Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-09

Jack n............. Carlyle Blackwell
Bllly Wantage.............J. Francis Dillon
Captain Thomas Fairing. .Dumont c. Lewis
Robert Fulton
hoNln' West Peters
Rouge Gosselin. ,......... Edward Doremus
Jake Melton Harper
Suzanna. ................. ,GeneVieve Dean
M william r. kirk
ne Cures....'.."....."',,.,J, j. Kennedy
M. Roland Rushtuu
Pauletto Du Bots. ............Gen La Motto
Louis Trudel..............Edwln \. Golding
The Norris
Sir Gilbert Parker's novel still stands on
its eminence as a masterpiece OF literature.
profound In its psychological analysts and
absorbing as a mere story. 1t is unques-
tionably the novel of a generation. MI.
Presley has made a great play from the
story, preserving to a remarkable degree
the continuity Of the narrative, and even
visualiEing to some extent the characters.
But the physical limitations Of the stage
are such that It Is impossible to permeato
the play with that indefinable essence that
constitutes so great a part OF the charm Of
the book, and for this reason comparison
is unfair to both author and adapter. Each
In his separate sphere, perhaps, but so
wide apart are they that to consider them
together is out of reason.
The Right Of Way" as a drama Is abb
sorbingly interesting for itself. Il contains
the essential elements of a good play, and
Is set together with such skill as largely
relieves It from the episode qualities OF
most book-made plays and endows It with
the continuity Of action essential to COM
plete success. It's opening act has the sim
gle fault Of containing too much that Is
necessary to the further action of the
Hrar mo xFaN thng, ayVIa no ~. NnntlanNg ava
requisite to the perfect understanding OF
the real play, which begins with the third
act, the first two being largely in the ma
ture Of a continued prologue. But when the
new Charley Steele comes before us, the
interest OF the play dTass US
torpor that may have fallen on our facul-
ties while the predatory episodes are in
progress. Here we witness the birth OF a
soul, the awakening of the better side of a
man is not thrust upon US with the shock
ing suddenness Of an unexpected surprise,
but is done with such natural development
that it is accepted as the most logical
event possible under the circumstances.
And Charley Steele becomes that which he
was intended to be, a man not shorn of
any Of his Intellectual power because OF
his discovery of a moral obligation, but
rather strengthened because OF 1t, and
therefore the more uSSlIabiS'
Mr.. Thompson brings TO the role the
physique and grace that ~justifies the name
of Beauty" Steele. He also has that fine
perception of dramatic values that enables
him to give first a compelling picture OF
the polished, cynical, brilliant attorney,
who saved a guilty man from the gallows
for the mere pleasure 1t gave him to master
other men by sheer force of intellect. His
dissipation is not that of the de~bauchec,
but of the fastidious man whose life Is not
full because of a lack of companlonship;
not a snob, but a reckless scoffer at the
serious things because OF his lack of faith
in them. Afterwards, this mood is changed
to the understanding of what life really
means, when It has love and friends and
the companionship of loved ones and occu-
patton. In his moments Of mental in
capacity Mr.. Thompson makes Charley
Steele a iight-hearted. merry, but wlthal
an earnest man; when his mind is restored
he struggles nightly against the fate that
has overcome him, and then 1t is the real
force OF the actors idea of the part that
takes hold.
Mr.. Anderson need offer no apology for
having assumed the role of Joe Portugals
after Theodore Roberts gave 1t loving care.
Mr.. Roberts himself would be the first to
| pay " MT III SOA az compliment no
deserves for the excellent characterization
he gives Of the voyageur. 1t never be-
comes maudlln; IL is always dignified, al
ways convincing, and never varies from the
truest of perspective. Mr.. Anderson has
been known to the stage for a long time,
perhaps better to an earlier generation Of
playgoers; but the present will concede to
him the tribute due to one who can give
so conscientious and satisfying a perform
ance of a part that would easily be spoiled
by one OF lesser ability,
Miss Hackett is all that could be asked
as Resale; she has youth and beauty in
her favor, and an apparently intuitive
grasp of the part that is all the more diff
cult because of its simplicity. She will
do we'll to preserve as her experience
broadens many OF the delicate little
touches. spontaneous as they are delight
full, that now add to her acting the in-
definable charm Of innocent girlhood. Miss
warde. Miss Dean and Miss LaMotte add
well considered characters to the perform
ance, and others In the cast deserve praise
for their efforts. 1t is a capable con, I
pany throughout, and its efforts deserved
much better of the public than last nights
attendance.
The piece is beautifully mounted, and
runs WIN blilOOlilltbb llIOuBu It's
ing course. While the audience at the
opening performance was not the largest
ever assembled at the Boyd theater, 1t was
sufficiently appreciatiye to bestow much
applause on the company.
eth Fatal Wedding, at the krug.
With an ample supply of villains and viii
lainesses, also an abundance of dlreful plot
the tragedies and thrills of the story cold
by THE Fatal Wedding are many.
Raymond Wells, i'm the part Of Howard
Wilson, wronged husband, discovering his
children and divorced wife IN the squalor
of a tenement which he himself owns, after
years 81 separation, displays a degree Of
taste i'm the handling of the stilted lines
the playwright has given him. Gladys
George, as Jesse, the Little Mother
evinces more enthusiasm than art in her
presentation of the pitiable life OF the VAR.
The company, storm belated, reached
Omaha yesterday, and will conclude the