The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-07
FRoHMAN LYcEUM COMPANY.


Three Hieh-class Comedies Tomorrow
and Tuesday al the Seattle Theater.
Daniel Frohman's Lyceum Thsater
Company viii appear at the Sc
attic theater tomorrow and Tues
day evenings In The Case OF Re-
belsfous Susan" and THE Amazons." and
Tuesday afternoon in An Ideal Hus-
band" The opening play il the latest OF
the company's successes. having been per-
formed for the major part Of the season
at the Lyceum theater, New York. Il has
also run successfully for over q year In
London and is deemed the best OF Henry
Arthur Jones plays. II Is his first come
dy. all his other works being of much
more serious cast. He began with the
dramas OF THE Silver King and ''Clau-
dian" for Wilson Barrett, and no then
drifted into the more natural school, such
as THE 4iddieman' and JUDAH" which
he wrote for Edward Willard. Just as he
began 10 be looked upon as the dramafist
for the upper middle classes" OF England
he brought forward THE Case of Rebel
ious Susan" which IL laid entirely among
the higher ciass-the ultra society people
OF the kingdom. Then Also he astonishs sd
his public. who had been accustomed to
receiving from him work which was large
ly serious. by making his new play abso-
iuteiy high comedy, without q serious
dramatic moment.
At bound this play placed him on a
level with Arthur w. Pinero. 1t will be
found bright and intensely modern. whilc
its style entities IL to consideration as
work Of high literary merit. A prominent
New York critic said of It:
AS picture of our life and as . speci-
men OF comedy writing 1t deserves to be
classed with the works OF Sheridan. for 1t
reflects our foibies of today with as great
skill and entertainment as Sheridan did
= l. - 1T. fzr
dai."
The story of the play IS concerning Lady
Susan Harabin. who on discovering that
her husband has been INDUCING in forbid
den gaiety, declares her intention OF ex-
ercising the same freedom. She makes IL
appear probable that she is doing SO until
her husband, tortured by the thought that
she has been guilty OF actions which he
had attempted to justify in himself. begs
her TO give over her resolutions. She
agrees to on condition thar he shall over
look her past conduct without seenlng 20
inquire into 1t. as he intimated she should
do with him. at the same time refusing 10
grant him the satisfaction of knowing
whether there Is anything in her past for
him to overlook or forgive.
The play for the Tuesday matinee Is a
comedy OF English society Life entitled
IAN Ideal Husband" II was presented IN
this country by the Lyceum company for
the last two months OF their season just
closed In New York city. II has a serious
story. which teaches a moral-early sins
Will rise in later life. The comedy. how
ever. predominates. there being laughable
situations witty dialogues and plentiful
supply OF brilliant epigrams. The ideal
husband Is a young cabinet officer, whose
loving wife deems him OF exceptional. tall
ent and irreproachable honesty, and prfdes
herself that her husband Is that unusual
man-an honest politician. The public
views him so as well, and both are right
| az far as his career at present and Tor
many previous years is concerned.
But at the very outset OF his public
| Gfe he had sold an important state Sc
cret. This &C. had made him wealthy.
| and had given him the opportunity TO
| rise 10 the prominence his talents en-
titled him to. In the zenith OF his success
| disclosure of this early act threatens
him. He KIN rvs Il means loss OF position
| and influence. and he fears IL also means
| the loss OF his wife's respect and affec-
| ton. A friend undertakes TO handle the
AFFAIR "a far as the public Is concerned
| but urges him 70 confess the truth to his
| wife. He dos so, and she at first reviles
| him. then pities him, then urges him to
keep II secret from everybody. Her love
| proves paramount TO ALL but her pride in
MIN is no Longer without alloy. He is en-
| abfed 20 retain the confidence of the pub
lie. but mis- wife's implicit faith and ideal
| izatfon Is Como forever.
Perhaps the most attractive from a lit
| erary point of view and most amusing
from a dramatic standpoint OF any Of the
plays thu Lyceum Theater Company VIII
| present here IL The Amazous." which
| will he given Tuesday night. II IS by
Arthur w Plne-o. who will be remem-
| hered here for sweet Lavender" which
was given by this company during its
visit her four years ago. II was the lead
/ ing success OF the organization in New
| York season before last, and ranks in
/ that city "a a most attractive play. II -
/ called by the author a farcical romance.
/ hut II is one ~ the 1usintest bits OF good
/ raturea satire that has been seen upon
the stage IN years. Witty IN the extreme.
| II deals with a subject which IN less tall
! ented hands might easily become coarse:
! vet q 80 oharningiy handled that there
/ is never a hint OF suggestiveneSs.
II - Conserving a certain Lady Castle
| Jordan, n widow, whose sole ambition
| was TO give birth 20 a son. but who has
! become mother only 10 three daughters.
! Athletics and manly sports ware the de-
/ light OF her husband. 50 she determined
20 rear her girls "a though they were
/ Aovs She teaches chem 10 shoot. ride
I fight smoke ard fish. She keeps them
/ secluded within the hounds az her spa
| cfotas park. and IN this Adamlsss Eden
/ they grow 20 ne sturdy Young fellows.
[ kuf as tNeN rea10 the NfNiTS ~ carry
! wonaanhood the mark Is invaded by three
| Adams young lord who has Won every
| prize at college except those FOR studies.
! a Frenchman who desires - be thought
| English. and a Scotch earl whose great
| est pride g that ha has inherited all thu
| physical ailments % a score II ancestors.
/ Had LADY Castlei0rian ever 'nFdi.ated
! rnatrluony FOR her daughters. which she
/ had not these sUltors. excepting perhaps
! the first one were FAR removed from
/ what would have been her idea'. P'it
| matters share themselves without her
/ consent ~ even knowledge and she r.
/ turns from trip - london 20 md that
| The w-onaniy natures % her Eirls have
| dominated ana the fNree uuhidden suit
/ OrS ara being entertained at she hall.
| Her horTor a. AL shtS brings her - the
I realization 81 The futili'v ~ her efforts.
/ and sha sanctions the e1Ea cerneots ~ hich
! she found herself nowerleSs 20 prevent