The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-22
Music and Drama

Miss Florence Roberts gave "Gioconda
in salt Lake last night for the first time
and the only time during her present. en-
gagement. The play is styled poetic,
styled. This does not mean that the lines
are verse, even blank verse, although
they are very beautiful in places. the
story of "Gi0conda" hinges on the love
of two women for the same man. The
man, by the way, Lucio Settala (Luclus
Henderson, isn't worth the fuss they
make over him-nOt by any manner OF
means. He is a decidedly weak brother.
Just how he managed 10 win the love OF
the women is left TO the imagination, out
he does it somehow; hence the heart
break.
one Of the women is Silvia Settalo
Miss Roberts,, his wife Inc other Is
his model, Gioconda Diantl MISS Lillian 4
LamsOn). LuciO is a sculptor. Glocond3
is what we might term Lucio's spiritual
affinity. Silvia is his material love. Inc
two meet in Lucios studio IN the IhlIu
act and there occurs the strongest scene
of the play
Il is only the truth TO say that Miss
Roberts, splendid actress though she IS
does not appeal TO her audience, does not
win its sympathy. as she does in most OF
her other Characterization Inc trouble
is that it is an unreal life sne poruaXS.
II is unreal in tho sense Of being a lie
that very few of us know anything ABOUT
Therefore the people on the stage are
obviously acting. When Te cannot Tor
get that actors and actresses are acJlHS
We do not give them the full measure
of sympathy their artistic work entities
them to-
Miss Roberts gets out OF the play all
there is in IL. II it seems 70 drag, eSpecl-
allv in the first two acts. the fault Is not
Miss Roberts but D'AnnunziO : she
reads the lines as he wrote them and she
makes the most OF her opportunities IOI
careful. conscientious work.
Mr.. Henderson is not particularly III
spring as Lucio, but Miss Lillian Lansoh
"a sister of Nanme q Nell Dy the way
won marked favor for her Gioconda
The Roberts engagement continues TO
night with "Sapho, said by some crlIicS
to be Miss Roberts best work
Did YOU ever see the "ouch" trick: II
not YOU ought TO see Murray and Mack
do IT, Our old friends are there Win
the same old side-fract uring mixture OF
fun and foolishness; with numerous ana
sundrv varieties Of mirth of a later
vintage They are back at the Grand
for their annual frolic, and they have
brought that good prize fight with them
the funniest burlesque OF many seasons.
IL doesn't seem TO matter how oIten you
sec Murray slap Mack on the GalWays, or
watch Mack poke Murray'S face AROUND
under his ear-each time it's tunnleI
than before. L.,
in "A Night on Broadway, ana Wheu
YOU aren't wiping away the laugh tears
after some of Ollie Macks fOohshnessr OF
Murray's ridiculous performance, YOU
are either dancing and cavUr1ng IN splr'e
With dainty Kitty Beck or following inc
grand march of good looking chorus
girls.
There must be lots Of them on Broad
way TO furnish such good assortment
as we saw last night. In fact' an w
Women arc fine. appearing. especially the
one that saw the ouch trick. NO, We
can't tell you what the ouch trick IS
That would be spelling 1t for you. An
other of the remarkable oddities OF the
show is the confetti march at the end
of the last act. during which yards anu
Yards of colored ribbons are thrown out
In the audience.
Among the catchy musical number
'T-nder a COcOanut Tree" was easily me
favorite and had 20 be repeated several
times. There are a number OF good new
Jokes turned loose which DO good work
i'm the laugh producing line. and this. tax
en- with the new songs. fresh costumes
and well known tUn-making prochVite5
of Murray and Mack. are what 80 10
make the show the popular one that II
is They viii be here until "Wednesday
night ard will work overtime "Wednesday
afternoon. The house. of course, was
TANNED 70 the doors last night