The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-08
THE MASK AND WIG CLUB
iN"KIN0 LRTH UR and YB KNIGHTS
OF re TABLE ROUSDE."
Unique Performances OF N Amateur Or
xsnization In the Quaker City-As to
what tho Play Was IL Is Hard to Say


PHILADELPHIA, April 6.-Easter lilies
had scarcely begun to wither when fash
ionabie Philadelphia turned with well
coming nod to the production given last
week Of king Arthur and ye Knights OF
We Table Rounde; or. The Woman In
Cray" which was certainly the most
unique performance ever put on any
stage. The entertainment was given by
the Mask and Wig Club, composed OF
about seventy-hve college men Of the
University Of Pennsylvania. and one OF
the chief actors in the cast was Dir.
Robert COalter Bryan, son Of Mr. Jo-
seph Bryan, Of Richmond, Va.
AS TO what king Arthur" etc. etc,
IS, it is difficult 10 say, and IL was hard
to determine before the play, consequently
committee was appointed 10 select an
appropriate designation for it, They Sc
lected burdetta, for the ample reason
that they did not know exactly what
burdetta was. and did not know exactly
what king Arthur" was. so they reason
ably concluded king Arthur" must be
a burdetta. Frederick Brooke Nelson,
as clever writer as ever spattered INK
over a rosewood desk. is responsible for
the ebuliuon, and he also contributed
earlier in his youth for the use Of thes-
pians-collesians plays entitled "Miss Co
lumba" and MIR. and Mrs. Cleopatra"
The list Of patronesses Of the produc-
ton last week represented verify the
cream of the Quaker City's blue-book.
and the audiences that gathered in the
pretty BrOad-street theatre during the
week were as fashionable and as beauti-
ful as ever attended at that exceedingly
fashionable playhouse Festoons Of
bunting and evergreens intertwined in
and out by the prettly-placed incandes-
cents, gave the house. with It's graceful
proportions. more than usual beauty and
as each nights audience gathered-the
women in the costiest fabrics-the tab
leau viyante was one Of rare charm and
beauty.
ABOUT TIT PLOT.
No sane man would attempt TO tell
another the plot Of king Arthur" and
there is really a doubt IL the author. after
the first production. had become familiar
enough with his romantic tale to tell II
correctly over a bottle at the Bellevue
At any rate, here is the effort put forth
in the booklet programme:
1t would seem that Lady Annabel Lee
the provost Of Badenhill Seminary, was
Il
of ground. which his majesty. Arthur cor
England. desired as q private huntins
ground. 1t being before the days OF the
establishment OF the principle take what
you want and leave the rest Arthur
having no morey agreed mat IN return
for the park. he would provide each
graduate Of the Baderhill Seminary with
a knight Of the Round Table FOR
husband. IS soon as this agreement was
loised abroad. fair damsels from all
parts OF the globe and Texas poured
into the Seminary. All this transpires
some years before the overture.
The play opens on the day before com
nencemcnt. and all is excitement al
Badeihnl. for the knights are ernounced
as about TO pay the first court 10 the
girls, who, on the morrow. were TO
become their brides. So the girls thought
rut when the King arrives he announces
that he VIII not force his knights to
make these unions; if he did, they would
rebel: because it is part Of the uniform
Of the Table Founders TO be mounted
on white horses at all times. and
large portion Of the graduating girls
have red hair. The knights refuse to
mix them. The girls are mad and dis
appointed. Now Marian was engaged
10 be married TO the King; her father wa
a millionaire, and the King was a pau
per. Marian, out Of feeling for the other
girls, tries TO get the King to live up 70
his contract. but he won't. WhereupOn
she tells him he is perii1ious and leaves
him; not before however. she has warn
"a him 10 Beware OF the Woman in
Gray" Who is the Woman in Gray?
Wait. To show how rapidly news travel
ed at that time. Don ouiX0te and Sancha
Panza hear of the trouble within the
hour and come al the way from Spain
TO aid the unfortunate damse's. Now,
Marian takes no halfway measures in
the matter, but entirely disappears with
out leaving word - sien as 10 her in
tentons. The Kings Creditors. among
whom are represented every crc he ever
had any financial dealing with, upon hear
ing Marian has gone. arrive and make
threats and demands on the King.
THE KINGS coNrRAo.
The knights refuse 10 intcrpose unless
the King promises to break his con-
tract with Lady Annabel: this he agrees
TO DO. but the Woman in Cray arrives
and thinks not. Who is the Woman in
Gray? Please wait
The King is between two fires: but il
suddenly occurs to him that If Marian
returns he can pay his creditors. then
the knights can desert If they like The
Woman in Gray finally agrees TO wait
until the morrow evening If they use
every effort to find Marian (which. OF
course. they would. and further agrees
% use her mystic influence over the mob.
she Immediately proceeds to keep her
word by giving the creditors NOES paw
able the next evening. ard they withdraw.
The knights start of on the hunt for
Marian. and the girls impatienily wait
until the second act TO see If they are
really going o get the husbands as agreed
Between the acts the knights use every
Effort TO find Marian. but even a personal
IN the New York Herald fails TO locate
her. Who is the Woman IA Gray? An,
row wait.
SECOND ACT.
SO the second act opens with plenty |
of revelry and dancing, but the minor |
chord back Of it all suddenly predom- |
mates. and the creditors arrive and ask |
that their notes be honored. or that the |
King give them his gore. At this mo- |
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