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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 1924)
r- - s Pallbearer of Drama Eugene O’Neill Continues to Collect Despairs as . Other Men Collect Postage Stamps. By PERCY HAMMOND. <<TT'S a wise father," says th* old I man In "New Brooms," "who knows as much as his own ,son.” Upon that and other Ironic aphorisms Mr. Frank Craven has built a genial comedy which. If not as momentous an entertainment aa "The First Year,” Is still one of the r-ost agreeable of the minor plays. Those who know Mr. Craven as a sunny fellow will he suprlsed to learn that "New Brooms" Is a mild preach ment against affability. Its sermon i‘pms to be that vinegar will catch more flies than honey. Robert MoWade as Old Bates, an eminent broom manufacturer, Is a c nb He despises the amenities and has no kind words for anybody. In business and at home he is a relent less grouch, cross, ill-mannered, cho leric. Such good deeds ns he may do ore done with asperity. He scowls alike at friend and foe, and Is as sarcastic to his young son as he is to his employes at the factory. Yet he Is a successful business man and has made a lot of money. Young Bates Is of another type. He believes In smiles, graciousness nnd the glad hand. If he thinks his hostile parent could be more lov able in his attitude toward his fellow men, he would sell more brooms and at higher prices. So, after an ar gument, hts father agrees to turn ever the business, and let him run It on friendly principles. The consequences are that young Bates grows acrid and uncivil from his contact with the world of In dustry and commerce. His coddled employes disturb him with their In gratitudes, and, though courteous, he sells fewer carpet sweepers than his waspish ancestor did. Meantime the old man relieved of responsi bility, warms up. Especially so, since there has come Into his life a pretty girl (Miss Blythe Daly), whose se ductive candors cause him to glow. I At the end, of course, all Is well, but not. thanks to Mr. Craven's aense of humor, so well as usual. The play Is full of Mr, Craven's dry observa tion and crisp humor and it belongs In the first squad of minor comedies. It Is a good, quiet, agreeable show. In "Desire Under the Elms" Mr. Eugene O'Neill again suggests him self as the drama’s most proficient pallbearer. He looks at life with a pessimistic and sour eye, seeing noth ing In It that Is worth while. Though, like Mr. Craven, a happy man. he Is addicted to woe. He populate* hie stage with consumptives, drunkards, harlots and other derelicts and unfor tunates even more miserable. No ralnhows gleam on Mr, O’NeiH's Mack horizons. He collects despairs as other men collect autographs and post-’ge stamps. And his exhibitions of them are seldom uninteresting. Ills new play Is three hours of concentrated agony In which hell Is emptied and all the devils let loose upon a bleak New England farm. Its distresses range from unholy lust to infanticide, and they Include drinking, cursing, vengeance and something approaching Incest. It 1* •n alarming an Interpretation of na ture that even the most hardened of Mr. O'Neill's dlscinles shudder a little at its honest terrors. Bet it not be suspected from the foregoing catalogue that “Desire Un der the Elms" Is not enjoyable. On the contrary, it provides inspiration for unhappy playgoers to forget such tribulations as may pester them. Mr. O’Neill's dramas always make me glad that I am not one of the char acters involved. Mr large troubles van ish ns I observe Mr.O'NelH’i people writhing and walling In difficulties much more Incorrigible. I leave his theater with a song on my lips, con gratulating myself that mv glooms are comparatively Insignificant. It Is 1850 on a New England farm and old Ephraim Cahot, as stony gs his hard