Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-13

Otis Tucker. ................ BARLEY McCulium
rim the, Thinner .... William T. osullivan
Joel Bartlett. Neye v Melshaw
Bili Parker........ ,,.......... Arthur JeMers
Jockey Dan...,...........Ch Charles Echardt
Jockey JOE. .......... Harry Hawklns
Cold Molasses. ............ .......By Himself
Iaggs .......................F francesca Parker
Sallie Greenway. .......... Josephine Withrow
Maria Perkins. .............. Helen NJ Cullum
Martha Sellsbock. ..................E Edna Rich
1t has been number OF years since
Omaha has had the pleasure OF greeting
Neil Burgess. one man to whom that
venerable and threadbare plautudc, ''in-
imitable," may Justly be applied, for II
Neil Burgess isn't in a class to himself,
then the distinction belongs to none other.
Since Mr.. Burgess himself pleads guilty
to the charge OF eccentrcity, he can take
no offense II Others lay the deed at his
door But in this case the charge Is Its
own defense, argument and verdict OF ac-
quittal, for the sort Of eccentricity OF
which he is guilty is such as to make him
and his County Fair strong in the hearts
Of those people who are not so far gone
on The art" and Technique" but like to
get close to nature and enjoy few Of the
old-fashioned realities Of life. In this little
drama, in few others, these people find
an evening Of genuine and unbrolIen enjoy
ment
The County Fair, which has been be-
fore the public for eighteen successful sea-
sons, is an interesting little story of that
simple. pastoral life back in New England
the northern part of old Vermont to be
precise. The grotesque simplicity Of that
plain folk in itself is a mine of humor
and Burgess strikes pay dirt every time
he swings his pick The mans makeup is
perfect, his study of the part Of a New
England old maid-however she may differ
from other old maids-brought him Ia a
knowledge which oughtnt be questioned by
any one who is not closer to the situation
than he Island they say he almost lives
the part. 1t is a part that naturally would
grow on one Burgess insists he knows the
part and knows woman as ne remarks at
one point in the play. ct guess I know a
woman-Ive been one for such a long
time"
The audience laughs. Later in the play,
though, the audience laughs again and then
suddenly reflects upon the wisdom that
caused it's mirth.
"Otis Tucker, I'm a woman, I'd have you
understand and want to say sir, that
when / make up my mind that there amt
no power on earth that can make me
change it."
Then otis-he's her big fat lazy sutton who
takes fourteen years to rake up courage
enough to put the Observation-Disclosures UP In
front of her and smiles and she falls all
ever him and herself, too. as she spurts out,
| ,,Otis, you kin do the cutest things"
But, like most New England farms they
| tell about in stories, the one Aunt Abby has
! is mortgaged. Imagine a stinf-necked old
! Puritan, New England old maid, who had
| waited for fourteen years for a man to pro-
pose to her and twice that long to raise the
! mortgage, at a county fair where her own
horse, ridden by beneficiary of hers, with
out her knowledge, having handed to her at
one and the same time 5000 first money at
the races, and marriage license by Otis
That's Aunt Abby's finish and she RECEIVERS
the shock in fine shape.
Probably the two most striking features
of the play, so far as realism is concerned.
are the horse race and that good, old
square dance in the barn at night.
Nfr. Burgess has very clever company
81 swhIct4 fgartiey AEccntnn AIias Erani
koesea Parker, Miss Josephine Withrose and
\ William f, O'Sullivan win a great deal OF
Applause for themselves and aid in bring
ling cheers to their leader Mr. McCullum
is an actor of uncommon talent who stays
close to the star. Like Burgess, his initial
tive powers are superb
| - j .tsf