Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-10-09
The Play in New York.

sood as any historical piece we have
had In several years, and great deal
better than ben Hur."
1t Is useless to attempt giving the
story--a story which Gen. Wallace
spread over 500 closely printed pages
In newspaper article. Besides, |
probably am the only man alive who
has not read The Prince OF India"
Persons who did go through those 500
pages inform me that the adaptation
follows the original very closely TIA
period of the play is directly after the
Crusades. when Prince Mohammed
took Constantlnople from Constantine.
The story recites the progress OF this
conquest, and introduces a love affair
between Mahommed and a certain
Princess Irene. The figure of the Wan
dering jew Is conspicuous one In the
narrative. Emmett Corrigan does n
splendid piece of acting In this part,
while William Farnum Adelaide Keim,
and Julie Herne are notable members
of a company more than zoo strong.
The sensational financial success Of
the week proved to be The Red Mil"
a musical play by Victor Herbert and
Henry Blossom. presented at the
Knickerbocker theater. BY all the ira
ulllDllS VI SitSc-lhuu. lulS piece
have been woeful failure. IL followed
closely upon mile. Modesto" another
opera by the same authors. which set
so high a standard that IL seemed diff
cult to conceive that standard being
reached again so soon Nevertheless,
THE Red Mill' is bigger hit than
even mile. Modesto" | passed the
Knlckerbocker only few minutes ago.
and saw long line of seat purchasers
fling past the office window. You
can always measure the greatness Of
"A success In New York by the length OF
the line In the lobby two days after the
play opens.
Much OF the prosperity OF THE Red
NIP is undoubtedly due TO the novelty
OF It's locale. We who go to musical
comedy have grown so unspeakably
tired OF imaginary kingdoms and lawn
parties In England The Red Mil' Is
In Holland and Montgomery and Stone,
the stars OF the performance, who will
be remembered for their work in The
Wizard of o." are Weber a. Fields
pair attempting to evade paying their
board 10 n Dutch innkseper. This
doesn't sound promising in print, but
Mr.. Blossoms treatment OF tho idea Is
so unconventional, his lines are 30
bright, and his lyrics are SO Ilnghng
that the success OF the piece was es-
tabllshed before the curtain had been
up five minutes. Mr.. Blossom seems 20
be the only llbrettlst In America who is
able TO get away from the well-worn
path trod hard by Harry b. Smith and
George V. Hobart. "Ths Yankee Con.
sui" was different; Mile. Modiste" was
more different; and The Red Mill'' Is
a a -
equally agreeable. You won't believe Il.
mentally after the orchestra had be-
gur them,
Desire TO be chivalrous to a lady who
Is the working girls true friend induces
me to forbear criticlzing 'Mizpah," the
Ella Wheeler Wilcox play running at
the Academy OF Music The piece Is
described on the program as "a Drama
in Blank Verse;" and n The word
drama" is misleading. the word
blank" certainly describes the verse.
The whole play is blank. Very blank.
Blankety-blank!
There were one or two revivRls here
last week, In addition to the new plays
mentioned, and James ]. Corbett APP
peared at the American theater In a
melodrama called "Tho Burglar and
the Lady" didn't get around to see
the lady, but Mr.. Corbett was the burg
lar and | am told that he made very
good one. Mr.. Corbett really is getting
To be one OF our very begS little actors
In 'Cashel Byron's Profession" he got
most OF George Bernard Shaws chi.
grams over the footlights. and that Is
more than was ever done By Richard
Mansfield