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Show ! I g&! SUMMER THEATRES g&fg I "Mary, Mnry Quito Contrary" proved an old dramatic friend under a tltlo which gave no cluo to former acquaint-anco. acquaint-anco. However, It was none the less enjoyable becauso of a rc-lntroductlon. Several seasons ago tho University stu-dents stu-dents played tho samo piece under tho name of "A Scrap of Paper." Prior to that tho Kcndnlls produced It as the "Adventures of a Lovo Letter." Tho Kendalls were, of course, professionals awfully clever people. Tho Unlver-sity Unlver-sity students did their amateur best with the airy difficulties of a dlfllcult comedy, nut It remained for Henrietta Crosman and her capablo company to seize tho gossamer fabric of the play and weave It Into such del-Icacy del-Icacy of Interpretation as to still re main a subject of favorable comment In critical, old Salt Lake. Ono of tho strango things about this muchly titled comedy is that It camo from tho tren-chant tren-chant pen of Sardou. Tho gifted Frenchman paints his dramatic pic-turcs pic-turcs with bold colors, tragic atmos-phoro atmos-phoro nnd startling lights and shades. Where did ho find tho dollcato brush and tho still moro ethereal colors with which ho painted tho butterfly wings of this butterfly comedy? In tho con-sorvatory con-sorvatory of genius grow many strange flowers. H It has been some tlmo slnco that princo of favorites, Nat Goodwin, has cast his dramatio anchor in tho trou-bled trou-bled waters of Zlon. in tho meantime tho genial comedian foil Into still moro treacherous seas nnd was almost ship-wrecked. ship-wrecked. Time nnd tlmo again ho tried to And a play suitable to his peculiar talents. For ono season or another his failures wcro as frequent as his efforts. Despairing of tho mod-ern mod-ern drama, Goodwin attempted Shakos-pearo. Shakos-pearo. Tho word attempted Is used both in a figurative and liternl sense. Nat Goodwin is oven now moro than willing to concede that flirtations with Shakespeare aro a luxury beyond the prico of misguided prudence. When Goodwin put "A Midsummer Nnlght's Dream" on a New York stage ho did It with such scenic elaboration ns to dazzlo oyes already dizzy with gorge-aus gorge-aus stago pictures. In tho revival Goodwin played "Bottom" and ho played with such tragic realism that the bottom almost fell out of tho pro-ductlon. pro-ductlon. Slnco then Goodwin and Shakcspcaro have been strangers no 8 actual quarrel, but an agreement that each should walk In different paths. But, If tho classic drama lost an I ml If-forent If-forent exponent, tho up-to-dato comedy has again found him who was lost. "Wo all hall his return into the realms of robust fun making. In tho rovolation of certain lights and shades of humor dry, Infectious humor Goodwin stands peerless and alone. Tho futuro must bo generous indeed to lovers of infectious comedy, clso nono will over co mo to take his place. Goodwin has H written himself nil over his latest mirth provoking, "Tho Genius" tho 1 genius of tho play and above all tho genius of tho player. Tonight, by spo-H spo-H clal request, Goodwin will appear in H "When Wo Wcro Twonty-Ono" a gay H old bird Hying In the branches of tho H trco of youth. By all means go and H see Nat Goodwin. H When tho Orpheum Stock company H opened tholr engagement with "Tho Girl I Loft Behind Mo" wo hardly H , thought sho would return so soon in H "Shennndoah." All the matinee girls i who sighed, when Herschel Mayall put H I I away his lieutenants sword in tho .first H ' 1 dramn, nro again cracking tho nut of satisfaction Mayall, In "Shenandoah," I Is wearing a colonel's sabro and an I 1 i eaglo on his shoulder. It really makes no difference to tho Salt Lake matinee mati-nee girl how far Sheridan Is away whether twenty miles or a hundred. There is only ono man In "Shenandoah" "Shenan-doah" who can put down tho rebellion and that Is Colonel Mayall West. So there! Ask any of tho matlneo girls. Miss Stewart, as Gertrude Ellingham, makes a charming Httlo "rebel." The nrtlstry of this sympathetic Httlo actress act-ress is again charming her many friends. Gus Mortimer Is surprising those who thought ho had no ability outside of juvenile parts. Mr. McLean's Mc-Lean's General Haverlll is a composite plcturo of sternness and tenderness-contrary tenderness-contrary emotions well expressed. And few actors can wear a stage uniform to' bettor purpose. Elsie Gresham as the suspected wifo Is, as usual, charming oven In her distress and sadness. Through all tho smoke and cloud of "Shennndoah" comes Httlo Mabel Florence Flor-ence like a vivacious sunbeam. Captain Cap-tain Hearteaso had many rivals in tho audience. Zelby Roach, as tho Irish sergeant, does somo clever character work, and, with such a cargo of gen-ulno gen-ulno blarny, must havo had difficulty in passing tho custom house. Scott Robertson as the villain is there with tho dark face and beetling brow a bold, bad man not too darkly drawn. Indeed Mr. MacLean has splendidly cast his company in "Shenandoah." "Shen-andoah." And there Is plenty of realism real-ism on tho stage real cannon, real soldiers, real horses. What moro would you ask? Next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Wednes-day, at tho Salt Lake theatre, a series of lantern slides, showing San Franco Fran-co in its past glory and present ruins, will bo exhibited. Tho pictures were taken by tho well known local photographer, pho-tographer, Mr. C. E. Johnson. Only a nominal admission prico will be charged, 10, 20 and 30 cents, nnd 10 cents at the matinee. During-the highly successful engagement engage-ment of tho Orpheum Stock company, tho well directed and ofllclent press agent servlco of tho house has been In tho hands of Mr. Georgo E. Carpenter. According to popular estimation a press agent is a living descendant oi Ananias and a twin brother of Exaggeration. Exagger-ation. In somo respects I share this popular superstition. I havo met press agents whoso tendency was to confirm tho belief. But 'hero aro exceptions oven in press jonts. Carpontdr Is nn exception. E orything that Georgt Carpenter has promised through tho newspapers, MacLean has made good on the Orpheum stage. During the engagement en-gagement of tho Orpheum Stock company com-pany tho wildest possible publicity has been given to tho coming productions, given In a manner which arrested attention and compelled perusal. Without question tho press work of Mr. Carpenter has been ono of tho elements ele-ments contributing to tho deserved success of tho Orpheum Stock company.. com-pany.. George, I lift my hat! THE USHER. |