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THE NEBRASKAN.
'V
Oje Stage,
Patti Rosa, the clever and popular come
dienne, played a very successful evening's
engagement. She presented the pretty little
comedy, "Dolly Varden." Her company is
an excellent one. Patti Rosa stands high in
her school of acting, many thinking she has
no superior.
growing every year. He has been called
Joe Jefferson's successor. Mr. Russell was
called before the curtain and gave a charac
teristic talk of his reminiscences of Lincoln
as he first saw it, twenty-seven years ago.
Mr. Roland Reed and his excellent com
pany presented his new play, "Innocent as a
Lamb," last night, for the benefit of the
"Lincoln Light Infantry." It was made
quite a dressy affair, Lincoln's "four hun
dred" turning out. In this play Mr. Reed
takes the part of Tobias Pickington, an ec
centric New York stock broker. The play
is of the same type as Mr. Reed's other
plays, abounding in laughable complications
and situations.
"The Operator," a spectacular drama, was
presented during last week by the twin
brothers, William and Willard Newell. The
brothers look very much alike, the plot hing
ing on this resemblance. Elaborate scenic
effects were used. A full rigged steamship
was wrecked in mid-ocean. One scene rep
resented a tropical island in the South sea ;
another one van a depot scone with a full
display of night signals, the passing of a
"limited express" train, followed by a storm
scene, and the wreck of engine and trestle.
The past month has been an active one in
local theatrical circles. Many plays have
been here. Sol Smith Russell was with us
for a night, presenting "A Poor Relation"
before the largest audience ever in the Lan
sing. The play has not been altered since
its presentation here a year ago. He is the
starved and unlucky, but proud and happy
inventor, a character full of humor, wit and
pathos. Mr. Russell's hold on the public is
The Union girls' branch of the University
Dramatic club has given two performances
in the past two weeks. The plays given
were "The Fatal Pin," a laughable farce of
one act, as a curtain raiser, succeeded by
"Shakespeare Up to Date," a one act "emo
tional drama." Both performances were in
every way a success. Most of the students
are familiar with the former play, as it was
first presented last winter. The "drama"
opens with Juliet cursing herself and lament
ing the fact that she ever married Romeo.
Soon Portia joins her, she too having a story
of woe concerning the man she once saved.
Ophelia enters, and though married to Ham
let is still in love with him and quotes him
for everything, "as Ham says." Lady Mac
beth arrives and tells them what dreadful
things "that young man Shakespeare" has
libeled her witli, warning them to beware of
him. They all vow vengeance against him
and getting excited, assume the characters
originally given them in Shakespeare. The
curtain drops while Lndy Macbeth is calling
on the powers to aid her ; Ophelia, her
hair loose and garlands in her hands,
has gone insane ; Portia rendering her judg
ment against Shylock and Juliet is acting
the balcony scene. All are raving and
shouting together. Miss Olivia Pound played
Ophelia ; Miss Cather, Lady Macbeth ; Miss
RulifFson, Portia ; and Miss Louise Pound,
Juliet. All parts were well played and show
ed study and ability. This is the first at
tempt made in the University towards
theatricals and should be encouraged. All
eastern universities have theatrical organiza
tions and considerable attention is given
them. Some of them own expensive houses.
We hope the Dramatic Club will furnish
some production in the near future.
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