Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-28

Mr.. Henri Miller and company IN The
Great Divide" a drama On thrte acts, by
William Vaughn Moody. Under Mr.. NIL
ler,s personal direction. The casa;
stephen Ghent.-.--.-Mr. Henry Miller
Winthrop Newbury.. Mr.. Charles 0otthoid
Dr.. Ncwbury ..........Mr. william J. Butter
Lon An1erson MT James ItNWo
Bert Nilliams.......Mr Henry r. Walthan
Dutch.."-....."....Mrs. Arthur 0areton
Pedro. ................. Mr.. Arnold Wilbur
An architect. Mr.. Frank Brownies
A Mr.. Frederick Moore
A Mr.. James Hagan
Mrs. Jordan. ...........Mrs Thomas Whiften
Polly Jordan.......Miss Laura Hope Crews
Ruth Jordan Miss MARY Han
To Mr.. Henry Miller and his uncomnlonly
capable company Of players Omaha people
are indebted for a delightful intellectual
treat. not TO say a strongly dramatic ex-
position OF a thought that Is worth while
pondering over. A man and woman, as
wide apart as the poles In their ways of
life. are brought together under conditions
that are abhorrent 10 both alike. and are
finally united in a common destiny. held
by a bond OF genuine love. Not the love
that sentimental or erotic novelists tell US
of, but the great true love that Is born OF
an understanding and & mutual regard.
Ruth Jordan is left alone In. a cabin on
the Arizona desert. Stephen Client, with
two drunken companions, break in the
door, and while two of them. one a Mexi-
can. are shaking dice to decide who shall
have the girl first she begs Client to save
her from them, promising to give herself
to him, under the law" IL he will only
get rid OF the others. The Mexican he
buys off with a string of gold nuggets;
the other he shoots. Then he takes her
to a Justice of the peace. somewhere in
the desert. and they are married. Nothing
1 80 - R-..N- . - a. A. 81 l.
But in stating the terms of his PROPOSE
ton Mr.. Moody has made very plain the
process for its solution. The man repre-
sents the purely physical aspect Of the
equation, the woman the Intellectual. And
by the forcible contact Of these two ns-
lures is engendered the line Of thought
that leads each out OF the artIficiality that
surrounds them and on to q common plane.
In him is developed a desire for something
more than the mere physical manifesto
tons Of life, while in her is brought to life
the impulse to break through the narrow
ness of conventionality that has surrounded
her, and directed her thoughts, and through
suffering and sacrifice they come together
at the end. understanding and happy.
1t is hardly likely that society will I'm
mediately recast its practices along the
lines suggested by Prof. Moody's play, ana
the strictly conventional method Of woolnE.
winning and wedding will probably hold
sway. even in Arizona, for some time to
come. Yet reason sustains the postulate
Of the author. and, assisted somewhat by
the auditor supplying certain palpAble and
easily bridged gaps. the argument in its
support is cogent and well supported. The
girl is surrounded in the opening scene by
her brather and his wife, representing the
highest type Of Massachusetts culture.
founded on generations spent in the at
mosphere Of that realm Of culture. Sup
porting them is the presence Of a young
physician, openly In love with the maiden,
and ardently pressing her to say the word
and return with him to civilization. He
rides away to minister 10 a wounded man
and she ahides at home to prepare for the
coming Of the injured. And while she is
thus preparing, she falls a victim to the
passions Of a drink-crazed trio. No stronger
contrast could De desired. In the second
act contrast Is maintained, and the girl
leaves her husband and goes with her
brother to her home in Massachusetts. But
here ensues the redemption OF that dread.
full night OF the beginning. To her home
the husband follows his wife, and there,
when she has told her story to her mother,
and the family has withdrawn from her
she sees her husband. redeemed by his
love. the fruit Of his suffering, and feeiI
her own love for him. because she at last
realizes. and together they start to live
their life. 1t is really bringing together
/, the poles. but after all lie merely an argu.
ment for the possibility Of being at the
I same time natural and happy.
Mr.. Miller's share is dual; he appears
both as producer and actor. To his mana.
&laNA 4. H. -
, and scenery that give the play it's atmos.
4 phere, its very life. and to his Judkmen,
must be ascribed the many little touches
of realism that move the action OF tn,
: drama with u%nerring certainty from i'll
o opening to its closing. The play appeal
almost entirely to the deeper emotions
although 1t has a comedy element tina
. takes mostly the form Of a mildly ironIca
assault on certain views of life affected
4 among the ra-cultured. Mr.. Miller real
: ICES these qualities. and has studiously en-
n deavored to bring them out as stronEI,
. as possible. The result is that ne hAI
= satisfactorily produced what is righti,
listed as among the great American plays
a probably the greatest, for it deals Will
+ the phases Of life that are farthsst Apar
and shows how extremes may be brouRh
together harmonlouEiy under our civiliEa
o ton. To praise Mr.. Miiler's personal con
e tribution TO the success the play hai
q achieved Is merely to repeat What haI
4 been said many times during the last thret
e years. while The Great Divide has beef
a under discussion. His ability both as Al
actor and as a stage director was nevs
better shown than In this, and the per
sonal satisfaction he derives from play
ing In st may be appreciated by those VIII
know how keenly he is devoted TO the high
d est In the drama
Misc Mary Hall now has the part create,
BY Miss Anglin, and is aoiag wonderfully
d well in IT, She misses nothing OF valu,
In her opportunities, which are endless
e seemingly, and thoroughly deserves tn
y share she has with the star in the success
O Of the production. The company lie stron.
In every particular. and the Performance
II is a delight in every way. It was Wit
messed by a large audience last night. an
apparently thoroughly enjoyed by all.