Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-23
Gossip About Plays, Players and PayhOuses

pack more things into a trunk than a man
could into a hayraCk. Mr.. ROyle must have
learned his trade from a woman. for he
has packed more incidents into his four
acts than some playwrignts get into a
whole bookful Of plays. His first two acts
are really overcrowded, but the events are
packed together with such dizziness as TO
NJ in exactly, and appear to have been
made for just that space. The last two
acts do not suffer 50 much from this, but
are quite full enough. The whole affair is
an excellent piece Of dramatic carpentery,
but its finishing is a bit crude. Here and
there the tool marks have been left II
Mr. Royle had not had Broadway so much
in mind, and had given little less OF the
"wOolly' to his west, it would have been
immensely better
The passing Of Miss Lorna Elliott from
the Woodward Stock company at the Bur
wood is noted with genuine regret. Miss
Elliott has made many warm friends and
admirers in Omaha by her uniformly good
work on the stage. A quiet and unassum-
ing little woman, she kept much to her
self apart from her work at the theater
but across the footlights she established
a sympathetic relation with a great many
people, who will follow her future with
interest. As an actress she showed herself
to be possessed of that rare qualification,
temperament and she brought to her roles
not alone intelligent analysis, but that
womanly intuition that often dvines the
essence Of a matter long before slow rea-
son is able to reach IT, She showed a
grasp of technique that was broad and
comprehensive. and yet she was sufficient
pf a 1fgf 10 civ Of To ~
most minute details. She expects to return
to New York, but has made no definite
plans for her future.
It seems that the "prudery' complained
Of by foreigners who comment on the
American stage has penetrated to Rome
also. and that the Italians have decided
that a limit exists beyond which the
"moderns" should not carry their discus
sions. Else how are we to account for
the following, which is from the Dramatic
Mirror, and refers to the production Of
the latest D'Annunzio play at Rome:
Never within the memory Of Rome had
there been such a tiasco as D'Annunzios
new play, More than Love" Zaccont,
who played the hero-one of the most dCs-
picable characters ever presented on any
stage-had to sit down at times and take
a cordial before he could go on with his
the Misses from every part of the house.
even from the boxes! Nd these hlsses
continued even when all was over and the
spectators were far up the streets without.
This exit, however, had its comic side;
for as the people were streaming and hiss
ing out Of the theater two carbineers hap
pened to pass by, and then all the people
cried out: Arrest the author!'
Zacconi had a terrible task to play the
hero hero who says Of himself; Il have all the
will for the lover, friend or foe. This,
however, might have been passed In ST.
lence, But what most outraged the audi
ence was love scene between a brother
and sister. Zacconi wanted to omit GER
tain words in this scene, but D'Annunzip
would not hear Of 1t, and he has reaped his
reward, to the satisfaction of every honest
man and woman in Rome.
On the second night many entire
done, and nothing could ever save the
piece. The theater also, was nearly
empty. one episode was reduced from
fifty minutes, the time taken to play II on
the first night, to seventeen minutes on
the second night A whole cantata was
left out and also a hymn to Africa. A few
more cuttings and this tragedy might have
become a nice-or nasty-curtain raiser.
As for the actors, they were quite eclipsed.
The public was indignant. Better not TO
have given a second performance at all.
D'Annunzio is furious and intends to
publish the play with a preface in answer
to his critics. Better leave 1t alone. The
greatest critics in Italy came to Rome on
purpose to be present at the first represen-
tation. Several automobiles also came
from Vienna, filled with artists and crit
ics-all eager TO see the first performance
Of D'Annunzios new play. Now, you may
perhaps ask:"What is more than love?''
More than love-" in this play, is vice and
vice Of n kind never before represented on
any stage. Let US hope that D'AnnunZio s
next piece, THE Ship" may not be quite
so hideously unpleasant.
The annual Christmas editions Of the
dramatic papers are now coming OF the
press, and all are very creditably gotten
up. The Mirror sterling publica ton that Il
is, has in many ways outdone it's former
efforts in the line. It presents an
unusually attractive lot OF matter Of espe-
cial interest 70 stage folks, and at the
same time Of great information to the non
professional reader. While the photographs
Of many well known actors are reproduced,
a departure has been made and pictures OF
dramatists and newspaper critics and re-
viewers take up most of the space allotted
to illustration This will be OF interest Ia
the actors. as II will give them a line on
the appearance of the men who have been
handling them boquets or lemons through
the press for so many years. The general
makeup of the paper is what we have all
been accustomed to expect Of the Mirror
neat and tasty, evincng the general high
tone that has distinguished this publica-
ton for so many years.
.
Coming Events.
The climax of Henry w. savage's wost,