The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-13
THE POTTER GOWNS
DAZZLING ROYAL PURPLE, LACE
y JEWELS IN HER NEW PLAY.
Lightning Changes Required by Her
Double R~o1e-PIays mt the Local
Theaters This Week.

that line feathers attract the eye and thus
engage the intellect. Cora Urquhart Pot
ter, who has recently taken the measure
OF the entire Potter family, from the Bish-
op down 10 the innocuous James Brown,
assumes as much. anyway. and has pro-
vided herself with feathers. otherwise
gowns. that startled all New York society
when seen in her new play. '.The Queens
Necklace" With Kyrle Bellew she has
just closed a successful New York engage
ment, and will soon be seen in this city in
the great play written around Marie An
toinette. Her new gowns must be Won
drous when the New York Sun devotes a
column to their description. The interest
ing article reads as follows:
Those who sit quietly in the orchestra
and, enjoy the unfolding of a play from
the first germing OF the plot TO the e~pilogue
at the end have little conception of the
hustle and scramble behind those noncom-
initial screens just in front of them, In or
der that the action may be smooth and
pageant perfect. This is the workshop,
wherein she and her firing maids labor
increasingly and effect astonishing results
in an astonishingly short time out of a
marvellous congloneration of material. In
the double part which Mrs. Potter acts in
LC pa uG IL fNei1c, so many enIlre
changes of costume are required that two
dressing rooms are hardly large enough for
her needs, and the wits and fingers Of two
French maids are none too alert for the
demand. Mr.. Days private writing room
has been pressed into service, and now
boasts unwonted decorations in the guise
of gowns and nantes, hats, hoods, tiaras,
jackets. girdles, feathers. fans and all man.
ner o. feminine fummerv.
In the first act there is scant time for
laying OFF the royal robes and donning
oliya's say apparel. All hands are busy.
The makeup that suits the features of the
Austrian princess will not do for the light
headed, 1ight-heeled Olivia. and the actress
adds to or lessons her powder and rouge,
changes her lines and alters her demeanor,
while one deft maid draws on her stockings
and the other adjusts her wig. The scar
let petticoat,is fastened in place., the green
ribbons reduced TO order. the steeple crown
hat tied under the chin, and Olivia steps
forth in her high-heeled boots as different
stately queen of a few minutes before.
I do all this from the ground up. In
ingiy, as She waits FOR her cue. and the
~dark-haired landmarks smile in response
even while they lay out her purple gown
again, just ready to be put on.
1t seems but the twinkling OF an eye be-
fore Olivia has finished her love making
and is again in the dressing room, being
10 the semblance of a queen. Oh,
that royal purple velvet. The sheen of it
and the richness and thicknessi No French
Queen ever wore better. The ermine only
to bring out the hue OF the pur-
pie. Despite the fact that the snow falls
f aeayil his Sf h 14 st t She Porte Is svs St; Martin Wb ON
she reaches the dressing room and glad TO
resign si her ponderous muff to ,Clotilde.
from the slender shoulders.
Take IT off, quick. Andree," she says in
French, and get me into the white gown
little changes | wish to make in the scene
with the countess and the jeweler about
the necklace"
THE DRESS OF OLIVIA.
Does that bow suit. madam" inquiries
as she fastens the pink ribbon i'm
he Queens hair. Being assured that the
iigrette is correctly placed. she hands over
he white mits and fan. and searches about
or the green silk apron, which has got
hidden away in provoking fashion.
II can't churn without my apron, nor
AIRY the feed for my chickens" laughs
Hrs. Potter. Hunt 1t up. quick, Clotilde.
II find me another. and don't forget the
hat l wear when 1 walk in the
rounds with the King"
A systematic search is instituted, and
he important green apron, bib and all, is
discovered underneath Oliva's black and
White checked skirt. The maid of honor
matches it up. and all go 10 join the dane
1t is the wonderful walking dress in
which Marie An%toinette. appears in the
Kings workshop that the maids lay out
ext, against her coming, the dress and
he still more wonderful hat. with it's stu
-endous puffed green crown, and waving,
Who hIr an artist would have Iii
ined that just that delicate touch of white
nd silver was needed TO heighten the eff
pple green. fawn and brown went well to-
ether, with just a note of blue in the knot
ed sash, and a CLINT of color in the bro
ade?
"Madame's hat is not quite enough on
ne side," suggests Andree, relying the rib
on on the Queens staff.
r. solicitously, as Clotilde steps off 70
lark the general effect.
ITO the left" decides the critic. and the
cart wheel, with it's becoming
fiuffiness about the brim and the
estling pink roses about the crown, is
Ilted just a suspicion more to the left of
he blonde curls.
In less time than it takes to tell it, the
costume. hat. boots. rIits. wig
Thite satin vest, striped jacket, blue skirt
nd tall red hat are put on IN It's place.
his time It Is a distractingiy PINK lace,
capers and courtesies. and her slippers
nd buckles are quite too SNOWY for the
ueen, involving another change from the
round up Olivia is hardly missed from
lie dressing room before she is back again
!, try on the duplicate fete dress which
lays so conspicuous a part in the story.
beautiful woman looks well in all gowns.
ut certainly the French Queen, the adj
eDturess and the actress. all three i'm one,
ppear TO unusual advantage in this bill
WY brocade ball dress, with its spangled
eeves. rose-strewn skirts and hint of
lack about the corsage TO ~accentuate the
of a pretty throat.
"Madame's mantilla.' REMINDS the
oughtful Clotilde, handing over the fas-
mating black lace head covering, and An
zee has the pink rose in readiness which
RS. Potter is TO hand to the Cardinal in
for past Sights. when. as he
links, she grants him the midnight rem
ezvOus.
AS MARIE A~NTOINETTE.
II can keep this gown on a good while
wv and take a breathing SPELL" the act
SIS says with satisfaction as she dresses
II the fourth act, the act In which she
altogether the Queen, and only, for a
Try brief moment of forgetfulness. the
oman. Three times does Andree adjust
le blue velvet tiara with its falling lace.
s stately plumes and jeweled clasp. be-
re she is satisfied. and Clotilde puts just
shade more powder on the blonde curls
fore she loops the cleaning pearls about
le Queens neck. The robe hangs superb
). and in color it is the genuine Marie An /,
blue so much sought after. The
aids are loath to lay aside these favorite
and put on the simple little