acres. Is bringing "hum" a bride—his third. Two sons by his "fust" wife, foreseeing their dlsln heritance, start for the gold fields of California, leaving Eben, their hand soma stepbrother, to face his new "ma." She Is an odd New Englander, a combination of hot Mood and cold heart. Casting her Inscrutable eyes on Eben's pleasing person, she de vises a means to be happy though married. Aided by her stepson's hatred for hla grim father, she seduces the hoy and as a consequence of that mis bahavlor has a child by him. hater In tha play, when life, as Mr. O’Ne 1 sees It. comes to grips with life, ah# murders the babe, thinking to pleas# the Irresolute EbPn. That action ai j first horrifies him, and he gives hei up to the constables. AH the t!m< this Is going on Mr. O'Neill's blacli and fascinating w-ings hover above tha drama. But at the end Eben re turns to the kisses of her thin, re< lips and goes, so far as I know, t( the gallows with her. Considerable excitement was cause# last week by the performance of an Intricate melodrama named "Silence,' In which the author, Mr. Max Mar cln. produces many emotional trick and surprises. Tn It Mr. II. B. Warne Is ajraln a noble criminal conaecrat Ing the picturesque dishonesties. H Is a seducer, r thief and an nperato of the shell game, yet he sports i nobby halo. To no other actor Is i lialr shirt so becoming. Mr. Wai'nei knows how to sin In a play nnd t atone for his misdemeanors In th stained glass nnd sacrificial attitudni of a cathedral window. You see hlr In the first scene of “Silence" abou to be electrocuted for s murder tha he did not commit. Th# governor, th Judge of the supreme court, the dli trlct attorney and the priest Implore hlrn to tell them all about It, but fo th# sake of some one he loves he r« mains noisily silent. The la'ly wh commlted the homicide is, hy th way, his lovely thought lllegltlmat daughter. The Mg "punch" 1 ^■’Silence" 1 contributed by a hitherto unwnowi Wat or. John Wray, who as a com agent in little blackmailer, gives a real a demonstration of ratllkn fur as I have ever seen In a theater. ' i' Original Siz Cngfish miign- Steppers, at the GAYETY n Assent ' at the EMPRESS v ytydllAXjm. f 11-Piece Symphonic Band Comes Next Week ^ - Don Cassler, well-known New York musical director, presents his “So ciety Symphonlsts" as the headline feature at the World next week. Playing symphonic jazz Cassler has made his band of 11 somewhat of a ndvelty In that he utilized operatic numbers In syncopated strain. Before starting hla vaudeville tour Cassler played piano accompaniments -■ ■—-- — ^ for such Btars as Mr. and Mrs. Ver non Castle, Maurice and Walton, Jonn Sawyer. Mae Murray and Ade laide Hughes. One of the feature* of the act Is the appearance of Gypsy Rhouma, a youthful dancer who critic* say Is a real "find." In a recent review of the Cassler orchestra in New York Percy Ham mond. the critic, said: “With master musicians under Cassler's leadership this number ranks as dhe of the fin est In vaudeville," THE Will offer during the two . .._— weeks beginning tomor •1 * 7'1 J | * J gj 1^* row evening, a stellar list of attractions which in clude comedy, grand opera, classic repertoire, a male chorus, musical comedy and a Paul Whiteman band. Something for every taste, and as each type of attrac tion has a large local clinetelle, the management sug gests an early call at the box office. Ticket office open today for your convenience from 12 m. to 5 p. m. TODAY. f Detailed Announcements Follow SIX DAYS STARTING TOMORROW || Al EVENING UQV 44 Matin*** Thankafivlng 3 p. m.; Saturday *>** P. Bl. ■■ W W ■ ^ (Note—Wednesday Evening Performance Sold to Tangier Temple) ■ J_* Evanlnga—Curtain (:2a p. m., 80c, tl.OO, $1)0 and $2. AQIT1ISSI0I1 Matin'.a—Thanksgiving 3 p. m.j Saturday at 2i30 p. m.) SOc, $1.00 