The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-15
PeHsDryGOOdsCO
ADJUSTMENTS.
Grand-..The Modern puchess.o

the new play with which Miss Rose Cogh-
Ian opened her engagement at the Grand
last night, is that, while it is intensely
amusing to the audience it is unworthy the
talents of woman of Miss Coghlans rep
utation. That she gives it such a success
full rendering is due to the possibilities of
her finished art and the excellent support
ing company Lady Ullswater is a type of
adventures very different from those pre-
viously so we'll taken by Miss Coghian, hay-
ing little of the strong traits of Zicka, in
Diplomacy which will be given this
evening. Miss Coghlans Lady ullswater,
the quondam music hall singer who mar
ries into the nobility, is burlesque on the
Belle Billions and May Yohes, of whose
noble alliances the public has heard so
much. In her new station she affects, only
at times, the conduct of a lady
so as to deceive the family of her
husband but the character, as it is pre-
scented in the presence of that husband,
lacks any powerful motive to win sympathy
or to give any reason for retaining the love
of Lord Ullswater, which she prefends to
desire. At heart it is plain that the pros
pective duchess. cares little for the adj
vantages Of the high society which she has
creature, low of birth, false by nature,
on the first intimation that she Is losing
her control OF her husband becomes re-
g ys09sf Of 6a us r 9ga Which, she came
ana which n to al is her
kin it is only natural that she should goad
the proud Duke to desperation with
daughter and that rather than let her give
to the world her scandal he should kill
tragedy with which the play ends impresses
one as being too hurried; as if the author
had been at a loss to know exactly how
best to close the scene.
So much as q first impression; more
kindly feeling tor tine Play gn
entertainment the value of The Modern
Duchess assumes more pretentious pro
SO those of Lady Ullswater. Her fire.
quently,. witty, rejoinders to the serious
T Ifh ter ''''i almost invariably CONFUSE
the audience. The clever thrusts at En-
gllsh society customs are in line with pop
ilIar American Impressions and succeed in
tickling the american vanity to a degree
enthusiastic auditor exclaim That's good,
Clytie; hit him again. That part of the
play showing. the strained relations be
in it to appeal TO women than to the men,
who may not be prone to feel that sym
halves might In Courtney Thorpe. whose
finished comedy work for years with
" rsosin aattering H@eS remembered by the
audience, Miss Coghlan has valuable sup
deep feeling, but refineaiy brutal hus-
band who seems as much at loss to UNI
derStand his StrOnS-SpIr1teu VIE as she TO
comprehend his delicate but unforglving
nature. Two worse minated peopie could
I pression % on Mr. Thorpes face Is delight
TO study. For of his youth he gives
promise of becoming what may justly be
considered great Henry Jewett, as the hon
est. yielding, but strong-natured old
Duke gives "a character portrayal that wins
more sympathy than any other part IN the
play John T. Sullivan has the role of
Venturesome man about town, even willing to
adapt himself to his surroundings. and al
Il
bol into which the dinner scene in the sec
ond act quickly develops. MIR. Sullivan with
Mrs. Fannie ID. Rouse as the illterate
mother of the Duchess succeed here i'll Gre
ating the most conical situation in the play
being not little assisted by Charles
Toote as the Hebrew comedian. The booty
song and dance greatly enliyens the act.
genue ana Hattie Russell succeeded we'll in
doing the part of Duchess OF Macllvray.
short-lived character not badly taken.
Miss Coghlan's costumes tempt one to
preciated by the feminine playgoers, who
will have another opportunity to see The
Modern Duchess at the Saturday matinee;
Tonight that powerful play Diplomacy
is the bill, and all of Miss Coghlans COM
pany will have ample opportunity. as also
in Oscar Wilde's brilliant play. "A Woman
of No Importance" Saturday night
Decision Against M. CoqueIin.
LONDON. March 14.--A dispatch from
Paris says that the civil court before which
was tried the action of the Coincide Fran
caise against NJ. Coqueln, growing out of
the Iatter's engaging Sarah Bernhard, has
decided against M. Coquclin who was con-
derned by the court for breach of con-
tract to pay 800 francs every night he per-
forms on any stage other than that of
the Coincide Franchise. He was also con-
demned to pay the costs of the action The
court reserved the right to pass a fresh
judgment after thirty nights. M Coquelin
will fr0p ha +r,r
terms of his present engagement with
Madame Bernhard, at the Renaissance
Theater. he received $50 francs nightly
The judgment is regarded being indul-
gent, sand is virtual condemnation of the
Moscow decree which empowers the Come
die Franchise to compel its pensioners to
forfeit their pensions and their share in
the profits of the theater IL they perform
elsewhere. The action was regarded as a
virtual fight for life on the part of the
appeared for the theater. said in his OPEN
ing address that the Con1edie Franchise
did not seek to obtain pecuniafy victory
over NJ CoqueIin, but ii would not admit
that it should be possible for a pensioned
and retired member of the theater to set
up an opposition establishment. M. Coque-
lin has set dangerous example, ana II was
@ then no npren e gi ~ - show that the de-
cree of Moscow had not been repealed by
the laws establishing the liberties OF , soH-
caise was state institution, and the So
cietaries might be called functionaries who
had abandoned their complete liberty or
action for great pecuniary advantage.
Maitrc Waldeck Rosseau, pleading for A.
Coquefin said he could not help admiring
the clever way in which the Coincide Fran
ceise had been described as bringing the
suit against his client TO support prin-
cipie and not on question OF money, In
deed he had always noticed that those VINO
demanded the most hard cash always de-
clared that pecuniary considerations had
not in the least influenced them In re-
atty the present action was nothing but
one for damages. It was therefore suit
for money To discover that It was only
necessary to read the summons and Il
furthern evidence of the fact was required
II was to be found III the assertion that
OF M. Couuelin's theory prevailed, the Conn
edie Franchise would be unable 70 pay It's
pensions. There was. however, no reason 10
feel greatly moved by the assertion, A.
the tleater possessed special funds for that
purpose. For M. coduel.n, the
question was simply 10 know whether
the mere fact ofahaying belonged To the
comede Franchise bound per
son efernally ~ that fheater;
whether the liberty Of ah actor
aHa