Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-02
At the Theaters
"The LIGHTNING Conductor, at the


''The Lightning Conductor" mt the
Boyd.
The Woodward Stock company has I'M
dertaken quite a task for the current week,
but is showing it's ability to successfully
attack big propositions in presenting The
Lightning Conductor" The piece is a
sparkling comedy, but one that has to be
handled with great precision and exact
Judgment in order to bring out its points.
1t is full of good things, and overrunning
with comedy, and gives each of the prin-
cipals a fine chance. The story Is that
Of a young American woman who with
her aunt Is touring France in a motor car.
Difficulties arise and their chauffeur de-
serts them. A young Englishman discovers
them, and by offering himself as a cheuf-
feur succeeds in rescuing the ladies'. But
he falls in love with the younger, and she
with him. although she doesn't know it.
Their little romance is getting into smooth
water when another F~renchman. who is
also a scalawag, undertakes to secure the
girl for himself by, having the pretended
chauffeur arrested for the murder of the
young Englishman. Matters are a little
further complicated by the appearance of
a rich, but uncouth brewer with his daugh-
ter. and the young mans mother. The
mother and father have arranged a mar
riage for the young fPTks. although neither
of these have seen4each other. They en-
counter casually. put the match. falls
through. Three. acts are devoted to the
telling of the story, and it's course run"
true through a number of very interesting
situations, some verging. on melodrama, but
most of them of a high comedy sort.
Miss Fleming is really charming as the
young American girl. 1t is a lighter part
AA-- L. - - - - 49,.
1t with care and good effect. Miss Spencer
is doing her usual good work as the maiden
aunt, who is sent out to chaperone the girl,
but who really needs a chaperone herself.
Miss Duke as the brewers daughter, Miss
Power as the mother Of the romantic young
man, and Miss Huston as the inn keepers
daughter are all well situated.
Mr.. Morrison makes a very good hauf-
feur, even II he does have to watch him
self to keep his true character from crop
PIN out. Mr.. Denithorne as the French
marplot is clever, and Mr.. Poulter and Mr..
Sehrode as chauffeurs, the one French and
the other German. are good. Mr.. Pau has
a comedy part. that of the bumptious Brit
ish brewer, which gives him full scope for
his established ability. A number OF others
are in the long cast and all do well.
Mr.. Livingstone has provided an unus
ually effective setting for the piece. The
roadside scene that "opens the piece, and
the panoramic effect that follows are
splendid bits Of Illusion, and each OF the
other scenes are we'll staged. The comedy
was we'll received by two very large audi
ences yesterday, and Will run all week,
with other matinees on. Tuesday, Thursday
and Saturday afternoons.
Goodbye Night at BurwOOd.
g. -s-ta a
the Burwood, the performance being the
closing one of the stock company which
has occupied the Burwood since February
Is last. An immense crowd was present.
The loyal Burwoodites were chock full of
enthusiasm, and as each member of the
company made HIS or her first entrance
was greeted with prolonged applause,
which in every instance was continued
until the recipient Acknowledged the re-
ception by a few words. Mr.. Bacon's
entrance was the signal for the most en-
thusiastic demonstration, and when dur
ing the course of his few remarks he
assured his admirers that he would be u
member of the new stock company, which
he stated would open at the Burwood on
August 20. the applause was even greater
than when he made his entrance. Flowers
were much in evidence.
The play. THE Man From Mexico was
received with almost continuous laughter,
and when the curtain was rung down for
the last time Director Hoffman and his
musicians played Aud Lang syne," thus
bringing 10 a close the stock company
season at the Burwood.
II Is understood that among this sea.
sons company who will be members OF
the new company are Mr., Bacon, Mrs
Bacon (Jans Jeffery), Mr.. Ingram and
Mr.. Clisbee.