Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-07

IS supposed now TO be a week at least upon
the way, very few Of the FIRST magnitude
stars have twinkled across the footllghts as
yet. As a matter Of fact, few Of them will
before some time in October. AS an illus
~tration Of the dilatory methods nowadays
pursued. take the case Of Blanche Walsh.
Her recent experience has not been such as
would warrant any especial arrogance. but
ALI summer long her press agent has bonn
barded the newspapers of the country with
the details Of her new play, which is to be
the greatest ever. While no date was
named for its production, the impression
was given that It would be ready to take
the road at the start Of the season. Now
the Jews comes that the Walsh managers
have Just received the first two acts of the
Walsh play from the Walsh author. When
the final acts will be forthcoming Is not
vouchsafed. but the probabilities are that
some time they will be Forthcoming. What
IS true Of Blanche Walsh is true Of many
others Of the first rank actors, and the
outlook therefore does not warrant the ex-
pectation Of much brilliance before the end
Of October. In the meantime the time
tried and hre-tested plays and players will
surge along the we'll established routes,
afording amusement for those who cannot
restrain themselves until the coming Of
the day when the real stars will add their
glorious radiance to the effulgence Of the
bunch lights.
Richard Mansfield could no more keep out
OF print than a duck can evade water. Now
Il Is his announced intention to double In
the parts of Brutus and Caesar in the play
OF Julius Caesar that has set the myr-
midons Of the preFs on his track again. Some
Of the curious demand to know how the
great Richard is going to arrange matters
at the time Of the assassination, when as
Brutus he will be called upon to thrust g
broad two-edged Roman dagger into the
corporosity Of the great Julius. others,
with an air of fippancy, suggest that he de-
liver the Marc Antony Grafton and ring in
En- impersonation of Ophelia to fill in the
gaps. What seems to CRATE on the sensibili-
ties OF the critics mostly is that Mr.. Mans-
held has decided not to be effaced with the
assassination of the emperor, but will be
ION" in a number Of scenes where the great
Roman has no part. These carpers argue
that the actor proceeds on the theory tina
It Is Mansfield and not the play the people
want to see. In this they are probably
quite correct, for the people do want to see
Mansfield, and II he would undertake to do
treble instead Of a double role, Il is quite
likely there would be no objection. Mr.
Mansfield may be eccentric in his ways, bui
be has always a cogent and weighty reason
tor anything he does. He has won his wa
by hard work to the foremost place on th'
American stage, and is indeed In the from
rank OF his profession, worldwide, today
n he undertakes to do double work that hi
patrons may have the opportunity to SEE
more Of him than a single limited par
would permit, 1t is quite as reasonable Il
think that he does SO from an honest desir'
10 give his patrons and admirers q full
measure Of the art of Richard Mansfield al
10 urge that he does so merely to feed tn,
abnormal bump of vanity he is accused o
fostering. Mr.. Mansfield may never be abl'
10 make up his quarrel with the sensational
newspapers, but he is not likely to tire tn
American people with his personality on tn
stage.
One thing the American actors have Il
thank Mr.. Mansfield for Is his demand TO
decent accommodation for actors at tn
theater. Until he began his crusade a few
years ago. the theater from the drop cur
tain to the back wall was as a rule a mos
uninviting place. AS a rule the dust &C
eumulated since. the opening Of the hous
was only disturbed by the shifting of tn
scenery, and the debris accumulated b
The appearance Of one company fell
legacy to the next. In the dressing rooms
when there were such. conditions almos
beyond Imagination prevailed as a rule
Generations OF managers and actors ha
tolerated these abuses, until 1t had com
10 be traditional. Mr.. Mansfield entered
protest, and was denounced as a cranl
He refused to play in unclean houses. H
and the members Of his companies wor
costly clothing, which was likely to b
soon ruined by the Nth and CRIME Of tn
dirty theaters. 1t came to a point wher
Il was either clean up OF have no Mans
aeid, and the local managers began I
clean up. other companies soon discovere
the advantage, until now the dirty theate
Is the exception. This was only one
Mansheld's cranky notions" but ever
travelling actor in America has benefited
II. Others of his alleged crochets haV
been directed along the lines Of simils
reforms, and h has not only done muc
10 elevate the profession in an artistic wa,
but has added much to the physical con
.orts Of those who follow It.
One of the things New York people al
,aying money to see has In 1t a seer
where the hero and villain fight in II
funnel under the Hudson river while u
hilain's discarded child removes the dyn'
mite from the track in front Of the onrusi
mg express train. The hero Is beaten in
hsensibility. and the villain grabs his n
Tolver and shoots the great trust magma
whose will leaving $780, 900 to the vi
hIn Aforesaid Is in his hands. Inc
lentally the villain is booked to marry Il
trust magnate's daughter, who loves Il
zero. Naturally the hero is accused OF Il
murder and is sentenced to be electrocut'
u Sing Sing. On the night before his en-
sutton he succeeds in drugging the keepe
Ind escapes by scaling the prison walls Al
making his way down the Hudson river
submarine boat. A wireless telephol
nsed In connection with an ocean gre
hound gives a clue to the real murdere
who IL properly discounted, while the he
narries the dead trust magnate's daug
Ter and comes into & fortune OF sever
billions OF dollars. And these New Yor