Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-31

US that all the stars who have visited us
since last fall have come with wretched
weather. II Is fortunate for Omaha's rep
utation that all save Mrs. Campbell and
Kocian had been here before and are aware
that our climate does not consist Of cold
and snow and rain. Still, 1t .is a little
singular that the coming Of an acknowl-
edged theatrical attraction should be at
tended BY apparently the worst the weather
man can do. But the weather has not
dampened the attendance nor chilled the
enthusiasm at any Of the performances, nor
IL Il likely to. Omaha people are not Of
the sort that allow a little thing like a
storm TO keep them away from the theater
when there is a good thing on.
Mr.. Goodwin's present play II a curious
combination Of weakness and strength. us
topic is hackneyed. and so commonplace
as TO hardly occasion more than a second
thought when the incidents are met In real
life; but Il is treated In a way that Is at
times novel and even daring, and at times
is so tenuous that It narrowly escapes
vapidity. II is TO be commended for one NJ
its departures from the conventional
method of treating the topic; 1t does not
moralize, nor scold. nor undertake to oner
a defense for either party. 1t simply sets
forth the facts, much like a newspaper
item might do, and let's it go at that. Miss
Ryley accepts the condition as such, and
doesn't weary the world with any theories
One other striking departure is in the anti
climax effects is the way each Of the four
acts Is ended. The playwright's canon calls
for some sort Of a to-be-continue -in-our'
next demonstration at the end of each act,
IN order to get the curtain as the stage
manager puts 1t. Many plays are so ar
ranged that the entire company is on the
stage as the curtain goes down In order
to form the picture" In '"The Altar Of
Friendship" two Of the acts end with only
one person on the stage and the other
curtains go down on but two. william
Gillette pioneered the way in this respect,
his Sherlock Holmes being as novel In
this as in any other Of its numerous de-
p~artures from the conventional, but Miss
Ryley has well adapted the idea, and shows
how much Of real strength lies In sim
plicity. Another strong point, and one
which narrowly escaped the audience is
the exit Of Mary Perrin, the typewriter
girl. who was in a measure the cause of
the mischief. She steps from the presence
OF the man who had been nearly wrecked
by her perverslty without a word. his kind
ness unrequited by even a LOOK. and goes
out into the world silent. A volume could
tell no more than that. The weakness Of
the play lies chiefly in the minor char
acters, They are not strongly drawn. and
are In no way really essential to the action,
save in the mechanical effect they cor.
tribute by way Of enabling what might be
compressed into two acts at the outside to
be drawn out into four. Miss Ryley hasn't
yot completely mastered the knaok Of
sketching in her background after she has
outlined her principal figures.
1t will be a relief to see Nat Goodwin as
Nick Bottom. He is unquestionably a
comedian of much ability, but he has
wasted that ability on a long line of char
acters that are unworthy serious attention
from one of his capacity. For years he has
done one thing under many different names,
his plays being written to fit him Just as
his clothes were made. One character has
been the same as another, until one who
v not imbued with perfect faith I'm Mr..
ooodwin's ability is justified in the belief
that he can do but the one part. His
Intention to turn his attention to something
more serious than the work that has held
him for so long will be welcomed by his
friends. AS the hero of the Shakespearean
comedy he ought to attain to something
more nearly his heighth as an actor, and
pave the way to a realization of what his
friends have a right to expect of him. There
are a number Of good roles for Goodwin in
the classics, and It is to be hoped that
he will incline towards them and leave his
present line of work for others less gifted
than himself. 1t is unworthy OF him.
-
Skip Dundy and his partner are havlne
the time Of their lives at Luna park. Gomez
Island. Not only has their venture proved
a success so genuine as to challenge even
the admiration of the New Workers.. who
are not easily startled, but II has drawn
the attention of the men who are charged
with the enforcement of the law. On the
day the park opened 10000 people paid their
way through the gates and on the first
sunday 100000 gave up thsir good money
10 get In. Since then the week day at
tendance has averaged over 5000. This
surely looks like a winner. But now comes
Police Captain Knlpe. who is in charge
OF the Coney Island station and hales Mr.
Dundy into court TO show cause why his
park shouldn't be closed on Sunday unde,
the New York amusement law. Dundy
ana Thompson intend 20 make a thorough
test OF the law. IL is a peculiarly France
statute, aimed especially at theaters and
circuses. Base ball can he played on Sun.
day, bicycle and horse races held ap6
sacred concerts. but theatrical perform.
anoes must be given without scenery. ant
so on. Up to date the a
Luna park have not been abated In an,
degree The owners are Just now enter
tanning a proposition To- install a similal
plant near London for the edlhcation q
the British public.
Messrs. klaw & Erlanger are not worry
ing about next season. In addition L
handling the bookings for some 80 theaters
scattered throughout the country IRON
coast to coast, they make the fouowin,
announcement concerning their own in
dividual enterprises.
Mr., N, c. Goodwin viii begin his seaso,
as Bottom In an elaborate production q
"A Midsummer Nights Dream" al IN
Der ~. wv
The London Drury Lane production O
Ben huf,' which was referred to by IN
English press as the most elaborate eve
seen IN that country In connection with
dramatic attraction. Will open The recon
structed New York theater early in Ser
TENDER. Nothing now remains OF IN
house but the four walls, the plans for A
rebuilding and new decoration leayin