The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-06
AT The PLAY HOUSES.
GREAT ATTRACTIONS FOR FAIR
wEEK-rHREEP STARS.
keeDe as Louis NJ. and Richard Iii'-Ehs-
Ter in shakspearian Kevival-He-
appearance OF Hobson-A Breezy
Time" and Vans Miustrcis.


Theatre on the opening night OF ms en-
gagemtnt. Moday. oct. It'll, 1t Is a dra-
matlzation OF Sir Waiter SCOTS novel;
Quentin Durward." with new scenes
| and situations written expressly LOT III
/ keene. and found H. no other ac'hs N''-
sion. ..
The history of Louis XI. is the history
| OF France, Of the early part OF the III
| teonth century, touching upon lnciuel'S
marking the closing days OF one Vi III.
| most remarkable men that ever ulssi 80
| a throne Louis rule was continues
| fight against the fcudal power Oh VIC
mobiles of France. II was also d" suus
| gle in supremacy between the W 81
ISIS represented by Louis and the Bur
gundians under Charles the Bold. LOUIS,
| ike Richard ILL.,. Of England was no
tjmid ruler. In natures alike they ue-
| Tended their crowrs with all the req
| handed power OF their medieval tram
ing. Crafty, cruel. treacherous' lo'liis
| no one. not even the Dauphln, LOUIS
| life was struggle against crlhslHs Sup-
| erstition and an abject fear OF dealh-
! Prisons swarrned with the victims OF MS
| hatred and his policy, the AK OF the
beadsman was ever busy. he trusted
none. for none trusted him; the nearest
| tools Of his will, chosen from
dress OF the people, were 'he
| trusted officers Of his council he was
| slave 10 his physician, TO whom he as
| cribed the mower of life and death: he
was a constant prey TO dread of assassi-
nation. and the one spark OF affection
| fla hing at times for his son only was
| always marred by a Gistrust that the
son might conspire TO remove him from thc
| throne. as ne himself had been more than
| suspected of acting toward MS own
| father.
The plot Of the play is unique and
| intensely dramatic. The young Duke
dc Nemours, whose father had been De-
headed by Louis. arrives at the French
| Court, held for the time at the Castle
| Of Plessis les Tours. He comes as In
voy from Burgundy. his identity as Ne
mours being alone known 10 Coluer lie
Comynes and his daughter Marie. lhere
is an old love between Nemours and
Marie. and from the conhding girl. Louis
! ny cunning treachery. elected the fact
| of the presence of his determined enemy.
As Envoy Nemours person is supposed to
be sacred, but Louis, who was never
| known TO regard an obligation, plans
with one Of his mlni0ns 10 assassinate
| him Circumstances connected with the
| envoy. however. released Louis from all
further hypocrisy Of purpose and Ne
mours is arrested and doomed 10 death.
The impressive fourth act shows us
Louis I'm his gloomy tapestried hamber.
! Nemours has escaped. The old King
is stricken with terror. Cotier refusing
10 tell of the fugitive is ordered 10 the
rack. Marie pleading for her lover Is
| hurrIedly dismissed. Ia every futter OF
the tapestry end every football Louis
agonzed fancy hears the step Of his
| implacable foe. one Of the trusted Scot
fish Guard is placed in an ante-chamber
ready with his arquebus to fire on any
one who enters. In the momentary re-
| pcntance OF his extreme agony. Louis
tries TO pray. but the crimes of his life
| rise I'm myriads before him like accusing
! ghosts. At this moment NemOurs, who
| has dispatched the guard. stands before
| him with uplifted dagger 20 avenge his
fathers death and his own wrongs
In the fifth act. we look upon the ex-
| piring moments Of Louis The hour
| for the execution of Nemuors draws
| near. All pleadings for his life are
| vain. The hand Of death is at the old
Kings heart. but the spirit which guild
ed him through life will not weaken to-
wards the son OF his hereditary enemy.
Azrael claims alike the monarch and
the serf without distinction. The King
dies in time TO save the life Of Nemours
The romance Of young love and the
promise OF higher aims of the
Dauphin. now King, are consistent
with history. All the scoundrels who
have revealed I'm a glut Of butchery and
crime under Louis are relocated bv the
young King TO the merited block and
gibbet. The happiness Of Nemours and
Marie is assured by the friendship Of
the King and the curtain falls on a grand
burst Of affection as the son bows his
head over his dead father
No death scene within our stage mem
cries has ever surpassed Keene's mar
Vicious acting. 1t is an effort or pro-
foundest realism which seen. can never
lie forgotten. II he had never done any
thing else his Louis XI would stamp
him as one Of the great actors Of our
times
An eminent authority on theatrical
matters has said: Among all the Arneri-
| can actresses this generation has pro-
duced, few have touched human SYM
pathies so gently. so surely. so effective
~ as Efhe Elsler." Play patrons have re-
celFed sufficient evidence OF the truth OF
the above assertion in the recollection OF
her engagements in this city. on the
occasion Of her appearance at the Acad-
-''f - -A@'A'f oAoIitl anu TUESDAY.
Miss Eiisler Will be seen In Shak-
speare's comedy, AS You Like It." and
Alexander Dumas La Dame aux Cam
Mas. Miss Ellsler Is too well known to
the public TO need a discussion as 10 her
merits as an actress. She has on many
occasions demonstrated her lust title 10
the highest dramatic honors. Grea.
interest has been awakened among thea
tTe-goers 10 see the lady I'm Shakspearian
roles. and the announcement that she
VIII appear as Rosalind I'm "As You Like
II VIII be quite sufficient 10 attract a
large audience. Her production OF mis-
play Is said TO be on a scale of maenin-
cence hitherto unprecedented All the
music, including the famous Cuckoo
song VIII be introduced and the cos
tuning VIII be historically correct ana
elegant ""u
MISS Eisler IS true Shaksneorian
schoiar' imbibing both taste and instrt,c-
ton from her father John 4 F,llslar
who In the days OF Forrest. Eddy and
Booth. was ranked as the greatest lea
si.inate comedian OF America. This NOT
aoie actor Is one of the members Of his
daughters company. which includes more
than twenty Shakspearan artists AMONG
whom are Frank Weston. Holbrook 1,I,nn
George j.. Baker. Beatrice Dauncourt
and Bessie La Lestina.
"As You Like IT. will no renao.os ..
the matinee on Tuesday. and IN Tues
day evening with elaborate production OF
camille VIII constitute the bill In the
latter pay Miss Ellsier will OF course an
pear as Marguerite"