Life, 1904-04-28 · page 13 of 20
Life — April 28, 1904 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The page contains two distinct elements: a sketch depicting a social gathering and theater reviews. **The Sketch:** The illustration shows a group of well-dressed people in conversation. The caption reads: "Oh, yes, of course she's a pretty little thing, but—!" This appears to be satirizing polite society's backhanded compliments and gossip—a common Life magazine motif mocking upper-class social pretension and cattiness. **The Theater Section:** Below is "Life's Confidential Guide to the Theatre," listing current Broadway productions. The text includes a lengthy review of Ibsen's plays in America, noting that while his works are artistically powerful, they're poorly produced due to casting and budget limitations. The reviewer praises Ibsen's genius for affecting audiences despite these obstacles. A separate humorous note jokes about the Theatrical Syndicate's *Camille* productions, where "real money" is used onstage—so much so that Pinkerton guards with rifles supposedly stand in the wings to prevent cast members from fighting over it. This satirizes the Syndicate's commercial greed and the performers' venality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
blance of reality, Sernick is a powerful creation and a strong. per- sonality, but the haltings, repetitions and uncertainty due to Mr. Lackaye’s trying to recall his lines made Bernick appear more like a doddering idiot than a pillar of anything, The other members of the company gave, for the most part, a smooth and, in some instances, an excellent performance, Miss Margaret Kenman showed emotional power as Martha, and Mr. White Whittlesey made a maoly and attractive Johan, Miss Olive Oliver's Leva thoroughly in- t, but she became just a trifle too much of a tomboy in her ring of the emancipation a sojourn in America brings to Scandi- navians of Miss Jane Oaker demonstrated that her person= ality is better fitted for plays like The Pit than for those of Ibsen. Itis high tribute to the power and genius of the Norwegian that und the produc- press so deeply the mixed audiences which gather to witness them. These performances have been, as a rule, imperfect in cast, performance and mounting, but the strength and simplicity of the author’s methods—unpleasant as even in the adverse circumstances which usual! tions of his plays in America, his work is able to i are his subjects—exert a truly remarkable fascination on even the least scholarly of those who come under their influence, Just now Ibsen does not seem a commercial possibility in this country and the pro- ductions of his plays are sporadic and imperfect, but the cult is rapidly growing and it may not be long before we shall see his works ade- quately presented, . T is said that for the sake of verisimilitude real money is used in the gambling scene in the two simultaneous productions of ** Camille” given under the auspices of the Theatrical Syndicate, It is inferred that Pinkerton men armed with Winchesters are stationed in the wings. Otherwise, at the fall of the curtain the members of the Syndicate might inflict bodily injury on one another. Metcalye. LIFE'S SONFIDENTIAL- GUIDE. THEATRE FEB ES Academy of Music-— David Harum,” Rural comedy, with William H ane in the title part, Belasco.—" Sweet Kitty Bellairs."* staged love comedy, Henrietta Crosman in gorgeously Broadway.—* The Yankee Consul.” Laughable and tuneful comic opera. Casino, —* Pifl, Paff, Pouf." Musical comedy. Frivolous but funny Criterion. William Collier in“ The Dictator."* consequent but amusing. Empire—Last week of “The Other Girl." Augustus Thomas's clever contemporaneous comedy. Farcical comedy. In- Garrick.—* Merely Mary Ana.” acted sentimental comedy. Herald Square *The Girl from Kay's.” Mo England. Diverting and melodiou . Miss Eleanor Robson in a delightfully ical comedy, made in Margaret Angliy and Hen y Miller in Camille.”* Knickerbocker.—Wright Lorimer in “The Shepherd King." scriptural drama, handsomely st Tiresome Lyceum.—Charles Hawtrey in" Saucy Sally." See opposite. Lyric—De Wolf Hopper in a revival of old-time “Wang.” See opposite. Majestic.—Last week of * The Wi iss Elizabeth Tyree in * Tit for Tat." —George Ade's “The County Chairm ical comedy. Funny and well acted. of Oz." Funny extravaganza Savey.—Miss American rural comicbooks.com