Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-22

The theaters furnished good entertain
mont early in the week. and were well pat
ronized "The Prisoner OF Zenda" drew
like a porous plaster at the Creighton, ant
probably would have continued to draw
through a longer engagement than 1t ven
tured to bestow upon Omaha 1t played Q
week in Denver to excellent business, ant
doubtless would have found a stay OF hall
that time profitable in Omaha; but reports
which have gone out during the present
season-many of them alas, quite deserved
have not improved the reputation OF
Omaha as a theatrical center, and the lis,
OF attractions which. from playing half O
week at one of the local houses, has come
down to one and two night stands, is con-
stantly on the increase An engagement
of two nights, which results in big pat
ronage on both occasions, is assuredly more
TO be desired than week Of slender business
In other words, with given and unvarying
amount OF business, you can make better
showing by condensing 1t than by spread
ing II out: even as a modcum OF butter may
be sufficient for the necessities OF single
slice of bread and yet decidedly inadequate
for the amounting OF a whole LOAF.
A case in point was the visit OF Rlchard
Mansfield early in the season. He had been
here the spring before and played two
nights to record breaking business; inso-
much that he forthwith picked Omaha, as
the saying is for a winner, and proposed TO
omen his season here with a two-weeks $ dra-
matte festival, to which the inhabitants of
half dozen states should flock for the
upbuilding of their artistic taste. Such
representations were made to MIN. now
ever of the needs of other communities,
that he cut his engagement here to week
of eight performances, which, with two
dress rehearsals to which few favored
were admitted, made up rich treat OF Mans
feldian manifestations. But the immense vol
ume of patronage that was looked for never
came The weeks business would nave been
very satisfactory If 1T could have been COM
pressed into half as many performances.
If 1t had been so compressed, Mr.. Mansfield
might have gone away again hlled with
admiration for our discriminating taste,
and have sung Omahas praises throughout
the length and breadth OF the land. AS 1t
was, after playing to eight only moderate
audiences he took his departure shaking the
dust of the city from his shoes and the
cinders OF the Union depot from his raiment,
and threatening never to come this way
again. Whether or not the action OF The
Bee in calling attention to the decidedly
ordinary quality of his supporting com
pany had anything to do with so rash vow,
is not definitely known. At any rate, no
faith should be put in the story that the
illus.rious Richard, having returned after
an evenings performance to his
private rolling stock. and having offered
some ndignity to the colored porter thereof,
was by that functionary thrown neck and
crop off the Bryan end of the car.
But this Is wandering from the point
which was sought to be established, which
is that Omaha managers are wise in their
generation to cut down the length OF en-
gagements. They are offering a most un-
usual variety OF the best attractions to be
had including number OF great New York
successes of the last season. New York
successes, do not always prove to be Omaha
successes. however, and the fault in such
cases is by no means invariably with west
ern taste.
week ago Saturday night the dramatic
editor had the pleasure of dining with Henry
NJ. Pitt and OF enjoying the fruitful conver-
sation Of that veteran actor, who has prom
ised at no very distant day to favor the
readers Of The Bee with his views on vari-
ous topic connected with the stage. The
chat covered a pretty wide range of theat-
rcal matters. and in commenting upon the
condition of Alexander Salyinl, who is re-
ported ncurably Ill at his fathers house in
Italy, Mr.. Pitt mentioned Antonio Massinl,
tho eccentric Italian who served on the
union side through our civil war and who
acted as property man for the Salvnis,
father and son, for years, during all their
tours In this country.
The dramatic editor remembered meeting
Massini during n visit of young Salvni to
Omaha three or four years ago, and ask
ing Salvini how the name should be spelled,
whether with or r. Savini said was
the proper letter, but that the name of the
Italian patriot MazZini should be spelled
with (Which he called "zed" after Brit
ish fashion,. Antonio Massini dropped dead
In the city of Washington one day last
week, not far from the time when the con-
veysation about him was going on Alex
ander Salvni, to whom he was devotedly
attached yet survives him. but will prob
ably never rise from his bed OF suffering.
When they were here together year ago.
both seemed models OF physical strength and
manly ylgor.