Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-14

- AIMED CARCso sounds a little
queer, but that IL what has been
Fg on tap nightly at the Burwood
- uieatcr during the last week.
tN Two Of Mr.. Edison's inventions
- have been welded, and now we
may sit quietly In a darkened theater and
- the expense OF a dime can hear the
golden notes Of the greatest Of living tenors
> satisfactorily as II we we're holding
down a seat in the Metropolitan at $40 per.
TO be sure. the lights and the color of the
staging are missing. to some extent. but
" II IS Caruso we 60 TO hear and see then
We are not disappointed because he Is seen
In a monochrome and we know that his
voice like his figure is being reproduced
sftificially. Something uncanny about It.
too. starts a train OF reflection. 1t hasn't
been 80 very long since the possession Of a
Picture machine OF a talking machine
would have earned It's owner a place in
the list Of those who suffered death at the
Stake or something equally unpleasant and
effective. But modern invention is keeping
VI. with the requirements Of the public.
and canned. music or drama has long been
staple. 1t has been possible for one to
have at his own fireside a minstrel show
or a vaudeville performance. or. If his
inclination was In direction Of something
else, opera or trafedy was at his easy
beck. Nor have the more select and favored
members of society disdained at all times
the mechanical aid to musical enjoyment.
II Is recalled that a gentleman who occu-
pied. and still occupies, a very large place
IN the commercial development OF this age
once emerged from the strictness Of his
privacy long enough to give a recital Of
canned music at a prominent church. Such
q notable example is surely excuse for
others of lesser ability but equal desire to
serve.
And now to the perforated roll or striated
disc has been Joined the continuous film
ofanegatives. and the triumph is complete
In the wedding of the photograph and the
Kaleidoscope is achieved one more triumph
for Inventive genius. and a vista Of posi-
bilities both lengthy and inviting is opened.
Romeo may sigh his love into the eager ear
Of Juliet just as well through a talking ma
chine as In full view of the audience. and
the biograph or projectiscope. or whatever
you want TO call 1t. viii suit the action to
the word, and as the honeyed phrases of
young Mr.. Montague ravish the senses Of
Miss capulet. he will take her in his arms,
alta nothing will be left to the imagination
SAFE probably the warmth Of light and
color on the stage. The movements are
such as simulate life with Photographic
accuracy, and the fervent words of the
sufcharEed lover are given in all their
delicious ecstacy of passion. And so with
al the list OF things dear to people at the
theater. Comedy and tragedy look alike to
4, the synchroscope; the lights and the COM
pressed air never go on a strike. and the
motor runs true, while the electricity that
dominates the action Of all is as certain as
death OF taxation. Canned Caruso is but
the forerunner of a long list OF notables
who will give of their talents to entertain
us while we spend an idle half hour in a
cool and darkened theater listening ard
watching.
The machine is one that the manage rec
oenizes as a factor in the amusement eff
fort. The moving picture shows have
thriven wonderfully well, not only in
Omaha. but wherever introduced. and the
film business has grown to proportions that
the utmost respect of even the
most important of men in the business of
amusing the public. EarIy in the year the
Improvement doe TO the combination OF the
talking machine with the picture machine
was introduced in New York. and'it has
really revolutionized tho business there. The
furore from the first has not yet subsidized,
nor Is It likely to. for the promoters are
extending it's possibilities constantly. In
Chicago and other large cities IL has met
aimilar success. And the patronage at the
Burwood last week may be taken as an In
dicatIon that Omaha is going to like 1t
quite as we'll as other places do. One Of
the amusing incidents in connection with
it's progress cones from Chicago. Over
there the police exercise a more or les rigid
censorship on the picture machines, and
Quite recently one of the l%ieutenants of po-
lice condemned a production of canned
Macbeth" because he believed the repro
duction of scenes Of violence were nj for
the best interests OF Chicago's youth; he
therefore eliminated the several scenes
! dealing with murder, and the duel between
\ Macbeth and Macduff, because of the ex-
z pleiivc used by the king in his adjuration
to his antagonist. II the word damned"
could be supplanted by some other the
scene might be retained, Evidently Chi
Cages young people ara in no danger so
long as that lieutenant OF police is on
Euara. They will have their canned drama
served with denatured profanity. or not at
an.
All the while the Woodward Stock com
many. at the Boyd theater is playing nightly
10 as many people as can comfortably
crowd into that commodious thcster. Di-
rector Livinstone is maintP'H e Ihe high
standard at which he started the season,
and Is keeping his COMPANY rp p concert
bitch all the time. Plays q: IS alike
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