character actor, albeit
great one; and this is the conviction that
forces Itself upon thoughtful minds after q
retrospect Of the week
lie brought us magnificent scenery. a be
widerment OF stage properties furniture
from Italian palaces. brc-a-brac from
French salons, novel effects OF lighting,
genuine antiques, and all that goes to make
UP a correct ard costly stage picture. He
brought n company which without being
INADEQUATE or wholly incompetent, certainly
CONT nearer TO IL man any support Wnlcn
has eretofore attended him And he
brought himself who, without company or
accessories, would alone constitute gift OF
price.
Tho company contains some clever peo-
pie, but 10 leaves the impression, after n
weeks observation, OF pretty even medi-
ocrity. Only Mrs. Mansfield Mr. Andrews.
Mr.. Johnson Miss Walker, Miss Evelyn and
little Alice Pierce rise above the dead level,
and most Of them only In certain parts.
MAJ aHal1 ha rn1fs tfel,iT h.,
lighter roles in which she is admirably
qualified to shine and aiming for distlnc-
tion In heavy tragedy, which, with her
equipment. she Is not likely ever to attain.
as Hester Prynne and Marcella and not
at all good as Lady Anne. She used to
play the linen Diapers daughter in Drum
nell" charmlngly, but she has given that
up now in reaching after the unattainable.
The member OF the company who gives
most certain promise Of substantial achieve
ments in the future is beyond question Alice
Pierce, whose naive Jessica and boyish
Prince Henry will linger in the minds when
more Obtrusve things are forgotten. This
little maid-she is only 15--was here last
season with Charles II. Hoyt and that beau
tifuf wooden doll, Caroline Miskell and
played a newsboy and did some specaltieS.
Her voice Is extraordinarily mature for
her years and her manner Is that OF a
grown woman. She has a gift of mimicry
quite uncommon, and initiates Duse Bern
hardt and Rciane very clevcrly, speaking a
sort OF gibberish entirely without meaning
but sounding very much like French or
italian. as the case may be. IL is hard to
know how to characterize such a child as
this or what measure OF praise 1t Is judicious
to bestow upon her. She deserves a great
deal OF commentator, and II Is ones i'm
pulse not to withhold it, but II may be
questioned whether overmueh adulation Is
good for bright and precocous youngsters.
Here Is one with genius written in every
line OF her earnest face, one who with
proper training and under right influences
may rise to great heights; one who, on
the other hand can without difficulty make
sbipwrcck OF her hopes from unslIillful
guidance through the dangers Of a forward
youth. II is hoped that no fatal mistake
may be made with Alice Pierce Given
symmetrical development. there are triumphs
in store for her.
The coming week gives us Joseph Jeffer-
son and Otis Skinner-the former advanced
In years and more widely known than any
actor OF his time, the other young, and.
at least in this field, untred. MIR. Jeffer-
son Is like good wine which needs no bush.
lie VIII have very large house on the
occasion OF his single appearance, and he
will deserve It, as he has been getting II
and deserving 1t any time this quarter of
a century and more Mr.. Skinner. heraded
as the best romantic actor of the day and
the most human Hamlet who ever trod the
boards, will bow as a star to an audience
which only knows him as leading man, but
which has very pleasant memories OF him
in that capacity. THE Gay Parisians. "
"Trilby" Lillian Russell and "MNdamC
Sans Gcno"> viii I'LL out the month.
The lnclcment weather had very little ef
feet upon the greeting that Buffalo Bill re
ceived yesterday from the citizens OF Omahs
on tho occasion of his homecoming. 1t wa!
raw and cold and raining, but despite tht
disagreeahle elements the canvas coveret
seats were almost filled. The old frontiers
man had looked forward to his Omaha I
greeting with an anxious heart and when the
morning appeared with overcast and threat
ening skies his heart sank but all his mis-
glvings vanished as the amphitheater hlleC
almost to its capacity In the afternoon il
the face OF the dsagreeable weather cond
tions. The audience In the evening was alsC
an excellent one. A portion OF II consisted
OF the Shriners. who attended in body
At both performances the old plainsmar
received an ovation. The performance was
opened by n grand review OF the 200 or NOR,
who appear in the show. After they were
assembled before the people Colonel Cod!
himself rode to the front. His appearance
was the signal for an almost unanimous
obeisance. Men lifted their hats and tht
women waved handkerchiefs In honor o
Nebraska's most famous scout rs he rodt
before the pageant which he has gathered
together in the years past.
II is thirteen years since Buffalo Bill frs
exhibited In this city in the first performance
of the Wild west show, Old residents re
member the occasion we'll. Some Of then
rode In the old Deadwood stage. the SAINT
which appeared in yesterdays performances
and We're almost frightened to death when /
ran away. Since that time the old plains
man has hObnobbCd with the royalty OF thi
world and he has come back with a mag
nhccnt success in the place OF the pCriou
venture with which he set out.
The performances OF yesterday well repaiI
the audience for their audacity in yenturinl
out in the threatening weather. Despite th
conditions the entire program was performed
without a single exception. Colonel Cod.
himself was OF course the feature Of tn
show and he was greeted with cheers AM
cries whenever he appeared and he SCENE
to appreciate the ovation he was receiving
The old thrilling stories of the plains, whcl
do not appeal to western hearts as TO other
of the world. were eNemplhed in variou
scenes In the course of the show, The attacl
on the emigrant train, the pony express, tn,
attack ON the DeadwoOd coach--the same olC