Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-09-06
AT THE
THEAT Frs
OCAL interest in Moliere's fam

1T DIAL interest IN Moilere'S tam
lily affairs does not run so very
high but that a considerable
number of our fellow-townsmer
were able to deprive themselves o.
an evening of rare enjoyment at the
Brandeis. If an industrious drama
| turgist were to evolve a three-act
comedy from the doings of the dull.
est dolts who ever delved or span
and it were to be enacted by Henry
Miller, Blanche Bates and the ex-
cellent players who are associated
with them, then the occasion were
sufficient warrant for attendance at
the theater of all who appreciate
and enjoy the finesse as we'll as the
broader aspects of the actors art.
Such occasions are too few to be
willfully neglected, if we are to give
to the theater such support as will
justify its existence.
Mr.. Moeller has thrown around
Moliere's last moments glamor of
romance that greatly relieves the
drab accounts we find in history of
his experience at the court, his quar-
rels with the priests, and his in
ability to survive the displeasure Of
the king. Mr.. Miller has visualized
the authors pictures with such smy-
pathetic understanding as might
suggest deeper interest in the story
of the actor manager author than
will be ascribed to the natural de-
sire to do a thing we'll. 1t is done
with fine appreciation of every
light and shadow of the story, re-
gard for the nuances as we'll as for
the big moments, preserving the un
dertone without neglect of the over
tones, until 1t approaches perfection
in point of stage craft. To invest
such scanty and not altogether
promising material with so much of
genuine interest is tribute indeed
to the ability of Henry Miller as
a manager.
His performance of the name
part is one of even excellence, smooth
and carefully worked out in de-
tail, as we have come to look for
when he is before US. He is not
but he is painstaking,
and disregards no touch, however
light. that will add to the picture,
but his judgement preserves him
safe against overstepping at any
point.
In this resides the charm of his
acting, it's poise, its finish, its evil
dence of care, and over it all that
secret of real art that conceals arti-
flee, the verisimiltude that destroys
the effect of known assumption.
Henry Miller is master of his
craft, not yet at his zenith, but
higher and shining with
a clearer light as he climbs.
Blanche Bates has a role that
calls for all her power of feeling
and expressing passion, deep,
sweeping and consuming as it goes.
No scene more poignant than her
appeal as Montespan to Moliere has
ever been watched in Omaha, no
luiet despair more overwhelming
han hers when she realized her
failure, no hatred more venomous
han that she vents in her determi-
1ation to blast the man who spurned
Ter passion. And the lighter mo- |
nents that lead up to this, when
she spun the web in which she
sought to hold the man she lusted |
or, her trepidation, her approach, |
III are proofs that she, too, de- |!
serves that high place she has fairly
Won among American actresses.
Forrest Robinson's Colinge, Da-
id Glassford's king, Sidney Herbert
IS Fontaine, Alice Gale as the cook
md friend Of the great actor author
md Catherine Calhoun Doucet's
wife are all admirable for
conception and presentation. And
he lesser roles are given with equal
aste and certain effect, so that the
Whole may be justly set down as a
ingularly notable exhibition of the
rue art of the actor.
Today Empress patrons are at
orded their last opportunity to wit
less the whirlwind dancing novelty
'ffered by Valnova's Gipsies, in
which six young people take part.
Fhe applause hit of the bill is Tyler
nd St. Clair, who specialize on KY
phone, marimhophone and Ha-
vaiian steel guitar. As an imper-
onator of Al Jolson, Irving White
as them all beaten.
With today's performances the
urrent bill at the Orpheum is to
onclude its weeks engagement. 1t
5 headed by the Italian tenor, Coo
olini, and Blossom Seeley. Patrons
re reminded that the curtain this