Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-06

given over to saying good
- bye to Sir Johnston Forbes
t1AN Robertson, and three to en-
NkaA0kD joying ourselves with the
Coburn Players. No modern player has
achieved the fame that is Forbes-Robert-
sons; he is admittedly the foremost
actor of his time. q place won and held
by dint Of hard work and through the
development OF wonderful gift of
understanding and expressing the things
that appeal to man. 1t is not SO much
the subtlety as the simplicity of his
art that has made him great. This was
made most plain in his presentation of
Hamlet" play he has made peculiar
ly his own. No other great actor has
taken this part at exactly the pitch as
sumed by Professionalism One or an
other may have approached him in a
point or two; for example. Walker
Whiteside gave the role more OF a
human and less OF mystic quality than
any other now recalled save the great
star who has Just passed from us; in
the "soliloauy" Whiteside and Forbes
Robertson were as one. Mr.. Sothern en-
lowed In Omaha at least, the "closet"
scene with the tenderness that so dis
A
neither of these Americans was capable
of the sustained excellence that makes
the Robertson performance such
O triumph for the intelligent application
of the art OF expression to the majestic
thought and sublime poetry Of the
drama. Edwin Booths Hamlet has
long stood as the standard by which all
others are gagged. but Mr.. Booth, studi-
Gus as he was. and accomplished TO the
uttermost, lacked much OF satisfying aa
completely by his illumination OF the
role as does the English actor. Mr..
Booth was wont to clothe his Hamlet
with something Of mystery. a quality ac-
! centuated by his seeming to hold fire.
quent communion with the Ghost; this
has become traditional" among Amer
lean Hamlets, who have copied Booth
TO the best of their ability. with a result
they have only succeeded in exaggerating
or distorting the peculiarities of the
great American without in any way
achieving a close approach to his art
The Forbes-R Robertson Hamlet is di-
vested OF all the trUmpery of tradition,
and is endowed with nothing of mystery
or supernatural quality. and in its SIM
plicity becomes the noblest and most
majestic OF all the long lines of Hamlets
known TO this department. which in
), cludes a list coming down from Edwin
Booth and Lawrence Barrett to George
C. Min and Sanford Dodge.
Just why Forbes-R Robertson retains
The Light That Failed" unless It be
for "the tired business man." is not ex-
planned II Is rot worthy the care he be-
slows upon It, When one recalls Kip
ling es a singer Of "Barrack Room
Ballads" and Departmental Ditties."
and thinks Of Mulvany and Ortheris and
some Of his other heroes, even Mowgli,
It is pretty hard TO realize that he is
guilty OF Dick Heldar and Maisie. But
he Is, and it only goes TO prove that the
best Of US turns out some mighty poor
stuff once In a while The Passing OF
the Third Floor Back was well chosen
for the final exit Of this great actor from
our stage. He blessed US with his pres
enee while here and he left US memory
TO be cherished. 1t was privilege 10
have seen II, and II will be pleasant al
ways to recall him. In fun possession OF
his faculties. with no diminution OF his
remarkable power. quietly dominating
the stage. and going on 70 = well earned
rest The public Is loath to coneede "a
a fayorite actor the rtght TO rest pu'
Forbes Robertson has earned II. and witt
all our regrets at his going, we will fol
low him into private life with genuine
, sincerity Of wish that he will live Ions
and prosper"
The Coburns were already well known
here by tOo-small circle as earnes
workers in the higher phases OF IN
theater. They take their profession SER
oisly. and Il is understood In advance
that whatever they undertake VIII d