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Show VJJ 1 THEATERS AT THE ORPHEUM. In speaking of the presentation of the problem play, "Today," which was given at the Orpheum theatre last night, it might first be said that the man kills the woman in the closing scene, causing a division of opinion as to the justifiability of his act, between be-tween the male and female judges of It. This division of opinion has doubtless been noted in audiences all over the country as it was in the Ogden Og-den audience that saw the play last night, but, while the commandment "Thou shalt not kill," should settle all argument concerning that phase of iue question, me ugden theatregoers at least seemed to agree that they had seen the work of the most perfect acting company ever brought to the city. The Ogden presentation of "Today" was the only one given in Utah, and Manager Joe Goss of the Orpheum received many congratulations last night for having secured it. The ending of the play is of course morbid, mor-bid, but there are many lines In it that give ;i greater lesson by far than its tragic ending, which only through the wonderful acting of the star, Arthur Ar-thur Byron, and his foil, Miss Bertha Mann, is saved from being melodramatic melodra-matic It is probable that the depths of I mother-love were never more forcefully force-fully portrayed, and this alone would ! give the play a right to live, morbid though it is. The awful folly of envy and selfishness, too, is brought out in the unfolding of the plot In a truly vivid manner, with the happiness happi-ness of an unselfish love as a contrast. con-trast. "Today" is a play in many ways so forceful that it would fail of its pur pose if It was not portraved by a virtually perfect company of actors. That this fact was well known by the producers, was attested by the success of the production last night. Arthur Byron Is one of America's strongest actors, with one of the most Impelling voices ever heard on a local lo-cal stage. His role is a trvlng one emotionally throughout the plav and In Its portrayal he holds the attention of his audience with an almost magnetic mag-netic power. In the scene which follows the murder of his wife, his acting was nothing short of wonderful. wonder-ful. Hla role was that of Frederick Wagner. He Is ably sustained by Miss Mana as Lily "Wagner, the wife, as she possesses pos-sesses all the requirements necessary for success in the part beauty of face and figure, a finely cultivated voice and much ability as an emotional emotion-al actress. In the work of Herman Gerold and Miss Alice Gale, as the parents of Frederick, the Ogden theatregoers were given one of the finest treats they have ever received. Their acting act-ing was dramatic art In Its highest sense and the display of mother love by Miss Gale caused many a tear, though perhaps unshed, to fill the eyes of her auditors. Both women were also equal to the bigger scenes of the play, aiding the star in the tragic finale in a manner above criticism. crit-icism. Miss Clara Lindsay, an exceptionally exception-ally handsome woman of the tall widow wid-ow type, essayed the role of Mrs. Garland Gar-land and proved herself a finished actress. Miss Marguerite St. John, as Mrs. Farringdon, was the last link in the chain, and although she appeared only in till' ln.qf ar-t lm. v , i.v i luir rv no xu ilii- portant one and she handled It with complete success. The audience was one of the largest of the season and the fourth one of the week that has virtually filled the theatre, which is a testimony that Ogden Og-den people welcome the drama when It is worthy. rvn |
