The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-04-08

a very good house at the Metropolitan
Theater last night witnessed the perform
ance by Mr.. Stetson's Globe Theater
Company of Boston of the sensational
society drama 1.-The Crust of Society"
1t is from the French, and from the
very worst side of the French. In the
outset let it be said that the troupe is a
splendid one. Its method is almost the
ideal of finished dramatic work. No
company in years has appeared here
that is stronger all around, for the
work for which cast-there is no
weak timber in it. The troupe, indeed,
by the cunning of dramatic art, keeps
the tension of interest up to the very
point OF swapping, from the first words
TO the last of the long performance. 1t is
an intensely acted play; its vital interest
is such, the acting so true to life, so in
tense, FASHIONED and almost tragic in its
character, that every auditor is Involved
in it; every one is taken into the play in
sensibly by the witchery of the story and
the acting-indeed, such was the three
hours and more of strain and absorbed
and nervous interest that it is probable
three-tOurths of the auditors retired with
heads aching, or at least with a sense of
great fatigue. Rarely, indeed, has a more
beautiful or brilliant actress in society
and emotional plays appeared here than
Mrs. StetSOn. Her Mrs. Chapel is some
thing once seen never to be forgotten for
the cunning of its art, the high key of it's
passionate tone and the brilliancy of its
execution. The Mrs. Echo of Miss Eve
som was one of the strongest possible
contrasts to the Mrs. Chapel of Mrs.
Stetson, but scarcely less artisticallv
acted. 1t gave to the life the model of a
frivolous, rattle Drained, constituencies,
heartleSS and abandoned woman moving
in a circle of society that good women
shun, and yet that draws to it men who
pose as honorable and self-respecting.
Indeed, a marked characteristic of the
play was that it treated of loose codes and
a social stratum into which no man
would take his wife or daughter,
who respected them, and yet, according
TO the play, it is crowded with men who
pirate TO a degree OF nausea of their high
sense of honor. their lofty moral senti-
ments, and who disgustingly and plenti-
fully preach reproaches to women who
are what they are because of this very
order of "manhCod.v 1.-The Crust Of
Society," is play so bewitching, such 8
story of love, hate, cunning, wit anC
deep designing, as to fairly burn its i'm
moralities in upon the soul. There is the
seeming of moral to 1t, an effort to make
it a lesson, but its virtues in that regard
can scarcely be recalled, while its beauti.
full, attractive and thrilling wick edneSs
cannot be forgotten. 1t is play to make
good women blush and honest mer
ashamed IOr DOln sexes. MOI tlal the
story is not true, or at least probable; no
that the hollowness and mockery of Ger.
tain phases of life are not faithfully de.
Dicted in it; not that it does not invoke
sympathy and appeal almost piteously
for mercy at times-but is it necessary K
be forever holding up to gaze the dirty
linen of any social levels? Is it bene.
fetal to stage or people to presen
these awful examples? Concedt
that it is true, what does it prove
more than that which everyone knows
already, that woman is weak anC
man is cruel? The fact is, 1.-The Crust o
Societv'' is one of the elegant, attractive
brilliant plays that deals with devlist
things; drama in the hands of sucl
canable men and beautiful women as pre-
sented it last night as tends to no good
It has no purpose except bto;eSxpG ,? soeia
upon the border-land of the indecen
Without stepping over, and therein it il
more dangerous than the bawdy play
The auditor who withdraws himsel