Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-18

/ for nothing, unless II was Lhe
- fact that Neil Burgess proved
UiRglLl that he stu wants the money.
80 whether be needs II or net by
appearing in a revival OF his County
Fair" 1t was the general belief that 5fr.
Burgess was drawing such royalties from
the use Of his treadmill for stage horse
races that he dtd not need to work. But
FTsre he is, playing Aunt Abigail Prue with
Jhe same vim and gusto as he did when
he was accommodating the fortune he is
accredited with having laid aside. The
play itself is no especial credit to either
the author or the actor, and aside from
the performance Of Cold Molasses has moth
Ng OF especial interest. The other attrac-
lions at the Boyd we're ordinary, and the
other theaters offered little in the way Of
novelty. The coming week promises bet
ter and will get more attention from the
public.
The Chicago Tribune boiled over on Mon
day morning with a great story about the
organization Of a gigantic theater trust
which is to control $50 Playhouses In the
principal Cities and is to hold art in iron
bonds. Perusal brought forth the informa-
ton that AL Hayman is to be the chief
tentacle Of this octopus and that Klaw,
Erlanger, Frohman and other we'll known
managers are to be the other tentacles, and
the head IL to be In New York All of
which In mighty interesting, but not half
30 enhancing the statement that tailed
up the article, 70 the effect that the
shuberts would remain Independent" As
the story simply tells over the same old
tale that has been recited again and again
for the last half dozen years, It didn't eX-
cite a riot Of any sort. The theater trust"
has been more or less abused and cussed
by the independents" all this time. and
every evil that has befallen the stage in
any way has been laid at the door Of the
combination. In the meantime the So
called Independents have been busily striv-
ing to build up a combination that shall
rival the trust" the sole idea being to
put the latter out of business. The query
naturally arises. what difference can It
possibly make to the public which of the
warning factions controls the stage2 BY
the by. James X. Hackett has packed up
his things and gone over from the trust"
to the independents" again, and has taken
Mary Mannering along with him. This
would be important If James K. were not
isuch an uncertain quantity. He is quite
as likely to move back before spring The
most significant feature Of the move is
that it gives the shuberts another theater
In New York, the Hackett.
-
Richard Mansfield mas met such success
In Peer Gynt" that he has announced his
intention OF continuing It through the en-
tire time OF his Chicago engagement. This
was given out during the week. and the
fact seemed to be appreciated In Chicago,
4 FOR no diminution OF the seat sale was
noted. Peer Gynt" will run unintsrr7upt-
edly TO the close of the engagement at the
Grand, making FIVE weeks, ending on De-
cember The Mansfield dates for Omaha
are Tuesday and Wednesday, December
IL and L.
Letters from New York bring word that
Mr.. Cecil owen and his charming wife
,ASlss Dollie Davis, are both with the Robert
Mantell company now. Mr.. owen opened
the season with Mr.. Mantell, but Miss
Davis went out with the Dairy Farm
company The latter came to grief some
weeks ago, and Miss Davis Joined the
Mantell company in Montreal. The New
York papers have spoken very highly OF
Mr.. Owens work in such parts as Catesby
in Richard ILL.," Edgar In King Lear
and Laertes in Hamlet" In the forth.
coming production of Julius Caesar Mr.
Owen is cast for Casslus.
Mr.. William Archer Of London the doyeI
Of the British guild of dramatic critics
has this 10 say in regard to his profession
and its followers:
Wherever there is a theater there ar
dramatic critics. and wherever theater
and newspapers cO-eXist the dramatic crit
les ma In the newspapers their natura
medium Of utterance. Such a universal
phenomenon must have a deep-seated rea
son in human nature. If all the dramaU
critics in the world, convinced of the nox
lousness OF their profession, were tomor
row to enter Trappist monasterles-thu
committing sort of race suicide'-th
matte critics would have sprung into ex
istence. Criticism, in word. Is an in
eyitable reaction set up by the stimuli
\ Granted" it may perhaps be said, tina
dramatic criticism is inevitable, the ques
\ as a good thing or as a necessary evil.
No doubt there is great deal Of ignorau
and foolish writing about the drama a
there Is, l understand. about art and abOu
musiC-as there certainly is about litera
ture. II is possible that the fascination {
the theater and the apparent possibilit
OF dispensing with all technical knowledg
may lure into dramatic criticism NOR
Aut that dramatic criticism may be, an
as ofen been, Of great value to dramat
HteatuTe I entertain no manner of doubt
Its practical helpfulness to actors Is pc
haLs more dubious. An actor Is what he
and does what he can do; he cannot chanl
\ his personality, and he can seldom unIeaI
what he may have learned amiss Thu
except in rare instances and in points Of d
tail, his art can benefit but little by eve
the gcutest criticism. Yet what actor wi
Is capable OF sincerely examining his ON
mind will assert that he would willing
dispOnse with the encouragement mot
mention the possible business Yalue) Of
good notice?' Perhaps there are some a
tors (and am the last to blame them) wi
have really tho strength OF mind TO absta
altogether from reading criticisms. Pc
haps, too, there are some old actors so sat
with praise (Which they feel to be Oft
ignorant) as TO take no more pleasure In
But he vast majority of the profession
sunCtively realize that criticism, Ike a
plause. Is, as / have said, a natural reacti'
set up by the stimulus OF the work OF al
and would sadly miss that reaction II
failed them,
As fo- the business value OF crtticisl
what sane manager, author or actor won
really desire II 10 cease altogether? &c
tain'y there Is n great deal OF harmful ba
BILE about the theater, but the greater pa
OF Il Is not and does not pretend TO be cri
cism.
Finally, dramatic criticism may have
inherent value OF it's own as a substantiN
even n parasitic, art. And art
lourshes I'm almost exact proportion to I
theatrical life with which Il has to del
Where that life is vivid and interesting,
is dramatic criticism; when the authors a
dun DOGS, they have DUH dogs 70 cTltici
them Several shelves in my little libra
are occupied with the collected criticism
OF the French journalists OF the last hi
century. and can always reread them wi
pleasure. In our own literature some OF I
best pages written by Hazlitt. Leigh HUI
riee Tnunh Ceorga TTanryv ley