Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-01
ABOUT PLAYS PLAYERS AND %PLlYHOUSES

Last week was an uninterrupted round
Of pleasure for the plain people at the
Boyd. Beginning with "ole Olson" on
Sunday night and ending with The Fatal
Wedding on Saturday night. the seven
days comprised. through means OF extra
matinees. twelve performances, and the list
included Happy Hooligan," The Irish
Pawnbrokers" and The Two Orphans" as
we'll as the opening and closing attractions.
This Is certainly a busy time, and an
Irresistible" lot Of plays. And, as an
evidence Of what The Bee said about pros
perity last week. all OF them did good
business. except Kate Claxton, who for
some reason was neglected by the public.
Neither Of the Ave presented anything
worthy Of remembrance. At the Orpheum
an uncommonly well-balanced bill, which
had several decided novelties, drew the
liberal patronage that has been the rule
at that bouse this season.
In a recent interview Joseph Jefferson
said: THE theater is a place where. OF
recent years, you are invited to take pleas
ure in witnessing the writings and gasps
and all the tumid. explosive u%sliness OF
hysteria. A woman with swollen face and
disheveled hair is seized with spasms OF
e~rotomania or violent grief. She grovels
81 a mans feet or hugs him to her breast
like a wild beast. And when the actress
has thus widowed and beloved and panaed
and almost worked herself into the actual
throes Of the frenzy she depicts the pit
rises at her and the gallery cheers until
Il is hoarse. . The be-all and end-all
Is hysteric frenzy. As
Schiller said. and l agree with him. the
aim OF all art, even Of the most poignant
tragedy, Is Joy. But for all this I believe
the theater is steadily improving. Erotic
plays are not so popular as they once were
and the public Is turning TO the best that
there is in the drama"
Mr.. Jefferson puts the case a little
strongly. but II the good old man, whose
life has been OF late years an unrufned
stream Of delight for himself and his ad-
mirers, many OF whom regret exceedingly
that advancing age has necessitated a con-
traction OF his orbit until It now encircles
but a small portion of the fair expanse
that was once his, and only a few Of the
thousands who still take pleasure in sound
ing his praise, II he is moved to such an
outburst OF protest, how do those of us
who have had to endure the a~fliction Of
which he complains, but which he has.
happily. escaped, feel about It? Has not
our patience been sorely tried, too. and
have we not been denied Che solace that
We might have found in the somnolent
philosophy OF the vagabond hunter Of Fall
ing Waters. or the bumptious pusillanimity
az that expression may be permitted of
one Robert Acres, sometimes referred to as
Fighting Bob" or the pedantic lucubra-
lions OF the eminent DR.. Pangloss. whose
titular initials when arrayed on his card
so aptly described his condition in relation
TO society? Mankind suffers much because
there is but one Jefferson, and not enough
OF him any more to go around.
But there are good comedies on the
stage and good comedians TO act them, both
male and female, and candoI inclines one
TO dispute the gloomy view Mr.. Jefferson
takes Of the situation. 1t is true that
certain actresses have made their way to
fame by pursuing methods that resembled
in many particulars the exaggerated de-
s~cription he gives OF the emotional" ac-
tress. These are only a few. though, and
for the most part the women who have
IN recent years succeeded on the stage have
been those who were as adept at COM
polling daughters as tears, and who sought
rather to bring smiles than sorrow to the
heart. Nearly all Of the problem plays,
the carrier ones at leaSt, were linBeu WIFI
a vein Of ironical humor that nearly de-
feated the end for which they were written
that is, the end the author always pa
raded when called on for a defense of his
work-by turning into ridicule some themes
that less gifted people than the authors
referred 10 might have considered worthy
OF serious treatment. This same cynicism
which is a feature of our twentieth cen
fury enlightenment, tlnctures comedy and
tragedy alike. so that we have been taught
TO laugh at situations that would in earlier
times OF Mr.. Jeferson's experience have
moved people to tears. 1t is not at all i'm,
probable that Mr.. Jefferson's triumph oil
pathos. "Und are We den so soon forgotten
when we are gone" would elicit a guffaW
we're he 20 reduce his admission prices SC
that the theater might be filled with any
but the elect. The condition is not q
permanent one. but rather a manifestation
OF the evolution OF the theater. Modern
thought has turned into broader channels
in all directions, and the theater ma.
prohted thereby. At no other time in his
tory have the men and women who maxi
up the army of actors enjoyed the socla
position they now not only hold but com
mand. At no time has the profession
been looked upon so favorably by all classe,
OF people, and at no time has It been 81
worthy in its personnel, That II still
contains some objectionable members Il
not to be wondered at. for each elemen
OF society suffers in the same regard. sim
ply because humanity has not yet attained
perfection. Mr.. Jefferson has brought mucI
credit to the guild by his ability as al
actor. and the probity and simplicity Of h,
private life. but he is not the only acto
who has thus honored his profession. AM
that this is so Is due to the actors them
selves.
Mr.. William Winter In the New YorI
Tribune prints the following. which ough
10 hold the Ibsenites for a little while:
According to Aubrey, the antiduary
whom Oldhuck mentions as an experience
ghost-seer. the spectral custom is to wants
with "a curious perfume and a melodiOI
twang." In the luguhrious appearance an
disappearance OF the Ibsen ghosts, whiC
occurred yesterday afternoon at the Mar
haitian theater, before a small and sad as
semblage, chiefly female, the melodiOu
twang was duly furnished by Miss Mar
shaw. and the curious ~perfume-as OF a de
caying rat In a dark cellar-was liberal
provided by Father Ibsen's play. Mis-
Mary shaw. who has long been known a
an actress OF some talent and much vigoI
takes a more serious view OF herself tina
anybody else is likely ever to take. an
In the presence OF a theme so tremendOu
the merely mortal observer pauses wit