Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-28

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and gave Ben Stevens. manager Of the
company. the surprise OF his life. He did
not complain OF the fact that the house
was sold out each time II opened. but did
say the business exceeded what he had
looked for. The Round Up" il frankly a
melodrama, and almost a thriller in
spots, and yet II is produced with such
wonderful stage elaboration and offers in
Slim Hoover a character so novel that
II not only arrests attention. but II inter-
ests the great American public. whose pock-
etbook. In the long run. is the backbone
OF the drama in these United States of
ours. Most Of US like a bit Of melodrsma
now and then, just as we like to read a
bang-up pirate story or a detective yarn.
as a matter Of fact, the most popular
plays and the best sellers among the
novels are those that fall far short OF
even moderate artistic standards. but
do have the human interest" phase thor
oughly developed. And this is the element
that attracts.
"The Round Up" is notable in at least one
regard. II has what Is unquestionably the
heaviest stage setting ever assembled. In
I the great third act. a scene in a canyon
In the bad lands of Arizona Is reproduced
with wonderful fidelity. Down a trail
zigzagging its way along the side OF the
canyon a war party of Indians. mounted
on ponies, makes it's way. The scene is a
most impressive one and even surpasses In
this respect the battle scene that closes the
act Twenty horses are used in the scene
and these with their riders and incidental
paraphernalia, the gatling gun and such
makes q load OF at least ten tons that is
supported on the platform high above the
stage at the opening Of the act. But so
carefully is the great piece Of scenery built
that It is adjusted in about the ordinary
Time between acts, the average time being
seven and one-half minutes. 1t is really
a fine sight to watch the we'll trained
stage-hands move the massive sections OF
the setting into place, fasten them together,
locate rocks and spread the white sand
that CLEANS as alkali In the subdued light.
The platform and runway for the horses
are supported on a truss-like arraneement
or t~restles, built In sections, closely adj
justed and solidly clamped together. Ii is
a very ingenious piece of stage carpentry.
and well deserves the attention 1t has re-
ceived. The horses used are well accus-
TONED 10 the work, and mount 10 the high
platform without urging. They file down
silently, slowly, carefully picking their
way making tho scene most effective.
silence Is secured by covering the floor of
the stage with the biggest cocoanut mat
ever made. II Is in strips seventy-two
feet long by seven feet wide, and three
inches thick and completely muffes the
sound of the horses hoofs, making the
Illusion perfect. AS soon as the horses
nave left the platform, the soldiers mount
and set ready for the battle that is to
come. One OF the most realistic touches of
'he baltic is the fall of the Indian over
.he euse OF the rock. He is shot and falls
nfauioremost, hanging head down more
than half his length over the edge OF the
ioch' where he stays for nearly four min:
utes, while the battle RACES. This is
really strenuous stunt, and two men are
carried to perform It, the exertion being
more than one man could stand II ,s orIv
a touch. but extremely effective one. The
young man who does the trick supports
himself by his right hand, clutchinR a bold
on the side of the rock out of view OF the
audience. 1t is only one OF a great many
httle tricks of stage management that has
MADE the play a success. Macklyn Ar
buckles rolling a cigarette with his left
mana Is another. and by that same token
mat little trick got for Arbuckle more real
applause than anything else he did.
MI Arbuckle has adopted the Alfred
Henry Lewis style OF western mana
type that only existed at Wolfville-hut
ne makes II an interesting picture. lust
as Lewis has made his Old Cattleman
character OF Importance. Arbuckle has
the further advantage OF being to the
manner born. having lived his early life
In Texas, where cowboys and fat sheriffs
and similar things abound. This gave
MIN his Qcoant aud hio oLgII H.
firearms, and, It is not unlikely. his am
Dition to roll the cigarette with one
q He is surely the life of the party.
arser the scenery is eliminated, and by
his exertions gives The Round Upp any
acting value It may have. Messrs. KIaw
q Erlanger propose to put him into new
ana less srduous work next season. Anv
wonder that may exist as to how he
works so hard and keeps so fat will dis
appear when one contemplates the fact
mat Mr.. Arbuckle is Just as much Of a
1aVorite off the stage as he is on, and
his days and nights are spent in being
feasted by friends who love him for him
self and who provide good things to eat
and drink Just to see him enjoy the fod-
der. His time in Omaha was taken up
by a round OF social pleasures, at which
he was the honored guest.
.
A request was made some time ago for
a few words explanatory of the scene
painted on the drop curtain at the BOYD
II 10 the subject depicted as Psyche al
the Court OF Venus" II is based on a
0recian myth. Psyche was a beautiful
Mortal OF whom Venus became Jealous
and ordered her son Cupid Cor Amor to
cause Psyche to become enamored CT the
basest OF mortals. on visiting her the god
was overcome with her beauty and be-
came her lover. He charged her never TO
inquire as to his Identity or seek to dis
cover who he was. Under these condi-
tons he visited her night after night. Her
sisters suggested TO her that her lover
might be a monster, and to satisfy herself
Psyche one night approached the bed with
a lighted lamp The beauty OF her god
lover SO startled her she spilled a drop OF
hot oil from the lamp on his arm ana
awakened him. He approached her and
bore her off TO the court OF his mother,
where she was made a mental slave. But
Cupid could not forget, and IN time secured
for her the boon Of immortality and
Psyche became one OF the minor god