Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-02

h''bn Ali Alt NSptAptlo dil't WIN hI' eHb
posed deeds Of bravery. After Ryder re-
turns home, where he Is showered with
honors, he is alarmed by an article in the
New York Herald which describes the ar
rival OF an infurated Cuban, who Is looking
for man by the name OF Ryder that eoped
with his daughter. Ryder and Kan have
been induced to take charge Of a Cuban
fete, during which the captain OF the Pough-
keopsie Guards is mistaken for the Cuban.
The general store at Wahoo is robbed Of
case OF canned beef while Ryder and Kan
are there and a crowd OF jay detectives
trace it to Ryder, who proudly exhibits the
canned beef as trophy of the war. Ryder,
to escape the detectives and Cuban, dis
guises himself as a French dancing master
Complications come thick and fast. but
finally everything is cleared up by Ryder
confessing. Mr. Tommy Gctz is conducting
the rehearsals and the company will in
clude practically the same amateurs that
appeared in "a Night in Bohemia" Eta
Mathews will create the part of Mrs Ryder
and as her ability Is known, something
worth seeing can be expected in this char
acter. The Associated Charities are to be
the beneticiaries of the entertainment.
Admirers of the best in romantic drama
are promised a treat next Friday and Sat
urday when that admirable exponent of the
heroic and chivalric in drama. Robert b.
Mantell, comes to Boyd's theater for two
nights and a matinee. Friday evening Mr.
Manell and his excellent company will ap-
pear in "a Secret Warrant" a new ro-
nance drama by w. A. Tremayne suggested
by an episode of French history in the
year 1920. Saturday afternoon the card will
be Mr.. Mantel's prime favorite, "Monbars, .
in which he has apnparpd over I ono tiups
Saturday evening the company will present
one of the most charming dramas of the
most romantic period of French history,
The Face in the Moonlight" by Charles
Osborne, founded on historical incident in
1914. In the latter Mr.. Mantell carries two
star roles, making the necessary changes
of voice and costume without detection
The company comes with numerous acces-
, sories, superb costumes and talented cast
Among the theatrical people who are in
teresting takers there are few If any more
SO than Stuart Robson, and while in this
city last week he unbosomed himself, in
the course of a half-hours chat with the
writer, on a number of subjects of interest
to theater- goers Speaking of the rage for
vaudeville. he said:
vaudeville Is only one of the crazes OF
the time. You know theater- goers have
some peculiar notions. One season it will
! be romantic plays they want, the next
Shakespearean plays, then comedies and in
my opinion vaudeville is the result of just
suCt notion, and If it lasts 1t will be
n miracle. The limit has about been reached
in the knockdown and dragout acts, so to
speak. They can do but little more than
has been done in this line and now that
| they are presenting one-act plays it may
prolong the life of it for time but there
| is so much sameness to it that it cannot
compete with the drama. OF course it is
cheap, which is a great deal in it's favor,
but my experience with the American thea
ter rgoers, and it has been of forty years
duration. is that they do not bubble abour
the price if you give them something that
! will please them.
What do think about the unusually large
number of vulgar plays that are being pro-
duced in America this season? Well, I
think it is the peoples fault that these
plays are put on and | think so long as they
are patronized just so long will they con-
tinue to live. Right here let me say that
in this matter the church could do some
good work and I think in many ways the
church and theater are getting closer to-
gether each year, and one can help the
other il they only will. Playwrights. as
| rue, nowadays are writing plays that are
| uplifting in their general tone and character
and l think If ministers would keep in
| formed on the plays of the time and keep
| their congregations advised as to whether
they are fit for their daughters and sons
| to see or not it would be a boon to the
actor as well as the theater goers
Such plays as The Sign of the Cross,
The Christian and The Little Minister
bring class of people to the theater that
never attend at any other time and | am
sure that the regular theater- -goers attend
as we'll. These plays are sermons in them
selves.
! who is my favorite actor? Well don t
know that l have any particular favorites,
| but | admire Henry Irving very much
| think his life has been one OF the grandest
, of any of the actors. You know, he is very
| charitably inclined, so much so that | doubt
| if he should die today If he would leave
/ 100000. He always has any number of
! old, broken down actors upon his pay roll
that perhaps he uses not oftener than a
! few times a year, but neverth heess he pays
! them regularly. Another thing that makes
| Irving practically poor is that he spends
| SO much money on his productions. which
are always very elaborate
| do | ever expect to retire? Not as long
as my health permits me to act. | am So
! years old, but do not feel more than 40 and
shall continue to try to amuse the people
until die"