The record-union., 1895-12-28
ADJUSTMENTS.

At the Clunie Opera-house this after
noon at 2 o'clock, tonight at o'clock
and tomorrow night at the same hour
the spectacle and story of 'The Crystal
Slipper" which is the fairy tale of Gin
derella told in dramatic form. There
are preserved in the play all the fairy
story characters, the Spiteful, quarrel
ing sisters, the little cinder-wench
beauty, the subdued old Baron. the
Prince in search of wife, the faithful
friend Of Cinderella, the Fairy Queen
and her two attendants and the servi-
tors of the Prince. Then there is the
pumpkin that is transformed into a
coach, the mice that become ponies, the
rat that becomes a coachman, the
lizards which are converted into out
riders, and so on The mechanical
changes are clever, and the scenery is
appropriate. When it comes to the
revel scene there are Dutch dances, ath-
letic exercises and fancy dance by the
Misses O'Malley, by Arnold and Millais,
and by Miss Caswell, respectively, and
songs by DeVaull. The grand trans
formation scene at the close is the best
scenic effect ever put upon the stage of
the opera-house, and is thing of great
beauty and decided novelty. 1t is pos
sible that the play may be run during
next week, with the introduction of en-
tirely new specialties.
Sardou's tragedy Helena" was
played to good house at the Metro
politan Theater last night by the Rob
ert Downing Company. It is a grew
some story, illustrative of one phase
of the internecine strife that racked
Italy in the fourteenth century. Upon
Eugenia Blair the burden of the play
rested, and to say that she carried it
we'll and discharged the trust in an
artistic manner is to speak but justice.
The tragedy is one the motive of which
is invested with a peculiar interest at
once repellant and attractive. In the
midst Of one of the bloodiest contests
of arms between the Guelphs and the
Ghibelines the chief of the former
seizes and outrages the sister of the
chief of the latter in revenge for a
gross public insult. In her shame and
hatred she seeks her prosecutor (after
confessing her dishonor to her fam
ily) and stabs him, but smitten with
remorse as he lies prone and appar-
his life, concealing the wounded man
in her house. There her brother comes
in flight seeking refuge, but to give it
would be to disclose the sheltering of
the offending chief, and consequently
the brother falls into the hands of the
enemy. Later, as she is about to enter
a convent, the Guelph discovers who
has saved him, and covered with shame
and smitten by conscience for his act
he offers her his life But hate changes
into love and she confesses it to him
On his part he offers her marriage
after eXerting his power to stay the
massacre and to establish the liberties
of the people. She accepts the terms
and her lover keeps his pledge. But
meanwhile, the brother being set free
by the new order of things, discovers
what his sister has done and poisons her
at the altar of the church where she
has taken refuge. The Guelph, return
ing with his supporters, triumphant
and the savior of the city, discovers
the woman he has wronged dying upon
the altar steps. The people, believing
she is afflicted with the plague, fly from
her and her lover and lock them in the
sanctuary to perish under a decree that
those with the plague and those who
succor the stricken shall be sequestered
and left to die, that the pestilence may
not spread. A priest, however, in COM
pliance with their request, unites the
unhappy pair in marriage and then the
gates are closed upon them The hus-
band too late discovers that his wife
has not the plague and in seeking to
break down the barriers of the
church reopens his wound and the two
die at the foot of the altar, sacrifices
to the peace of the city, he expiating
his crime and she happy in having
been the instrument through which the
liberties of the people were established
Such is the almost brutal story Sardou
has woven into a tragedy of great
strength. Mr.. Downing is not at his
best in the character of the Guelph
chief Mr.. Ferry is his superior in all
respects as the chief of the opposing
faction. Between Miss Blair and Mrs
f. M. Bates, however, the main honors
of the play are divided, and they wore
them with artistic grace and deserving
The play was very elaborately mounted
and with lavish wealth of scenery and
fine costumery, all in keeping with the
time and the rank of the characters i'm
DersOnated