and SI.80. Unltad Stataa Gavarnmant Tan of 10 par cant on Admlaslon Ovar SOc. One Performance Only, Sunday Evening, November 30 FORTUNE GALLO PRESENTS The Sin Cirlo Grind Opera Company —in— “Madame Butterfly” "Sr | Tickets On 8«le Tomorrow Morninr. $1.00, $1.50, $2.00 and $2.80. Meil Orders Filled In Order Received—Tickets at Box Office Tomorrow 10 s. tm. — - - - ■■■■'■■ -- -—* Three Days, Dec. 1, 2 and 3, Matinee Wednesday THE DRAMATIC EVENT OF THE SEASON * — ■ ---a—v ; I r a Supported by a Supi’rb Caat of Playara la g S N.w and Baautilul Scanlc Production. of l "MAMI.ET” Monday Nig hi; "MACBETH'* Tuaaday ! Night; “JUI.IUS CAESAR" Wadaaaday Matlnaai "THE THREE MUSKETF.F.R3" Wadnaad.y Night ft — ' a jj r Meil orders filled In the erdrr received. Seat* at box office tomorrow, 10 s. m. Price*, Pin* Tex—Nlgbta, 50c, $1.00. 81.80. $2.00, $2.80 Wednesday Matinee, 80c, $1.00, $1.80 " Greatest Shakespearean Organization on Tour t . ... ' i — £ Two Days Only, Friday and Saturday, fl December Sth and 6th—Mat, Sat. I Hriittle Jessie lames” , A Musical Comady With The James Boys A y Mail Ordars Now-—Tickala Friday, Navambar 26th L3 (9/^cz ££br<77W/€cy<z, AT THE Of^PHEUH [^J Big Shrine Week Opens Monday; Elaborate Rites Ceremonial Saturday Evening to Be Climax of Six-Day Festivities; Deputy Po tentate Coming. Noble* of Tangier Shrine temple face a busy round of luncheons, re ception*. parties and ceremonies dur ing Shrine week, which opens Mon day. Six days of social affairs will culmi nate Saturday evening In an elabor ate ceremonial honoring the temple's guest. Imperial Deputy Potentate James C. Burger. The ceremony will be held In the Shrine rooms of the Masonic temple. Shrine week originated In Omaha and Tangier temple has planned an elaborate program of entertainment. Reception* for nobles Of Tangier temple end visiting noble* will be held at noon each day at the Masonic tempi* and th* members to be enter tained each day have been grouped alphabetically. Member* whose names begin wtlh letters from A to £ will meet Monday, those from F to Me on Tuesday, those from M to R on Wednesday and those from S to Z on Friday. Luncheons win be held for all nobles at 12:16 p. m Monday and Tuesday, with community singing, brief speeches and motion pictures The Tangier temple band and chanters will broadcast a program over WO AW from I to 11 p. m. Monday. A dance end card party will be held at 8 p. ra. Tuesday In the Shrine room at Masonic temple. A theater party at the Brandeis thea ter Is planned for Wednesday eve ning. Th* Tangier temple chanter* will sing between acts of the show. Ceremonial sessions will occupy most of Saturday. Candidates will meet at 8:39 p. m. at Mnsonic tem ple. A business meeting will be held at u p. m. fur the purpose of receiving an 1 acting on petitions. Commutty ringing will be held at Masonic tem ple at 6:80 p. m , followed by the principal ceremonial session at 7:30. ef fflT^TTfirni Week Starting c { ».i;iwmiih^io.falifij Today’s Mat j V MEYER OOI.DEJI PRESENTS V 8 -5^71-ra.iSJ,?— 8 X El.MOTT A M TOUR A ** of ' X O !■ “My Dadrty"_Vyramll,. Won W 0 THitorwiio puts nil | y pi apny -JEST songs y A •U” IN HI Moll DILL I ULHOUn AND SAYINGS* A X _By m»»«. Wlnuton iind N»nl R. O'lltn ml N. V. WortI_ X X SYLVIA LOYAL A CO. MARGARKT STEWART X 4 In Her Orlglnnl Neveltf Prfxi*nliMAJf ARTISTIC TREAT" a 8 wm,.-—FRAWLEY & LOUISE— 8 w In n Vnijdevfllr Cninrn Fntlflrd V ft ,<T|I»I» 1*101* wr** ^ \ Alion PAUl.KiS I'ATMK MlfiU % TOPH I Of TilK DAY 4 ARE MARTIN 0n 0le Time Dodors I * < .I.