Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-18
(About Plays, Players and PlayhOuses

creator OF the part Mercedes" in Thomas
Leigh Is "a realist in the broadest sense
Of the word. She Is giving Broadway an
Oriental production such as II has nov 1oI
seen in years. She fought In vain Lor
some months with EnglHnds censor loF
the privilege Of producing 'Salome pup
ncly in London. Bringing such influence
as she might, however, she could net
move that obstinate gentleman lie stoOu
pat upon the fact that the play was
"bibleCar in character and consequently
religious, and that to produce ii would be
saCrllege. A performance was finally given
In private at the house Of Mrs John
presence Of the king and distinguished
audience. The play practically eliminates
when Salome dances before Herod for the
head of John the Baptist. For three weeks
Miss Leigh and the dancing chorus have
been rehearsing before one Of the most
and the results became apparent from the
moment they made their nrst appearance
on the stage Oh the New Aston theater.
John the Baptist, who does not appear
in "Salome," is being introduced in q
separate play, The Prophet which 10
scarcely less remarkable than the Wilde
play.
The first burlesque Of the Lou Fields
company was presented Thursday evening
at the Herald Square theater. The subject
OF the burlesque is the Miss Lillian Vaughn
Moody drama, The Little Divide, in
which Margaret Angin and Henry Miller
have scored success at the Princess thea
ter. The action of the drama and its
burlesque possibilities suggested an APP
1.-THE Little Divide" The cast contains,
besides Lou Fields great strength, such
stars as Louise Dresser, Alice Anglin, Peter
p. Daley, Harry Fisher, George Debau
and Lawrence Goldsmith. Julius Mitchell
has staged the production.
which Mr.. Field inaugurated the season
has been condemned AS a basis for the
new version OF the original production the
II h.
retained and around these has been written
pracu ideally new story
Robert Mantell as lago Is the novelty
OF the second week at the Academy
of Music. The week has been divided be-
tween "Othello" and Hamlet" save for a
Thursday night, the only performance of
BulWers meIodrama in the engagement
"Otheno" was the ofrering last Monday
night and was continued Tuesday and
Wednesday nights and Thursday afternoon
Mr., Mantel appeared in the title role, in
later performance of the tro - he Will
again be seen in lago. He 10 a. said to
have been very successful in 1t in Mon
treal where he first acted it last Septem-
Der, and afterwards at Toronto,
Nine. ALA NaslmovG, the Russian actress,
made her debut as an English-speaRing
player at the Princess theater on Tuesday
afternoon, when she presented lbsen' 8
"Hedda Gabler. Other members of the
company are John Balri, Dodson Mitchell.
John Findlay, Laura Hope Crews and Mrs.
Within. The performance was repeated
Thursday and Friday afternoons, and, be-
ginning next Monday, four performances
will be given.
Last winter Mime. Naslmova, as leading
woman with Paul Orlonoff and the Russian
players at the Criterion theater, and on the
East Side, proved herself one Of the most
powerful and gifted, well as one of the
most beautiful, actresses Of the day. Her
work in series of big roles was a revela-
ton In emotional intensity, intellectual
grasp and passional sweep "Hedda Cab
ier'' is certainly one Of her greatest roles
and her quick mastery Of the English Ian
guage Is a surety that her performance in
the vernaculRr will be as brilliant as II was
when she used her native tongue.
-
Robert Browning's "Pippa Passes" with
Mrs. Sarah Cosell lie Moyne playing the
role Of Ottiem and Monsegneur and Mablt
Taliaferro that OF Pippa was produced fol
the first time professionally in America al
the Majestic theater last Monday afternoon
The play Will be repeated on Tuesday anc
Friday afternoons and on the same three
days next week This is the first time
Browning play has ever been staged will
the idea that 1t would be successful com
merCially. Previously managers in fear OF
the pecuniary outcome have resorted to In
expensive makeshift In this direction. Blu
Mr. Miller and Mrs. lie Moyne have spen
months OF time and a great deal Of money
to give "Pippa Passes" a presentation sucl
they feel Its poetic beauty and dramatic
strength demand.