Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-06

Elsa Berg ian heiressl.. =. ...... Pearl stearns
Guests at Hoffman's ball:
Madam Reinke. ....,.....".....Jane Jeffery
Madam Schleswig ...........,. Alice Meyer
Herr Grosser Lane ConnOr
Herr Bessor. Francis
Preconceived notions OF The Devil" were
more or less shattered at the Burwood sun
day light, and at least one who went to
scott remained to pray. Not that The
Devil" incites one TO prayer. exactly, but
the simile may be permitted. 1t is intended
to convey the-idea that one went there with
a fairly settled conviction that the author
had treated in a rather broad, and even
Grass manner, a certain phase Of the eternal
triangle, and that the discussion was boot
less and perhaps should not be permitted.
The latter impression remains; It is a mat
ter that ought not to be discussed in pub
lie: but. IL 1t must be. then some measure
of thanks Is due to Ferenc Molnar for the
devilishly skillful manner in which he has
treated of the topic. He is cold blooded.
cynical. almost brutal In his methods, and
yet. given the -postulate. It's demonstration
is logical, and It's elimination inevitable.
No fault may be found with his reasoning;
"'tls true, It's PHYS and pity It's tbs true"
Men and women are only men and women
after all. and as the Devil says, "TherN
9Ou aANs IL nus AAAN ANthg Aht oAsa Al
1t is really a drama, treats OF the passion
of a man and sSwoman, whose blood GER
leaps restraint and whose love asserts itself
despite laws and conventions to the con.
trary. 1t offers no defense, It makes no
apology; It merely sets down some facts,
cold and irrefragable, And In It's every
line 1t strikes at human fraitty, seeming 10
echo the cry of Tennysoni
-- = A. -..t.t H.. tl.A $50. - -
the living truth.
But this b~rllliance Of conception and d.
r~ectness Of treatment in nowise ~justifies
It. 1t is for the worldly-wise, and therefore
not for the theater. But this warning is
not at all likely to be. needed, and Omaha
will probably pay it's tribute to '"Th Devil
just as have all other communities where
it has appeared. The Burwood was packed
at both performances yesterday by audi
ences that showed at several points down
right preference for the triumph of virtue,
whose breath was caught at other points,
and whose general sense of propriety suf-
fered because the expected shock did not
appear. For It is a softened and subdued
Devil that is being offered, a Devil expur-
gated of some of his devilishness, and yet
a Devil virile and potent, even subtle, as
was the original Devil and-shah It be
said 7-using the art of the Serpent who
seduced the woman to beguile the mani
Mr.. Ingraham Is in his perihelion this
week, he is a polite, suave, gently insinuat-
ing Devil. He is a persistent Devil, too, for
he doesn't deviate from his purpose; he
may attack by indirection, but his point
is always in view. and his course leads d.
rectly to it. Mr.. Ingraham brings to the
part the resources of a fine mind and an
experience that enables him to very accur-
| ately portray the thought his character
| embodles, and his performance is excellent
in all essential regards. He ~flatters, snubs,
~cajoles, insults, tempts. tantalizes and
ruins. and all with a manner so polished.
so urbane. that he seems to be what he
purports, merely q man of the world with
a most kindly interest in his fellowman-
and w-oman-except that 1t takes a curve
away from the straight line of what is
generally accepted as moral rectitude. His
mobile face lends itself with wonderful
facility to the exactions of the role, and
his noisless, mirthless laugh, his sardonic
grin, and his exasperating sneer, with his
suggestive speech and perfect accent, are
parts of a whole that is really delightful
from the merely ~artistic point of view. It
is highly creditable in all regards, and Mr..
Ingraham we'll deserves the hit he has
made.
Miss Elliott is given one OF the most. diff
ficult roles a woman can possibly be called
upon to enact in public. 1t is thoroughly
antagonistic, and at no point does It elicit
the sympathy Of the audience, For this
reason the applause she compeis is all the
greater tribute to her ability as an actress.
It is no mean undertaking to portray the
slow but certain d~lslntegration of a wom-
ans moral nature, until 1t finally crumbles
In ruins, and everything else in the world
is thrown away for the promise Of hap
piness. But this she, accomplishes, and
with a delicate adjustment OF dramatic
values that preserves the %verities at all
times without destroying the effect or mar
ring the progress of the dramas course.
"The road to hell is easy" but no woman
ever sets her feet on 1t without some mis-
givings, and even at the very end Of the
play, when the catastrophe impends, Misa
Elliott shows the reluctance, the uncertain
resistance of the wife who seeks relief
from a loveless marriage In a liaison with
the man to whom she had given her heart
years before. Such details Of the action
as the removal of her waist in the artists
studio, the appearance in an opera cloak
that seems to support the DEVILS tale that
she Is walking through her ball room in the
costume of Lady Godiva. even her final
Weddings are managed with such tact as to
rob them of all indelicacy, an dto make
them what they are, no evidence OF lack
OF modesty, but really signs OF complete
surrender OF the woman to the man she
loves. Incidentally. Miss Elliott is wear
Ing some wonderfully pretty gowns this
week, fitting her appearance to the part
she plays.
Mr.. Grew has much to do in his role, and
does IT well, re is a man of the world, and
yet willing to he bound by the conventional
ideas of responsibility. 1t is against him
that the Devil directs his attack. and the
victory is made complete. Mr.. Todd and
Mr.. Bacon are In the cast for essential