Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-29
At the Theaters

Dudley Maury. John Glendinning
Hartley BellRtre ..,,..u..,.,E. J hatcille
Charlie Authorization McCormaeh
Peter Msllenhope ..........goseph Stasohl
Hampton ...............,., William II. shay
Gregory o o LOUIS Asu
Ben Ali.....................Cha Charles hayne
Mrs. M~atlenhope ''s.'.s''''. ,Ahee n1lLL
Jane McGann tlorence MlAlVnS
Minnie LILY Cahnl
Nasta Herne Mrs. Leshe carter
The plays the thing A trlte observa-
ton, but nevertheless as true as when
Hamlet said It to the players. Theeter-
goers who elected TO see Mrs. Carter In
her first offering here and the better
known one. made a mistake, for "Vasta
Herne' is a far better drama than
"Kassa," and was a better acted one.
Proof Of this is to be found in the i'm
preston the two plays made upon their
respective audiences. Not only was audi
BILE expression OF appreciation more
strongly in evidence last night at the end
Of acts, but the compliment Of close and
hushed attention was paid during the
tense scenes, as 1t was not upon the other
occasion.
Mr.. Peple has given Mrs. Carter a
drama which, while not without some
minor faults. is thoughtfully wrought, log
lcaIly developed, true in its essence and
with some merit Of novelty. II viii
awaken not horror and revolt, as does Mr.,
Longs play, but, instead, some measure
at least OF awe, which is the true func-
ton of tragedy.
Mrs. Carter is playing in "Vasta Herne'
q woman who has trespassed once beyond
tire border to pass which is for a woman
the most tragic predicament in lie, But
the trouble which comes on this account
when a love for another and a better man
develops, is not the chief subject OF the
early part OF the play. The climax TO
result from this Is held back while her
struggles with another affliction are still
pending. Hartley Bellaire. publisher not
only has tricked Vasta Herne in the be-
ginning, but, discovering that by eneourag-
ing her in the use OF laudanum he can
obtain from her pen a series OF novels
startling In a phantasmagorio way, he
urges her on and on In the drug habit.
The struggle to overcome the opium habit
practically monopolizes the first two acts,
Next, Vasta Herne, helped out of slav-
cry by the advice OF and her love for q
DR.. Dudley Maury, is confronted by Bel
laire with a threat to tell the other man.
He is told in Bellaire's presence by the
woman herself. The attack fails, with
Maury still willing to marry her
The drama seemed here to portend a con-
ventional, commonplace, "~bless-you-my-
children" ending, but fear OF this is quickly
dispelled by the scene which closes this,
the third act. Tit woman sends Maury
from her, deceiving him as to herself, her
action being. Of course, taken In a spirit
of sacrifice. Then In the fourth act he
comes back to have her die in his arms.
TIE bald narration Of the central facts
IL = -..,. IFNATo taaa nf fho Grin
" hich a large part Of the play has upon
an audience. Not altogether easily i'm
questionable people sat with tight clenched
fingers while Mrs. Carter portrayed al
most too vlvidly the sufferings Of a soul
deep down in torment. One may say soul
advisedly, for there is anguish OF the spirit
as well as pain of the body and there was,
too, again and again that thrilling clash
and collision OF character with character
essential to living drama.
Mrs. Carter rouses admiration the most
as an actress through her wonderful elo-
cution. Given one of the finest women's
voices on the stage. she has a smooth and
facile technic which allows the employment
of that voice in the fullest possible meas
ure. When she runs up a little vocal
climax, repeating, for instance. a word
several times, the graduation OF emphasis
is exquisitely precise. And although in
respect to elocution her merit is superla-
tive she is not lacking in others.
e. J. Radcliffe and John Glepdinning, re-
speotively, the Bellaire and Maury Of the
play, both appeared to better advantage
than the evening before. Mr.. Glendinnins
in particular was more forceful and con.
~vinoing. The minor characters were less
inconsequential, too, and Miss Florence
Malone and William ]. Shay furnished
some effective comedy relief, all the more
effective because an audience previously
taut-strung was the more easily moved tC
laughter. TIL two would nave succeeded
however, without this advantage.