Truth. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1901-1908, 1905-12-23
II IF II II n.

llChilSH neu redlneT, WIFI
statuesque Grace Van Studdi-
ford in revelation of gen.
erous tights and saucy hat
plume, to the tuneful charm of the
Prince of Pilsen," we have heard all
the tingling tumpty-tunes of which
disordered musical genius is capable.
l must note, however, an exception
an exceptional exception-in the APP
pearance of our own sweet-voiced
troubadours in the "Jolly Musketeer."
And, be it further said, the home COM
pany was so far above the "Tender-
foot" Buster Brown" aggregation
and others, too-as to make COMPARE
son not only odious, but odoriferous.
One of the saving graces of the nu-
merous musical shows we have seen,
was the comeliness of the various
choruses.
| Nearly everywhere in the desert of
the musical shows grew pretty flow
ers of show girls, who, although like
the lilies of the field, sang not neither
could they dance, were, nevertheless,
a constant visionary charm to the
Front Row club. The genises of
George AIDE, hardly more than sus-
pected last season, has been amply
fed during the year. While his "Sul
tan of Sulu" is a study in oriental i'm
becility, with chop-suey music, the
"Sho Gun" fairly pointed the way to
a return to dignifed light opera, with,
of course, apologies to the late firm
of Gilbert and Sullivan. But AIDES
forte is in the drama. His college
Widow" scored a positive touchdown
not only with the football scene, but
throughout the play and most justly
so at the box-ofIice. Keep your eye
on this Hoosier lad-he has more good
things coming our way.
| That boys may be the sons of their
father without further responsibility
in dramatic way, was shown in the
visit of the Jefferson brothers in rip
Van Wrinkle" and "The Rivals"-two
immortal plays, with nobody left to
play them. If there were a stage cen
sorship in America, the Jefferson boys
would be harmless in the future.
| What business have they to tarnish
the lustre of their matchless father?
Blood may be thicker than water, but
inherited genius-dramatic genius
is often thinner than milk. During
the year, Shakespeare. too frequently
treated like a Cinderella among the
ashes of shameful neglect, received a
Prince Charming awakening from
Sothern and Marlowe. Romeo and
Juliet" was given with a youthful i'm
petuosity and passionate tenderness
never before seen upon Salt Lake
stage. 1t was the red letter night of
the day upon which it was given and
gave dramatic distinction to the whole
year. Louis James has just left us,
and although his efforts are not suffi-
GENTLY appreciated, he is doing his
classical best to keep alive the heav-
emily flame of the higher drama. While
the acting of Mr.. James is tinged with
austerity and lacking in the rare SYM
pathetic elements to which an audi
ence responds, yet he is entitled to
gratitude from all lovers of the best
traditions of the stage. In the past
season the fad for dramatized novels
has kept pace with the year before,
but in no way has it been more insist
ent At one time the fad had assumed
alarming proportions-it threatened to
thwart originality in playwriting. But
we may always expect to see the pages
of popular book illustrated with foot
light flashes.
| So again the readers Of "The Pit"
''The Virginian" and when Knight
hood Was in Flower" have been rout-
ed from their coZy-corners and rushed