Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-13


week with a rather Indifferent attraction
which met probably all the patronage It
merited, which wasn't much. Eugenie Blair
received her customary welcome, and pre-
sented her somewhat shop-worn play, "a
Lady Of Quality" to two large audiences,
and gave a blazing hot Carmen" to an
other. Outside OF its qualities as a sex
against sex" play "a Lady Of Quality" has
no very good reason for existing Il doesn't
call for any especial force on the part OF
its actors. and doesn't convey any very
good lesson, unless 1t be the brief one
spoken by Clio Wldairs in the rose garden
scene: why do women weep and beat
their breasts? Because they have lost the
love Of a man? They never had IL" In all
its aspects the story is exaggerated, and
TO point where 1t almost defeats its own
end. Carmen" is simply the tragedy of
Spanish gypsy and her lovers, which Is sur
charged with caloric In either the acting
or singing version OF the story one must
continually remind oneself that the persons
represented are those OF the warm blood OF
sunny Spain, and are consequently not
bound by the hard and fast rules OF action
which govern the conduct OF the natives
Of the north. Last night "The Prisoner OF
Zenda" was presented by a fairly capable
company to an appreciative assemblage OF
admirers OF Hopes dashing hero. Modern
literature has presented many types OF the
romantic lover, but Rudolph Rassendyll Is
clearly at the head OF them all In fact he
is In n class by himself There is a degree
OF fascination about the whole tale, whether
in the novel or the play, that is rarely at
tained. and added to the sparkling wit OF
its inventor the combination is one ex-
tremely satisfying II has the added merit
Of cleanliness, there being but a single sug
by Rupert OF Hentzau, who deliberately
casts a slur on Princess Flava for the very
purpose OF angoring Rassendyll. II has the.
effect and the stab is delivered under its
cover. Rassendyl was surely the "noblest
Elphberg OF them ALL"
Manager Burgess insists that II was by
accident rather than design that the sequel
TO The Prisoner OF Zenda" follows the main
story at the Boyd. Rupert of Hentzau"
was undoubtedly written by Hope to satisfy
n public demand for more OF his auburn
haired hero. and with an eye to dramatiza-
tlon. It will be very satisfying to Omaha
people to be able to follow him from start
TO finish in two nights.
At the vaudeville houses last week ordi-
Darily good bills received excellent patron
age. The popularity of this form Of amuse
ment is an evidence of public taste along
the line suggested in The Bee last week.
People want to be amused and distracted,
rather than instructed, at the playhouses.
The short sketches and widely differing
acts that make up the vaudeville programs
certainly meet a popular demand.
Eugenie Blair has many warm friends
among the theater- goers of the west Her
annual trip is always looked forward to
with pleasure, and these friends are hoping
that soon, say next season, they may see
her in a play that will give her great
natural talent more scope. She has been a
charming Parthenia-one who would have
tanned even a wilder savage than Ingomar
for such reward as his winsome Vir
gina lovely Desdemona. a hoydenish Clio.
and u tantalizing Carmen. Now want to
sec her in something better. As Clorlnda
Wlldairs she lifts commonplace melo-
dramatic part almost to the level OF high
art. No actress could lift 1t higher than
does Miss Blair. But the part does not
call for the actress. From the very be-
ginning of the play to its closing its every
line, its every situation Is arranged to
enlist the sympathy of the audience on the
side OF the star. There are powerfully
dramatic climaXes in the play, but not one
of them requires great actress, as the
natural action OF the play is such abso-
lutely precludes any OF her support, how
ever ambitious, from taking the scene"
This sort of drama. even though II does
draw we'll cannot prove satisfactory TO a
painstaking, Jealous artist. such as Miss
Blair. For all that she invests the char
acter with her own fire. she must feel all
The time that she is falling short OF her
capabilities In this light her friends are
apt to look on her and long for the day
when she will find the play that will COM
pei her to do her utmost In order to con-
quer and command the applause and cur
tain call that now follow all too easily on
platitudinous heroics declaimed In her
musical way Miss Blar's talent is of too
Hne a quality to be wasted much longer on
Clorinda Widairs.
Another favorite among western people
has come to the front of the public stage
during the week. Miss Henrietta Crossman
has enlisted under the banner OF Mrs.
Minnie Maddern- -Fiske. and will devote the
rest OF her life TO fighting the octopus" as
II is represented In things theatrical by the
general firm OF Klaw Erlanger. II is too
long n store to relate here. the occasion for
Miss Crossman's sudden rebellion. Like all
stories II has two sides. Last Saturday
night Miss Crossman addressed her audi
ence mt the Savoy theater in New York,
where she has been presenting Mistress
Nell" telling them there would be
further presentation OF the play at the
Savoy. She enumerated a list OF reasons,
saying she had been subjected to many petty
prosecutions by Messrs. Klaw & Erlanger,
the final act being the refusal OF perms-
sion to see her husband, who is also her
manager, during q performance. Miss
Crossman was cheered by the audience. On
the other hand, II is set up by Messrs.
Klaw Erlanger that the play was not the
success 1t has been reported, that the re-
csip,s were ms an ly falling away, tat Mr.,
Campbell had not sought for bookings for a
tour among the theaters controlled by the
syndicate. and that II was advantageous to
both sides to break off the contract at the
Savoy. This Ia, in brief the statement OF
the case. Miss Crossman is now lined up
with Mrs. Minnie Maddern- Fiske, inde-
pendent OF the syndicate These two charm-
ing women have the spirit to fight against
the great odds they will encounter, for not
only has the syndicate a tremendous ad-
vantage In the control OF a fine list of
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