Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-31

in three acts by Geraldine Bonner and
Elmer Harris, staged by Maurice Camp
bell. The cast:
Katherine Van r..........M Miss Crosmdn
Her Aunts-
Clementina Wears CHer cousin) ......,
.-....,".,."...~".,.,,,. Ida Waterman
Mrs, Merrtngton Emma Butler
James Fordyce-Brown zee. Charlie Walcott
Maid Buck .........."".'.i..lhez Plummer
Htosey ...'..'''.'..''''''' GerlTuQe lenen
Miss Leroy .................Augusta Il. Scott
rom Jaftray .,....."""".""'..Paul Dtckey
], Montague Buck ......-,..A Albert Brown
jeremiah Buck .,.......,.Frank +. Jamison
Jacques d'Eauville .........E douard Durand
A Waiter .....................Jack Mahony
There have been many comedies con-
structed out Of the foibIes of New York
society. Some have been more cleverly
contrived than others but certainly none
has given more wholesome entertainment
than sham and Henrietta Crosman pro-
vided for a fair audience at the BOYD last
night.
The play belongs to that class which re-
quires talent Of the highest order in the
leading role and capable support in the
other parts, and this has all been provided
in the company hat is supporting Miss
Crosman. Hardly a line is spoiled by rea-
son Of inferior work and all the situations
al ~ NV NNerAANAAEN - NAAS
men and women who appear IN them. Miss
Crosman, herself, is most happily cast in
the part of Katherine van Ripvr, that
most-to-b be- pitied of women, the poverty
stricken remnant OF a New York family of
righ social standing and pretensions.
The play is not noted for its Ingenious
ness yet it gives an ample medium for Miss
Crosman to use her talents, Katherine
~ nt-au. b.. A.. ,,,,ra ~,nt.N,y r,n,,ar nh
is left by an e~xtravagant father with only
$500 a month income coupled with tastes
and social position which would demand
five times that amount to crafty. To
bridge her trouble she uses her wits and
her credit to a scandalous extent. She be-
comes involved in 5000 worth of debts
and the honored name Of Van Ripper is
threatened with public Disgrace in the
debtors court. Her two aunts try TO
marry her off to a respectable young cad
who is worth millions. Katherine, with the
charming peryersity Of young women In
financial straights, falls desperately in
love with a young civil engineer, honest
but poor who's denunciation OF the shams
Of New York society seem to Katherine to
place an unbridgable chasm between them.
She turns 20 an old heirloom. a pearl neck
lace, given to her Observation-Disclosures by
General Lafayette, to help her out OF debt
and into a position where she can face her
hero. To her CONSERVATION she finds the
necklace itself is a sham, her father hav-
ling had the real pearls replaced by paste
ones during a period OF financial strin.
gency. The situation seems hopeless when
she receives a letter from her proud aunts
who, to conceal the fact that a Van Ripper
has been wearing paste jewels, consent to
buy the necklace for enough TO pay the
debts. Katherine recalls the young civil
engineer just after she had dismissed MIN
and the act ends happily.
The situations brought about in the play
allow Miss Crosman a free range for hel
abilities. From a ]thoughtless young So
ciety girl with no other thought than tC
-evade bill collectors she becomes the ser,
ious young woman in love with a manly
man. At one moment she is parrying the
attentions Of the rich cad and at another
she is talking TO him frankly Of the utter
hopelessness Of hts case. Her p~erpIexi,
ties run from the annoyance caused by
bill collectors 20 the hopeIessness Of the
scene in which She dismisses her lover witt
a breaking heart. Not one Of the varied
situations is insincere or unnatural There
Is always just the right amount OF
piquancy, the proper toss Of the head, III,
correct gesture, to indicate the shade Of
feeling,
Other members OF the company deserve
recognition for the excellent way IN whici
they carried their parts, Mr., Brown, as }
Montague Buck. was particularly strong il
that he did not everyday the inane cad
Mr.. Dickey. as Tom Jaffray, the civil en-
gineer, was also particularly well cast
Miss Waterman as Katherine's cousin
Misses ST. John and Butler. as the tw,
aunts and Mr.. Durand as d'Eauville, wer
everything hat could be asked.
Sham" will be repeated at matinee 20
day and again this evening.
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