The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-11-21
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e THEATRICAL NOTES ~
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And Eugene Aram ralled betneen


rith gyres upon has Urist F."
Eugene Aram." which was presented
at the Funke last week is poor med
ium for the expression Of talent like MIR.
Whiteside's. The play shows no con-
structive skill. The plot is unfolded by
a series OF monologues delivered by the
hero from the middle Of the stage with
his eyes set and an agonized face. Such
plays demonstrate the difference be-
tween novel-writing and the play
wright's trade. 4 play must be alive.
able to move itself. Even successful
novel may DE a series Of descriptions or
character analyses-in which case it is
entirely subjective. There is the differ
ence between them that there is between
the animal and the vegetable world.
Sometimes in the case OF a dramatized
version OF novel the playwright,
in transferring the book to the stage
leaves out the dramatic spirit and the
play falls fiat Sometimes when it is
not there he puts it in and sometimes it
10 neither in the book nor the play.
The character OF Eugene Aram" in it.
self is dramatic. The play Eugene
Aram" 10 prosaic and literary IN a
Dickens way.
Mr.. Whiteside had the stage to him.
self most OF the evening. He had about
the same chance to thrill the audience
that an elocutionist has. 1t 10 tribute
to his ability that he succeeded in doing
90 once or twice. Notably when he
talked over with himself the advantage
OF killing his guest and accomplice, and
when be relates the story OF his crime.
His support was automatic and perfume
tory but perhaps the play was to blame
for that. They had not the ability to
overcome the conditions which bind
genius that the star had.
The costumes were charming, being
those of the first half OF the eighteenth
century-panniers and Vatican pleat
and all that, q sheperdess style endesred
and familiar to all lovers Of Dresden
figures and French fans. The ladies Of
the company wore their gowns with ar
old time grace that is slmoet lost since
the bicycle victory. Alack- day! those
lovely draperies blown into the sweet dis
order that Herrick sung. must We give
them up because Of microbes. the to-
bacco habit and locomotiong
The Prisoner Of Zenda" played at
the Lansing theatre on Wednesday
night to q good house. The audience was
composed OF people who read books. 1t
had the critical expression Of one who
sees his own ideas worked out or artag
onized BY another. Manager Dowden
says the tickets were bought by a new
set Of people. teachers, professional men
and whole families.
Theplay 10 powerful piece Of dramatic
composition except in one respect, aud
that is the denorment. II Flavia does
not marry the English Rudolph what is
all this pother sboutf Why have the
play at all? True loves bark is tossed
about on rough waters, but never, ex-
cept in this case, are the true lovers
divided. Romeo and Juliet, Othello
and Desdemona, died together. but
Flavis says she will marry another man.
Aud when she said it the prim and con.
scientious audience reeled and writhed
Il
in the book, it is dramatic impossible.
ity on the stage. And it would DO 30
easy to marry them-on the stage. Let
Black Michael live. perpetual menace
-o1 Elnhh.-- ~