Omaha daily bee., 1897-04-11
ADJUSTMENTS. A

St&f@s N t&f VT tSf VI VI t<1 &f W ~ %
In appearance and in fact, the theatrica
season as locally considered is practically
over. Viewed from the very midst OF q
period Of cheap amusements of varying quail
| ity 1t shows little either in the near future
| or in the Immediate past which offers spe-
cial attraction or calls for particular COM
| ment; and an examination OF the bookings
at the two Omaha theaters, although II re-
veals the approach of number OF events oil
considerable Importance, demonstrates the
existence of an ever increasing proportion
of that undesirable commodity known as
open time 1t may be safely promised,
however that there is considerable first-class
entertainment vet in store for Omaha
of April and May will be by no means bar
ren in this regard. Big, joyous De Wo,t
Hopper Is headed this way. with his sprightly
little wife and his stirring Sousa music, and
is due to arrive before the month Is out.
This is an announcement calculated to re-
store confidence and to Increase, even in
advance, the hilarity OF nations.
Meanwhile, the frequent Woodward COM
pany, apparently always welcome to its
multitudinous clientele is nightly packing
the Creighton, literally to suffocation. Mr.
Woodward would seem to have solved the
problem of attracting and holding the at
tention of the masses. His theory in gem
aspect-that the 10-cent people enjoy what
appeals to them with Just as hearty, though
perhaps not quite as delicate, an appetite
as those who have dollars to spend on their
amusements, furthermore, that this being
true. ii Is not beneath any mans dignity to
provide for the demands of a class so large
and important. Mr.. Woodward has taught
his public to expect certain things at his
hands, and he sees to 1t diligently that his
public Is never disappointed. Making only
~ n m pNtt ,n,,s, l., a1,,A,,
and invariably performing more than he
promises, he has built up a reputation and
business. not only in Omaha, but also
throughout the large territory which he
covers which is at once the envy and the
despair OF his many rivals. 1t Is no fault of
his If people go to his company with
greater exI ectations than he can fulfill He
does not professedly cater to the theater-
goers who habitually fill the parquets. The
gallery is the field of his greatest triumphs
But with him the gallery is not restricted
to the topnost balcony, but overfows and
spreads over all parts of the house, and
laughs and weeps and thrills and burns and
enjoys itself generally to the full.
Next Thursday night the Woodward peo-
pie VIII put on a somewhat elaborate pro-
duction of THE Two Orphans" an old
favorite. which has not been seen in Omaha
for number of years, and which should
be the more welcome therefor. A large cast
will interpret the old play, and Judging
from the showing made by this company in
the past the performance will be distinctly
meritorious one.
Amid an otherwise harmonious, though not
very loud, chorus of praise from the New
York press, the unfavorable comment of
Allan Dale" and Edward A. Dithmar upon
the work Of Clay Clement in 1.-The New Do
minion' is bound to attract the attention
of western play -goers, if only by reason of
the unwonted accord of these two writer's
and the wide divergence OF their opinions
from the popular and critical verdict of New
York and the west upon Mr. Clements per-
formance. The small semitic gentleman who
under the name of Allan Dale" writes about
the theater for the New York Journal could
not have been expected to commend work
which he is presumably quite incapable of
comprehending. He is hot critic and his
sentiments, even If they were unbiased by
mercenary influences, are of the most sordid
kind. Mr.. Dithmar, however the scholarly
dramatic editor Of the Times, is generally
so accurate in his premises and so lust in
his conclusions that one is at loss to ac-
count for so illogical roast" as he visited
upon the Baron Hohenstauffen last Sunday
Play, star and subordinate players passed be-
fore him in review, only to be found want
ing and sent down to unrelieved condemna-
tion. Only one member of the cast re-
ceived his commendation-he who played the
loutish villain, Bener; and he In the light
OF his performance here, seems to have been
praised by Mr.. Dithmar as intemperately az
Mr. Clement and his play were damned.
Clement is called a "wiee person." which is
refined criticism, indeed; and he is charged
with being servile imitator of Mansfield
as Prince Karl in his German accent and
assumption of military bearing and as Baron
Cheyrial in the business of spillng the beer
under the stress of anger. All this is so
trivial that, coming from a less source it
would not be worthy Of notice by Mr. Gle |
ment or his admirers. who, even under the |
circumstances, are not likely to call the |
actor seriously to task for imposing on them. |
AS 1t is, since good part of Mr.. Dthmar's |
spleenful Srowlings are directed against Mr.. |
Clements press agent, it seems possible that |
certain shortcomings of the vivacious Mr. |
have been unjustly laid upon the |
wide shoulders of the star, whose interests |
he strenuously endeavors to advance After
all, as Mr. Dithmar ADMITS with engaging
frankness in the last number of the Forum,
criticism Is only one mans opinion, a state
ment which, If 1t is ever true. would seem
to be true in the case now under cousldera-
tion.