The Meeker herald., 1907-06-08

dance-lf dance It can be called as
Miss Marlowe performs it's really
more q series Of positions and postum
ings. Such steps as are made are
scarce In rythm or accord with the
music. 1t II the dance of inexpert.
ness; but then-Miss Marlowe has
ever been disciple Of Thalia rather
than Of Terpsichore. None the less.
however, does she manage to convey
IN The dance the wonderful charm o.
giflishness. Enwrapped in = ssries
Of chiffon wells Of various colors, in
the wanderings Of the dance one after
another 10 discarded. until her simu-
lated love for and appeal to Herod
becoming the more intense with every
movement and every moment, she
tears OF the last one, leaving q SEEM
ingly bare torso exposed to the spec
tators. With q superb gesture she
makes the final throw. and then hid
ing her head In shame. she quickly
covers herself with her mantle. and
the dance Is ended. Then comes the
demand of Herod. prompted by her
mother: the Tetrarch's unwillingness.
the entrance Of John. salome's dawn
ing understanding Of what she has
done, her imperious commands to him
to kneel to her and beg for his life.
Johns utter oblivion of her and her
now entreaties. the, arrival OF his dis
ciples whom he has sent to find the
Man of Galilee, and their report Of the
meeting and message.
&hy. %oI11vo orvfFtlv unA Tohn
Is led to execution. Salome watches
1t from the window. and as the head
falls she rushed out with a scream Of
horror. The spectators are mercifully
spared the dance Of lust and Of death,
although the remarks Of the guests
who witness 1t down the corridor
leave the audience in no doubt Of the
horrors that are being enacted. Sa-
lone rushes back on the stage, drunk
with horror. with dancing and with
blood, and falls in huddle to Ole
side Of her mother. At this moment
the populace pass the palace, waving
palms and shouting Hosannas to Jesus
of Nazareth, the King Of the Jews;
and on this the curtain falls.
OF the rest of the cast Miss Kruger
made vixenishly interesting figure
Of Herodias, and earned applause in
the scene where she coaches her
daughter to demand the head Of the
Baptist. Nora Samson. as Miriam,
a maid In waiting on Salome. made m
excellent impression. Her purity OF
voice and clarity Of diction are ad.
mirable, and she moves with all the
slow grace Of the oriental woman.
The Herod Of Mr. Reicher showed the
weak monarch. ruled and ruined by
his guilty loves.
But, ON the whole, the drama itself
lacks Inspiration. Several scenes are
pointless, the dialogue disjointed. and
the language jarringly modern In many
instances. The scenery IL good. and
the drama unfolds itself in series OF
pictures that eliminate In the last
act with q vividness that goes far to
atone for the dullness Of the preceding
ones. But = popular play 1t never
will be. So Interesting an actor as Mr..
Sothern can well afford to retain It In
his repertoire, and Miss Marlowe may
find success once more A. q lone star
in the part Of 8alome; but crowded
houses and wildly applauding audi
ences need not be expected by either
Of the players while John the Bap-
list" holds the boards. II u . play
for the chamber rather than the stage,
for the student Of literature rathsf
than the plsasure-seeking theater-eoss.