Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-01

7AsT week was notable for nothing
In Omaha. Aside from the eX-
celent performance at the Bur
uk2tll wood theater Of "a Royal Fam
80 ily' by the Woodward Stock COM
pany. the attractions offered were not such
as made any deep or lasting impression on
the public Tim Murphys annual visit
only served TO accentuate the difficulty un-
der which that amiable and Industrious
comedian is working. He has tried play
after play during the last ten or twelve
years, and has drawn blank after blank
II cannot rightly be charged to the player
for he is likeable and he is we'll liked.
He has a quiet, quaint way all his own
He differs in degree from the great
comedians Of his class who have gone to
the other side. John T. Raymond was one
OF these, and w. ]. Florence. with Barney
Macauley and John Dillon (the latter not
yet demised), as fine representatives Of
school almost extinct Mr. Murphys meth
DDS are just as artistic. perhaps more So
as those OF his predecessors He tries
earnestly and with a never relaxing zeal
but he has as yet failed to scale the heights
of popular approval, and his clientele is
stfl restricted to a rather thin stratum
OF people who cling to old-fashoned ideas
of comedy
How many people remember John T. Ray
mond in THE Gllded Age" or Billy Flor
enee in THE Almighty Dollar" or Barney
Macauley in Uncle Dan1." or John Dillon
in "Our Candidate" Just see the old eyes
snap, and some that are not so old, as the
uproarious scenes OF those well remembered
plays are recalled. But. how many of you
would go across the street TO see one of
them now, unless the dead and gone star
could be called back to present his old part?
Colonel Mulberry Sellers died with Ray
mond Hon. Bardwell Slote was buried with
Billy Florence, and Uncle Danl never made
another trip from Jarvis Section after
Barney Macauley washed 1.-THE mud" off his
face for the last time II Is also somewhat
to be feared that with these died also the
public taste for that peculiar kind Of COM
edy. Tim Murphy doesn't exactly belong to
the school of comedian here represented,
nor does he rank with Russell, Jefferson
and Robson. His place is somewhere be-
tween, and he has as yet failed to stamp
his personality strongly. on any character,
unless 1t was that OF Maverick Brander.
1t may be that his success in this Hoyt
farce has haunted him. He is certainly
capable of better things In his quiet UNI
obstrusive way, he reminds one strongly
OF some of the great comedians of the
American stage, and yet he seems to lack
just the one essential, the "Promethean
spark" that is to make his success glow
with the life of reality. Mr.. Murphy has
the virtue of persistence, and In time
will probably encounter the play that will
in future years be indissolubly coupled with
his name as Noah Vale is with Sol Smith
Russell, BERTHE VanAlstyne with Stuart
Robson, and Rip Van Wrinkle with Joe
Jefferson.
Dub tc hot ic fha
verdict from the east. People are firing Of
the nonsense tale, even when It is garnshed
with the catchy music, the witty song, and
the whole is fringed with the beautiful girls
in fetching costumes that are frequently
all but no costumes. The musical comedy
is not doomed, but II Is warned to reform.
II must offer something more than mere
mirth, careless mirth, to attract the public.
This is not to be wondered at. For several
seasons, five at least, the public has been
surfeited with cream puffs and 'sweetened
wind" in the way of musical productions,
and has followed where the chorus girl led,
until now the reaction seems at hand. This
may mean several things, but one thing IL
surely does. Amusement must be furnished;
the situation doesn't indicate that the peo-
pie are more than ever inclined to thought,
but that they have discovered that too
much of good thing is equal I'd 'suffl-
cheney" and that something different is de-
manded This isn't the first time the public
has deserted particular style of play. The
passing OF the old-time comedies with the
old-time comedians is an instance Hoytian
comedies had their day, and the French
farce had brief but feverish trial before
the American people. Musical comedy came
like an inspiration in the wake of this and
combining some elements of light opera
with other elements OF farce comedy seemed
70 fairly touch the spot. 1t has simply been
overdone, and now the public is drifting
away, Verify, 1T don't seem like the same
old smile"
What will come next? Who cares to pre-
diet? Whatever It is, It must not be too
heavy and It must embody practically the
same elements that are found In the form
OF amusement that is now being rejected.
Some hardworking person will alight on
the combination one of these fine days and
his formula will bring him much fame. He
will have host of imitators and the coun-
try will be happy again in the possession
OF fad in the way of advertisement. In the
meantime the serious aspect of the thea
ters activity is in nowise endangered by
this attitude of public sentiment. Musical
comedy doesn't represent thought, but
rather the lack of II.
The patronage bestowed on the Burwood
so far has been such as TO more than JUS
tify the establishment OF permanent stock
company in such attractive quarters in
Omaha. At present that theater is the
most popular and best patronized In
Omaha. This is due to the excellence of
the organization from an acting standpoint
and the care with which the production of
the plays is looked after. Messrs. Wood
ward & Burgess are exceptionally fortunate
IN securing a man with the ability and dis
eliminating Judgment OF Mr.. Long to di-
rect the presentation OF the plays offered
at this theater and TO have the general
direction OF the company. Mr.. Long has
had long experience In the handling of
plays Of all sorts, and in addition to a com
prehensve knowledge OF the technique Of
tho stage, he adds the further quaiinca-
ton Of being an actor OF some ability His
artistic perceptions are finely developed
and his arrangement Of the scenes is al
ways In excellent taste, while his man
agement OF the company is such as TO get
the best work out OF each of its members.
He IS az present directing a well balanced
organization and is winning for himself
new praise as a successful stage director.
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The following original thought on the