Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-28


who habitually go to the theater early
enough 10 see the curtain rise on the first
act Late corners, with little or no regard
for the rights OF others. crowd into seats
over people who are In on time. disturbing
everybody near and distractlng attention
from passages frequently essential for
correct understanding OF what Il to come
and destroying much OF the evenings en-
tertainment for all II Is useless to scold
these people, for n reproof were effective
they would have been cured long ago.
Nor Ia II easy to ascribe reason for this
state Of AFFAIRS. 1t is partly due tn negli-
gence, partly to Indifference, but u is none
the less annoying. no matter from what
cause It springs. All managerial rules
have so far been OF no avail as to curing
the condition. Threats and entreaties have
alike failed to get some folks to come to
the theater on time. About the only solu-
ton that will ever exactly nj the case viii
be 20 write plays without first act. but
even then some Of the negligent would
stroll in Just when folks who had been on
time were trying 20 get the thread OF the
story through watching the second act.
II seems as II the case were hopeless. as
long as men and women are constituted as
they are.
Another complaint is that the prices
asked at the door were unreasonably high.
This il likely to remain a matter OF opin-
ION. 10 Is certain that Mr.. Goerletz, who
manages the tours Of the Metropolitan
company for Herr Conried. thinks that 81
is low enough for the choicest seats. and
that 81 Is little enough for the poorest.
Grand opera, while not a novelty in Omaha,
is not listed among the actual necessaries,
and the tour OF the company IL not under
taken from any feeling Of philanthropy.
Herr Conried expects to find balance in
his favor at the end Of the trip or he will
abandon II. One may easily doubt II the
seats at the Auditorium would have been
any better filled II the price had been
fixed at one-fourth what was asked. Grand
opera Is not popular; it may not sOOthe our
artistic souls 20 contemplate the fact but
the truth Is more people are interested in
a ball game or something Of that sort. II
the count turned in by the box ONCE on the
night OF the performance here is accurate,
and little reason exists to question ii.
1000 people heard the Conried song birds
during the afternoon and evening. 1t Is
submitted that not theater in the United
States will accommodate this number of
people at two performances. If signor
Caruso really said he never sang to so
small an audience as applauded him on
Monday evening, he was evidently under
the impression that the Auditorium is no
bigger than the Metropolitan Opera house.
As a matter Of fact. very few of the
audiences that greet Caruso were so large,
and none were more appreciatlve. Wouldn't
Il be Just as well to quit grumbling that
the Auditorium was not filled on that even
ing, and rejoice that so many people in
and around Omaha are interested in music
IN it's higher forms7 II has been demon
strated that you can't have the top notchers
Mt popular prices, either In base ball, music
or the drama. And IL you want the best
you must expect to pay for It, at least dur
ing these days Of great prosperity.
English Actors in America.
When Amelia Bingham announced that
IN her new play, THE Lilac Room" she
would be supported entirely by an English
company there were many American play
ers who had no hesitation in declaring that
the fair and buxom Amelia was making a
mistake. They said that the English in
vasion of the American theater already had
gone so far that English actors had no
trouble securing engagements when Amer
lean actors of just as good skill went with
out work And so when THE Lilac Room
was found to be a fiat failure there was
more or less rejoicing along Broadway.
At the same time f. II. Sothern and Julia
Marlowe were just beginning their Ameri-
can invasion OF England.
The recent theatrical history Of the
United States as related to England and OF
England as concerned in relation 10 the
United States has not held more than the
law allows Of that hands across the sea
feeling of which there is so much said al
banquets.
Charles Frohman has been more sue
cessful than any other American manager
In giving the English what the Americans
have wanted. Even now he is launching
''Brewster's Millions" a play made from
the Chicago made novel OF George Bari
McCutcheon, and Maxine Elliott will
Harry Davis OF Chicago as one of her bust
ness stan will begin at the Lyric in Lon
don in September a season OF her own
Just so that the invasion may have at leas
some little representation OF the Cohanes
que influences that are making for so muct
IN the contemporary drama in this country
George Cohan's sister. Josephine, and hei
husband Fred Niblo, and their baby are II
London, where the two older members O
the family are engaged in vaudeville
The most decisive failure that LondoI
has handed out to an American production
lately was the dose that was given TO Lou
Mann. He went over there this season II
"Julie Bon Bon" which had been writer
for him by his wife, Julia Lipman. TIL
Londoners would have none of 1t at an!
price.
A little earlier In the season they ha,
refused TO hold any sort Of trafhc with tn
box office man, whose Job II was to sci
tickets to The Lion aud the Mouse" Fo
that piece Daniel Frohmsn sent over on
OF the best companies he could gather, bu
Il was no use The English people simply
would not go to the play. Still at the tim
that II was playing to empty benches Their
Il was being played by three companie
IN this country to big business.
Dallas Wexford, he who plays in MI
Hopkinson," is about as funny an English
man as has been sent over here in som
time, but when he discussed the Englis
actor on the American stage he was seriou
because he said that an English actor q
average ability 70 get a chance I'm IN
United States was for him 20 open IN
door TO more prosperity than he ever coul
hope to get al home Wexford ought {
know. So had that large unemotiona
person. Lawrence DOrsay, who until h
was brought to this country had neve
49, Al