Omaha daily bee., 1910-06-13

"Ptiiars OF society" at the BrandetH.
Mrs. Fiske and the Manhattan company
IN play I'm four acts by Henrik Ibsen;
the cast of characters;
Karsten Bernick .Holbrook Blinn
Mrs Bernick. his wife......yeda Mclsvers
Martha BernicI. his daughter alice John
Johan Tonnesen. Mrs. Bernicks YOUNGER
Iona Hsssc her Edwasa Mq Tsss
Helna Tonnesen' Mrs. Bernicks cousin
~ .';;;;.......;...... Chadwick
Merchants:
Rummel. .,.................H Harold Russell
Nigeland. ..................W ilfred auckland
Krtp, Bernick's chief clerk r. ". Tucker
Dina porf young girl living in Der;
Aune, foreman of Bernick's shipyard
.....,..................... Sheldon Lewis
Jacob a ervant............R owen Mech
MIS- Rummel. .................. Mabel Reed
mrs. Holt. ....,.......,.,.......F lorine Arnold
Mrs. Iynge.. Helen Van Brush
Meta Holt. Helen Fulton
The first act Of the play is devoted to
exposition of the situation to be worked
out. Karsten Bernick. shipbuilder and first
citizen OF the seaport town where he lives,
has reached his emnence in a career based
primarily upon a lie. A youthful cntansle-
ment with married woman was about to
give rise to scandal when he persuaded
his future wifes brother to run away ard
let the blame fall upon him. Tho brother
is unwilling of another burden cast upon
his shoulders by Bernicl-that OF supposed
guilt Of defalcation from Bernicks mother
This scapegoat Johan Tonnesen. is ac-
companied to America by a stepsister,
girl whom Bernick had Tilted for an heir
ess. This character, Iona Hessel, the role
played by Mrs. Fiske and one other part
in the play. clearly foreshadow Nora of
/
thing for ones SELF" although Iona Hessel
is far from having broken away OF the
ages old ideal of a woman utterly self
sacrificing in behalf of some more or less
unworthy male"
Iona Hessel has come back to Norway
to induce Bernlck for his own sake to
make confession, to cease living a lie. At
this time he has just about made ready for
a master stroke of finance, the exploiting
| of a railroad and the success OF this de-
ponds upon his standing in his community,
up 10 now quite unimpeached. His broth
er-in-law was quite willing to return to
| America, leaving matters as they stood,
but Tonnesen suddenly complexities the
situation by seeking to marry a girl who
has grown up in Bernick's home the
daughter of that actress whose name
Bernick had let Tonnesen share instead of
himself. Another sutton throws the situa-
ton little more awry by denouncing Ton
nesen to the girl. Promptly he calls upon
Bernick to clear him. To get rid Of him
Bernick plans to let him go to sea in a
vessel supposed to be repaired at his own
shipyard and known to him to be quite
unseaworthy.
The tensest moment in the drama comes
when Bernick thinks Tonnesen has gone
/ he learns also that his
own son has become a stowaway upon this
ship Following this agony, everything is
made to work out with remarkable smooth
ness. The boys own mother having watched
him. snatches him away from the ships
hold, the vessel is delayed In sailing
Bernick confesses all to everyone.
Mr.. Blinn is afforded opportunity fol
powerful acting throughout the drama and
his INSTALLATION of Bernick's Keeling
when he learns that he has doomed his
own son to death is a wonderful piece OF
work. a veritable tour de force 1t is
sun-clear exposition he gives of the charac'
ter, man whose like is to be found many
times, able, energetic, somewhat unscrup
ulous, persuading himself that he is In thu
grip of circumstances and that he MAY
do good for a whole community by wreak
ing evil on an individual or two.
Mrs. Fiske's own acting is of cours'
superb, unerring, accurate in every Lint
and detail. Her Iona Hessel is leading
an attack upon social pharisaism, but III
; primary accent is an effort in behalf o.
one man, Bernick. the love Of her youth
OF the other players, particular excel
, lence was shown last-night by Sheldon
Lewis doing a character part as an ol'
0 shipyard foreman, by Henry Stephenson
as Dr. Rorlund, SNUG and pietisti
3 schoolmaster, and by Cyril Chadwick, a
Tonnesen.
= There is only one scene, that Of gar
den room in Bernick's house. One set o
windows gives upon street leading di
rectly away to the seashore and the per
spective values of this stretch are wonder
! fully done.
To Dissolve the Union