—.I. .. — s Dlcsin’ fer the Rteht Pill. ‘T wuz greatly interested in your article last week on ole family doc tors." writes a reader fsurn Spring Hills, O., an’ then he goes on t’ say, "I recall an ole doctor that used t' Addle with my gran'father's family fer years, or until they all died In th’ prime o’ life. “His name wuz Dr. Dnmuel Put ter, an’ he rode about in a high wheel sulky or gig. an’ I've never seen a yak's tall that had anything on his whiskers. He carried his pills In his pockets. "I’ve seen him set down by nay gran-maw's bed an' listen t’ her heart an' nearly put her eyes out with his whiskers, an’ he'd shake hay seed all over th’ bed. " 'Srnd fer Dr. Porcupine.’ grand mother used t' say, when any o’ th' children fell out of a tree, or had ther feet cut oft by a mower. •• 'Let me see,’ he'd say when he went In a sick room, T ought t’ have a pill that'll pull you through If I kin And It. Then he'd dig In his pockets an' pull out a handful o' pennies an’ keys an' Jack-knives an' t'backer crumbs an’ pills. ‘Here we are,’ he'd say, an' then give th' pa tient a big dirty pill covered with lint. Maybe th’ particular pill he wanted would he in his coat tail pocket, or hip pocket. "When Dr. Putter get up t’ go he Ailed th' room with dust. He dressed like an arctic explorer winter an' summer, an' smelled like a combina tion o' spavin liniment an' livery barn, with a little dash o' harness shop thrown in. When he left th' room It smelled like a justice o' th’ peace office durln' county fair week "Sometimes Dr. Putter's whiskers would be full o' burrs after a trip t' th' country t’ save a cow. If he mixed a flaxseed poultice he mixed his whiskers In It. Sometimes he’d file his saw in th’ sick room an’ have trouble with his whiskers. If he stood in a grocery they got hacked In th' beef chipper, an’ once he ban daged 'em up with my gran mother s ! arm. "Once Dr. Putter stayed at gran’ mother's ter dinner, an', oh, boy1 she had cold slaw. •'I've often tried t imagine isr. ter In a go if uniform, or hoppin' about In gome great civic undertaking but It can't be done. He used much th’ same system as th’ present day tree doctor in sawin' off an' piuggtn' up, yet he pilled considerable, too.'' CORKING GOOD STORY FOR BOYS RED GILBERT'S FLYING CIRCUS, by Russel! Gordon Carter (The Penn Publishing Company. Philadelphia). Here la a corking good story for boys from S to 14. Just think of owning a clrcua all your own, with a pair of clowns like Vaseline and Creampuff, a lot of strange animals and touiing the country giving dally performances. Some fun, eh? That is what Red Gilbert and his chums did. And then they met up with a real circus. What happened then Is the strangest part of the story. A worth-while book for red-blooded little fellow*. ENDING FRIDAY THIS WEEK ) GALA HOLIDAY BILL Providing | “Everything in Entertainment” r~VAUDEVILLE’S SNAPPIEST ACtH I! MARSHALL REVUE! | With Lee Marshall, America’s fore- I ' most colored dancer, and five stars of the “Liza” company. [‘‘Pep and Syncopation”] A GREAT MUSICAL NOVELTY, ! BERNIVICI BROS. ! I With Mardo Kahcn, in a beautiful I I presentation sure to prove a delight, I i ^ “Moments Musical” | RENEE NOEL AND WALTER C. PERCIVAL In “Egg in the Bag," a comedy-romance of small town life written by Damon Runyan, famous sporting writer. ' Kraft & Lamont ' ' Kelly & Browne ' ' Geo. W. Moore • In the comedy hit, ^ * Songs and Dances * * “Bits of Tricks" * “Put Up the Lights" * 1 with * laugh trimmings 1 1 sprinkled with fun * 1 1_! '-1 I_I ^ Arthur Hays in “Thanksgiving and Other Things” An organ originality upon matters of the moment On the screen a dor* | I II VI ■ III ~s£i lehold This Woman I From the novel, “The Hillman,” by IRENE RICH E. Phillips Oppenheim v CHARLES POST HARRY MYERS » ANDERS RANDOLF 1 ROSEMARY THEBY | JMMUERJJEJeJaJOm • H Continuous Today from 1 p. m. fiy Vaudeville at 2:00, 4:20, B 6:45,9:15 § 4 SHOWS THURS. J9 Mezzanine reserved seats ^ now selling. H Night*, Sun. and Holiday Mata. I Adult*, BOct Children I tunder 12), 10c ^ I Daily Bargain Mata., S 10«—36c y^^j a——mMw* ,__