The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-17
PLAYS AND PLAYERS.
Griffith's aFanst- at the Seattle
Theater Tomorrow.
The COUNTESS wAcHTMeIsTER
nensft for the sisters Of the Coco
Shepherd 90 BE Given Tomorrow
Evening st Turner Hall.

The Goods throughout the Northwest
have tended 10 frighten dramatic eombs-
nations from ventnring 10 the So0ha
eountrv tor fear OF being unable 70 get
nwav. or course every one here knows
that these fears are groundless; the faet -
mains that many have caneellea lheH
dates which leaves the record OF eoIiains
attractions at the Seattle theater IN q very
unesrtai- condition, and with the e1csp
tion al the Griffith Faust" company,
which will be seen for three nights al the
e4attle thester. commencing WITH ,omo1
rox night. and lecture on thecsophy "
the Countess Wachtmeister next IuesaAy
evening at the hall OF the Ladies musical
Ciub. in the Seattle National bank ouiio-
ing the outlook for smusements iof tne
near future is decidedly slim.
The main attraction next week VIII CEN
tsr In the dramatic production OF 6oetnes
.Fau.tn nj the Seattle theater tomorrow
night. which play Henry Ward beecner
once sald had done more 70 elevate purity
and illustrate the difference between good
and evil than oil the sermons ever
,yeaehed. Among the many marvels OF
aytistie realism promised by the manage
rnent are the "thriiIing scintillating cleo
uric duel, the stage full Of electric SPARKS
the descent into hades, fiery suprise'
most terribly realistic purgatory IN
sesthiug mass Of suiphurous names
the revel on the Broken,
weird object lesson to the sinner
vision OF paradise. Mephisto's defeat. the
fight OF a lost soul. among the golden
clouds and a transformation scene oil
transcendant beauty" This about ex-
hausss the vocabulary of adjectives. The
MAY Is said to be deliberately staged with
scsnery. mechanical and electrical effects.
with embellishments that give 1t the
weird character intended by the great
poet. The members of the company are
all experienced people. and under the
leadership of Mr.. John Griffith, the young,
able and promising American actor oil the
present day, Goethe's play will be ar
tisticaily rendered. lrving's version will
be used. Mr.. Griffith, who will appear as
Mephisso. is we'll and favorably known.
and has no superior in the title role as
Mephisto. He has been starring in
Faust for two years. Miss Olive
Martin. Marguerite, was Sol Smith Rus
sells leading lady; Mrs. Henry Vanden-
hoff. Martha. was with Booth and Barrett
and also Craigen- PauIding company; Mr..
Uric Collins, Faust. was formerly with
Booth and Modjeska. Mr.. William
Lawrence Roberts was with Lewis
Morrison for years; he will play
Valentine. Miss Isabella Seaton will
play Elsie. Three specially gifted vocalists
who will perform the part of students will
also furnish most choice and appropriate
music in the various scenes--especially
the church and fountain scene, and taken
altogether IL must be admitted that this
beautiful production of Faust" will have
no superior upon the American stage.
The following is the story of the play:
Faust, learned alchemist, doctor of phil-
osophy. having reached that age when all
pleasures that this world contains fades.
invokes the aid of the spirits 10 give him
new emotions that life may be worth
living for. In response TO his frenzied APP
peal Mephisto appears and agrees to give
Faust youth. health and passions and all
the pleasurahle enjoyment 10 be drawn
therefrom upon condition that when the
ganut has been run his soul shall belong
to MephIsto. Faust Is dazzled and held
wrapped in an angelic halo by a beautiful
vision of Marguerite. which fades away as
he rushes mp 20 it. lie accedes TO Mephis-
to's demands and compact is drawn be-
tween them. The aged and senile philoso-
pher Is transformed into n handsome
youth. burning with passion and anticipa-
ton. From this time forward his one
thought Is of Marguerite. Then fol-
lows his meetings with her. Their
mutual love; his betrayal of her con-
fidence, the poisoning OF her mother while
seeking 80 make her sleep more soundly;
the return of Valentine, her soldier
brother, whose anguish and rage knew no
bounds when informed of his blasted
home He meets Faust and by the devils
aid is killed. fnsidious Mephisto exoites
the justice loving neighhors OF Marguerite,
by the seeming unnatural murder Of her
mother, and she Is carried off 10 prison.
Faust finds his way into Marguerite's
cell through the Intervention of the devil,
only to find poor Marguerite partly de-
mented. He proposes TO carry her away
60 escape the dread consequences of her
supposed crime; but when the time fer
action comes the gentle spirit goes out
and Mephisto claims Faust as his own.
but his soul is rescued by the intervention
Reserved seats can now be secured at the
box Office.
Countess waehtmeister Next Tuesday.
Countess WachtmeisteF, whose name is
we'll known TO members Of the Theosophi-
cal Society throughout the world, wiu ar
rive in Seattle tomorrow, aud viii he the
guest Of Hon. r. l. blodgctt at S008 Ieslee
avenue. Next Tuesday she viii give
lecture in the Seattle National bank build
ing on ''Madsme H. +. Blavalsky and the
Mahatmas." As the couatess was for
many years personally associated with
and in constant contact with Madame
Blavatsky she will give sssssaents
concerning her life which none bat
an eve witness could give with accuracy.
The countess came To- san Francisco in
April 20 attend the Theosophical eonven-
ton held there 81 that time, - delegate
from the Indian section. As FOR the pre-
yioas six months she had been travelling
in India With Mrs. Anale Besant Who
leetured With Immense success throughout
the whole Of India. The countess home
Is In London, hut she only remained there
a few days 20 rest before continuing her
tourney 20 the opposite side OF she world
The countess i \ woman Of charming per
souai characteristics. Ike the leaders Of
BIER society she is slmple in her HABITS aad
present method Of living. Size possessed
by right the name Of Constance
Georggnc Louis dc Bo0rbel de Monslacoa.
her father os4ng .he Marsaise dc Baarhel.
who a. one time served ~ the French
diplomatic corps. The Ne Boureel family
Is one q iAe mosg aae.eas Ia France. hsv.
ing originated ia the south % France and