Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-14
At THE PLAY HOUSES

Bcau Brummel a comedy IN TOUR acts |
The cast:
The Prince of Wales. Mr. Frank Kingdom
Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
49, ...,............,......Mr Mr.. James l. Carhart !
Mr.. Brummel.....,M Mr.. Richard Mansfield
Reginald Courtney, his nephew. ........
-. ..;.........,....:.. Mr. Edward G. Warde
Mortimer his valet. Mr.. Walter Howe
Mr.. Abraham. ........Mr. Marc MacDermott |
First Batlin. ................M Mr.. Damon Lyon I
Second Bailiu.............,..M Mr.. MacDernott |
BendOn .....................M Mr.. Louis Thomas
Mr.. Oliver Vincent. a city merchant.
........................Mr Mr.. Henry Wenfnau
Mariana Vincent his daughter...........
...........................M Miss Irene Prahar
Kathleen, her maid Miss Emma Dunn
The Duchess Of Leamington. .......,....:.
.......................M Miss Gertrude Gheen
Lady Farthingale. Miss Adelaide Alexander
A French Lodging House Keeper. 80.
........................Ali Miss Vivian Bernard
Mrs. St. Aubyn...........Mis Eleanor Barry
No doubt it has occurred to many Of
Mr. Mansfields admirers that IL he delights
in one thing mere than another 1t is to
take a hateful or depressing character and
exploit 1t until, before he has finished. one
finds hate turned to pity If not affection,
and fatigue of nervous sympathy to willing
hope. That is the power Of the man as
master of his art.
What more garrulous character could
there be than the Beau Brummel of the
first two acts of Mr.. Mansfield's play?
What more pitiful wretch or more depress-
ing portrayal than him of the final act?
And yet who is there who, even mindful
of the self-complacent, arrogant prOfiigate
of the first two acts, that does not find
himself an involuntary friend Of the in
sane pauper whose life goes out in the last
act, the expiation Of his own dissipation?
By many Beau Brummel is pronounced
A. IL a,rg
talents. At any rate, it enables him to
show what sheer art may do with elements
of the human character which, when en-
acted on the stage of everyday fife, are
repulsive If not intolerable. Long ago the
great actor made this play popular on the
American stage and 1t is evident with each
recurring presentation that it's popularity
does not wane, but rather increases. 1t
was perfectly manifest last night at the
Boyd that Omaha theatergoers, a magnih-
cent audience of whom filed the play
house, still eagerly long for Mansfield as
Beau Brummel" If any surer evidence Of
this fact was necessary than that afforded
in the attendance, then it was supplied
with the repeated ovations showered upon
the star and the members of his excellent
company. At the conclusion of the third
act Mr. Mansfield was obliged to respond
three times in quick succession to the rest
less applause of his friends But he did
not speak This is the act, it will be re-
called, where Beau Brummel, pelted and
pursued by the baillns for his numerous
creditors, hurls back at the haunting slight
Of His Majesty in the Mall that trite and
now famous retort, who is your fat
friend?"'
Perhaps after all the chief reason for
/ ~ In,
Brummel is the fact that the play affords
him the opportunity of displaying his Prov
ess as a comedian as well as a tragedian.
And here again the man demonstrates his
prodigious art. For one of his serious bent
to champion the comedians sphere has
struck some people as the most remarkable
element of this remarkable man.
| Mr. Mansfield seemed to reach his climax
| last night so far as that audience was
! concerned, in his grim refusal of his faith
full Wallets suggestion that as means of
| warding off starvation he divulge to his
tornenting creditors lsome of the letters
of his former friends and associates who
numbered the aristocracy and officialdom
Of London. In this act he gives out one
Of the great lessons which his plays in
| evitably teach when he displays a real
| nobility of character in electing penury
| rather than perfidy. Dwell for moment
on this profoundly grave situation, then
! bark back to that scene of the ftful flop
bidding his anxious valet who reminds him
OF an accumulation of pressing bills to
Hide them away somewhere and shall
! feel as IL they are paid" and you Will
get somc conception of the versatility Of
| Mansfield.
While the piece keeps the star almost
constantly in the front ground. it is graft
! flying to note the excellent supporting COM
pany which Mr.. Mansfield has. As in Peer
! Gynt" the previous night, the other MEM
bers of the company appeared to great
! advantage Miss Emma Dunn, remembered
in Omaha as member of the old Wood
] ward Stock company at the Creighton,
merits her need Of praise as Kathleen.
Mr.. Walter Howe gives a most faithful
portrayal of his part as Beau Brummers
valet and Mr.. Frank Kingdom as the
prince of Wales and later his majesty;
Mr.. Ernest c. Warde as Reginald Court
ney, and Mr.. Henry Wenman as the
merchant prince, Mr. Oliver Vincent" are
among the foremost men characters. Miss
Irene Prahar presents her part as Mari
ana Vincent, one of the most important
with much more than the ordinary skill
The entire cast, indeed, is a strong one.