The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-25
ADJUSTMENTS.

| AMOOElVlElN / -.
Florence Roberts. company that
measures up to a high standard of eX-
cellence, and a play that is really worth
while. form a most attractive COM
bination at the Salt Lake theatre. Apt
ly named SHAM" the play is different
from any in which Miss Roberts has
appeared before Salt Lake audiences.
There is mighty little agony in it, and
it contains nothing that is impure. 1t
is positive relief to see Miss Roberts
in play that holds no problem. The
lesson in "Sham" is perfectly obvious,
and it is a most learnable lesson, too.
AS Katherine Van Ripper, daughter of
distinguished Knickerbocker family
of more lineage than lucre, a girl
brought up in the midst of luxury and
determined to maintain her luxurious
living regardless of the cOst-tO people
from whom she made her purchases
Miss Roberts was admirable. And,
later, when the love of d big, strong
man came into her life, the love of
man who despises hypocrisy and fraud.
the awakening of Katherine Van Ripper
was admirably done.
There are no strongly emotional
scenes in Sham" The plan runs
easily and naturally through three acts
to a satisfactory conclusion. Much of
it is comedy, but very close to the sur
face are the hard realities. 1t may be
said that the role of Katherine is not
big enough for Miss Roberts. Certain
ly it does not possess the emotional
possibilities of her "GiOcOnda." Tess
of the D'Urbervilles," ''Magda,'
"Sapho," or any one of a dozen plays
in which Miss Roberts is known to
Salt Lake audiences. But it certainly
is entertaining and instructive, and a
part that fills those requirements is not
too small for any artist.
Miss Roberts company deserves more
than passing mention. Thuriow Bergen
as Tom Jaffray showed himself a most
capable actor. He was specially eff
fective in the scene with Montague
Buck Harry D. Gibbs, when he be-
lieves Buck is to marry Katherine. Mr..
Gibbs, as the son of a mining million
aire from Idaho. recently settled in
New York, gave decidedly faithful
picture and thoroughly deserved the
appreciative tributes given him by the
audience.
The company throughout. in fact, is
without weak spots. The engagement
of Miss Roberts runs through Wednes-
day night, with a matinee on Wednes-
day.
A very good bill, pretty evenly bal
anced. is TO be found at the Orpheum
this week, and as a close to the show
a clever magician calling himself by
the magical name of Hermann the
Great, makes a decided hit. The ma
giCian is assisted by a wife and numer-
Gus other properties and in addition to
turning eggs into live chickens, find
ing money everywhere. besides per-
forming a few of time-hOnOred tricks
of the trade, he does some unusual
stunts by changes in the personnel of
the occupants of the most fashionable
boxes.
The bill opens with two American
beauties, who do some acts rather out
of the ordinary Virginia Pierce, said
to be direct from a grand opera COM
pany, is certainly worth going 10 see,
but her singing is not her strong point !
The most awe-inspiring act seen on
the Orpheum boards for many days is
that presented by Ralph tombstone. |
who does tricks with the bicycle never
equalled by anyone. His leap from the
very top of the stage to a point be-
low is a very daring feat, and one
which, but for the fact that he had
made light of the trick, would have
been hair-raising.
Sidney Deane and company present
a musicale novelty, christmas on
BlackwelPs Island" which, while me-
lodious enough in its presentation, is
woefully depressing in its outlook. The
numbers introduced are all well rem
dered, but the jokes are of many in
ventions. Joe Carroll does a mono
logue and dance stunt which is on the
usual order, the kinodrome presents its
three specialties, and two particularly
fine orchestral selections are on the
bill. The show goes all week, after
moons and evenings.
THE Power of Truth" the five-act
comedy drama which opened a five
nights run at the Lyric last evening, is
well presented by the Utahna Stock
company. Miss Agnes Johns admirers
say her Doris Vane, the school teach
er, is the best thing she has done
Brian O'Neill is carried splendidly by
w. r. Abram. The comedy is furnished
by Frank Haley. who furnishes it in a
way that gets the house.
1.-The Girl of the Streets is pleasing
fairly large audiences at the Grand this
week. The play Is interesting and has
several novel features. one of which is
the large automobile used in the rescue
scene of the third act.