Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-09-10

satrical burlesques are a poor and heavy
second to the interludes which Edgar Smith
as was George AIDES sultan OF sulu' in
technique and finish. the satirical idea on
which 1t e founded has a range and pe3s-
tration which Gilbert never equaled. No
English melodrama that now comes 20
mind Is more moving than Augustus
Thomas Arizona" and none exhibits a
brllliancy. originality and technical Ger
tainty Of erect comparable to that OF Gil
Holmes" George AIDES picturing of the
commonplace humors OF life In The County
Chairman and The College widow has
no counterpart on the English stage-there
II is the aristocracy or nothing. With the
exception Of Hoyt. all OF these writer's OF
what. without CondesCension. we hope, may
be called the minor forms are now adj
vancing in the masterhOOd OF their art, and
have promised pieces for the coming season.
ENuberant galety and alert mentahty--the
broad laugh and the subtle shock to the
nerves-these are as yet the qualities Of the
American play.
II. in the more requiring forms Of dra-
matte art they have fallen short of excel
lence Il Is not for the lack of persistent
and intelligent effort, nor for the want of
comedies contained the germ Of character
in conjunction with plot that might have
been made the occasion Of legitimate drama,
and he has confessed an ambition to write
more seriously on more serious subjects.
In The Other Girl Mr. Thomas essayed
dramatic comedy, and while falling short
as II seemed, in the matter Of technique
and in the larger implications Of his theme
nevertheless created two or three charac-
ters that have no betters, as regards fresh
ness and vigor OF presentation, In the mod
ern English drama
The playwright who seems TO have often
est approached the bullseye of the comedy
and drama Of chara cter Is MI Clyde Fitch.
In the portrayal Of the minutiae Of con-
temporary life, and in the composition of
striking individual characters, he has shown
powers of very high order. In fertility
he leads all his fellows, both here and in
England. Sometimes for an act entire he
moves with the dvination and the precision
Climbers" and 1.-THE Girl With the Green
Eyes" fall short by a narrow margin OF
vigorous idea, Of comedy or Of drama, and
work it out with unfaltering skill.
Is II possible that this lack Of the broader
grasp is a corollary of the limitations in
the past Of our national outlook upon the
world? The excuse will not do for the pres
ent-still less for the future. In short is II
not possible even probable, that with the
broadening of our horizon as a nation our
playwrights will develop a commensurate
range Of vision? Certainly the chances are
with us, and ii Is this that gives Broadway
at this season its peculiar fascination.
D
One thing Ethel Barrymore Is mistress of.
and that is the gentle art of taking cur
tain call. This is surely an art in itself,
and only few Of those who receive them
ever succeed in doing with ease and
grace. Every actor who has leading role
expects to be called before the curtain at
the close OF an act, and most of them ex-
pect at some time during the progress of
the play to be called upon to make
speech. just as DeWolf Hopper expects to
be asked to recite Casey" The curtain
speech is as carefully prepared and recited
any of the lines set down for the part
and It IS amusing to watch some of the
ways adopted by the recipients of these
favors from the public in making their
acknowledgements n'OrgoU
example, gives one the impression that he
has never been asked before to respond to
the popular demand for few we'll chosen
words" and goes about the matter with an
assumed awkwardness that easily deceives
most Of his hearers. Some who have had
the opportunity to see him in other cities
know that he does the same thing every
place and says the same words, fitting
them appropriately to the locality. It
would be rather embarrassing to forget the
name Of the town in which you were play
ing wouldn't 1t? It is related of some
eminent actors that they have committed
this most grievous fault So far as is
known it has happened but once in Omaha
and that was down at the Orpheum last
winter, when one OF the actors thought he
was still in Kansas City and used some
geography that was all right down at the
Kaw's mouth. but which sounded rather
queer in Omaha. If you should happen to
see Mr. Reiter this afternoon he may tell
you of the circumstance. Nat Goodwin,
Frank Daniels, in fact nearly all of them,
have their different ways of responding to
the demands for speech, and only one OF
the great actors ever resolutely refuses to
come before the curtain for a talk Will
liam H. Crane positively declines to dis
pell any impression he may have created by
his assumption OF a character by injecting
what he calls the personality of Billy
Crane into the performance at any stage.
Many people hold with Mr.. Crane.
%
Ethel Barrymore didn't make a speech,
but she did much better. As the curtain
was raised the fair Ethel would be discov-
cred heading for her dressing room. She
would turn with look OF amused wonder
ment on her face, and come running down
to the footlights, where she would nod in
the most friendly way, with a most engag-
ing smile, and shake her head in a depre-
eating negative. Again and again she does
this, first running back from one entrance
, and then from another always with the
most sincere appearance OF girish delight,
just as Sunday herself might do it, never
for moment getting out of the picture, -
but always giving the audience a glimpse
! of Ethel Barrymore. Her simple and I'M
/ affected way is the most charming thing