The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-12-14
THE pretty little Princess theater.

THE pretty little Princess theater.
u which at least prepares the
public for the sort OF stun its stage
Is dedicated TO by advertising Itself
on Two new horrors. One of them,
called Russia" had been acted
there Just once before. That was
one evening near the end OF last
September. when the audience OF
critics, dramatists, actors and other
people with q specialized knowledge
Of the drama was invited TO repeti-
lion geuerale. In the manner Gus
tomary In Paris but uncommon here.
After the performance, the manage
Snent solicited opinions on the hye
lew plays, and they got them In
the public premiere. scheduled for the
following evening. until two other
pieces could be got ready to take the
place OF Russia and a somner
tragedy by George Jean Nathan,
called 1.-THE Eternal Mystery" This
'rhe Smart Set" has never had a
second hearing. perhaps because II is
Infinitely superior TO any OF the ten
or twelve plays that have maintained
the standard of the Princess since its
dedication, about nine months ago.
In current magazine. Mr. Nathan.
one OF the lSccnest critics and most
entertaining writer's of the period.
tells OF his experience with that
drama. The management abandoned
IL because X seemed too hope!essiy
depressing for popular entertainment,
and there IS something 10 be said ior
that view, but If the Princess really
were the "theater or ideas" t!at II
pretends to he, instead OF Just a
chnmber Of horrors OF an artistic
level little higher than a dime,
museum The Eternal Mystery
would be its chef d'oeuvre; for IT IS
the only play produced there that
spoeals TO the mind, instead O! JGSl
.tihe senses. II shows Mr.. Nathan as
logical thinker. a writer OF yirllc and
eloquent English. and cram&tic
constructo" Or power. \ man sits IN
Of consumption. His child i. playing
in the sunlit garden; his wife Is 10y
his side. He knows the end is very
near and so docs she, To him, II
seems 20 be indeed The end, TO her
the horror is that he should go INTO
me next world without 'ba.!eEinGI,
To the accompaniment q coGShs
from him and sobs from her. thcE
discuss Christianity from Genesis 10
Colonel Ingersoll The mira clcs re-
corded In The Bible we're. he SAYS
merely clever charlatanism; n keIlar'
he would have been dcided. IN an
swer 10 his Christian wlCe's tears he
protests that he is willing 10 be-
lieve. that ne would he glad II he
could find one miracle that could not
readily he explained away. He IS
sinking rapidly. The end is now but
q matter OF minutes. The agon!5cd
Vile throws open a French window;
letting IN 3 food Of sunlight. And
a. It strikes in brilliant square on
The wall opposite. IL reveals The sign
ni the cross. For moment tne
diving man IL overcome: he thinks u
IS n sign from God, But Immediate
~ lie sees that q Candida brum on
table between the window and the
vail would throw Just such SHADOW
With a cynical cry he dashes the
cnudelabrum- 10 the floor. But the
sign of the cross Is still there. The
miracle has happened; the man eN-
pires in Christian faith, But no
sooner has he breathed his last than
MS Nttic boy comes IN from the gar
Gen. carrying his new kite. lt was
me toy that made the sign OF the
CROSS.
place of this the new piece add
ed 10 the Princess bill. a few
.Trvening ago. is slice OF melodrama
ING tltic Is ''Hari- Kari" and the