The Washington times., 1895-01-06
Mr.. and Mrs. Kendall Have Lost
Their Hold Upon the Public.
ANOTHER FIN DE SIECLE PLAY.
It is Called ''The Masqueraders' and is
Choked Full of Immorality-The Action
Deals with Characters Whom It is Aim ,st
Impossible to Imagine as Real-Hadden
Chambers "Ihe Fatal Card at Palmer's.

NEw YoRK, Jan. 2.-That beefy, phlegmatic
English couple, Mr.. and Mrs. Kendall. are at
Abbeys, where they are playing Lady Clan
carty' and trying hard to win few more
American dollars before they return to dear
old England" and the kids.
The play is old-timey, and the curtain falls
on fat weak climaxes at the end of each
act Mr. Kendall is very commonplace. We're
his name not in large letters on the pro-
gramme one would hardly remember his per-
formance after leaving the theater.
Mrs. Kendall uses her hands gracefully, and
In some OF the light emotional scenes her
voice is sweet and pathetic but In the
stronger situations it is harsh high pitched
and rasping. All in all, she is a fair actress,
but not equal TO many American actresses
who are holding comparatively unrecognized
positions. She is poor dresser, for no mat
ter how rich the material of her gowns may
be they always look dowdy. The public ap-
pear TO have lost interest in the Kendals and
the sooner they return to their home and
friends the better it viii be for all concerned.
New Workers are in sore need of something
new in the way OF theatricals when they
flock TO see the far-fetched play, 1.-The Mas
queraders," now running at the Empire. After
brief outline of the piece / will leave it to
the Judgment OF my readers whether or no
such play might prove injurious to young
girls, or
WEAK, ROMANTIC, FACILITATING WIVES.
In the first act the good, pure, innocent
heroine has given upthe dull and prosy work
II. l1z aobu
serves up brandy and soda, lager, mint julip,
or anything the young men OF the town
choose to order, and listens to their jokes and
maudlin conversation with true maidenly
modesty. This she does of her own free will
SO as to have n jolly time. But she longs to
become wealthy (she don't care how and
shine in society, so as to make her friends
envious.
The hero. who is moping about at all times,
loves her, of course, and allows her to order
him about as she chooses, which she de-
lights in doing on all occasions. The villain
is wealthy, and when he makes an indecent
proposal to the girl, this angel of purity is
Battered and pleased rather than shocked at
the insult. We are led to believe that this
innocent maiden has never yet been kissed
by bold. bad man, and so in this barroom
some thirty or forty young men OF the town
propose to rattle off one OF the fair ones
kisses to the highest bidder.
The hero and villain keep bidding till the
latter reaches 5000 guineas, which is just
] 200 too many for the hero. Then, TO spite
the hero. the villain offers marriage to the
girl. and she, of course, jumps at the chance
and accepts him. She knows the man is q
rascal, but that doesn't matter SO long as
he's rich. She is left alone with the hero
shortly after, and because he offered 1000
guineas for kiss she gives him one free
gratis. Notwithstanding the fact that her hus
band that-is-to-be is n mortal enemy OF the
man, ''H ~ -''''ti
AND IN THE NEXT ROOM
The second act shows our heroine four
years later elegantly attired entertaining her
friends in sumptuous elegance. Her baby is
ill, but she appears gay and keeps up appear
ances in great shape Her husband is intoxi-
Gated and his manner toward her is brutal at
times. but she has what she wanted and
should be happy. The hero is at the recep-
tion and requests an interview with her alone
which she grants after the guests have gone
Then he holds her hand and tells her Of his
love and how he has followed her about for
the past four years. He has become rich
while her husband has spent most of his
money. The good man retires to the balcony
to give the husband. who is returning, a
chance. and while the latter is urging his
vile to take advantage Of the here's love and
extort money from him, the hero advances
service. She gracefully accepts and thus set
ties all difficulty with her husband.
The third act shows US the honorable,
ideal woman dressed in the height of fashion,
supporting her vagabond husband and child
with another mans money. She frankly
tells her husband of her love for the other
man, but he doesn't mind Il little thing like
that. and wants more money. Then the
hero arrives Che always comes in at the right
time) and the two men decide to cut the
cards for the following stakes: the villains
wife and child against the hero's f200 000
OF course, how could it be otherwise, the
hero wins, and then after robbing the man of
his wife and child, this honorable, self
sacrificing hero grabs the unsuspectiDg hus-
band by the throat, nearly strangling him in
his own house, and walks proudly away with
the heroine,
CALLING HER HIS WIFE.
In the fourth and last act he brings her to
his home. After all the years of waiting she
is at last his wife. Has he not won her at
the gambling table? That removes ali dis
honor. She accepts his rapturous embraces
and is willing to do as he bids The finger
of scorn which will be pointed at the inno-
cent child in years to come, the blush that
will mantle her fair cheek at the thought of
| her mothers shame are forgotten by that
mother who processes TO love her offspring.
All. all is forgotten by this unnatural hero
and heroine, and in their mad love for each
other they become brutal. In this scene
there are lines spoken which are too in
decent to repeat All through the play the
heroine has a good sister q know she is
good, for her dresses are of brown and gray
cashmere, very simply made) who arrives on
the scene and pleads with the hero, who is
like lion that has tasted blood by this time.
aud
WILL NOT LISTEN TO REASON.
After many entreaties. she gets the heroine
to see the folly of her ways. and the latter
urges him to go to Africa. which trip he had
abandoned on her account. With great hesi-
fancy he consents and departs, calling her
his wife and promising to return soon. Thus
the play ends, and the audience is left TO
wonder what some enterprising manager will
dare do next.
1.-The Fatal Card" written by Hadden
Chambers, author OF Captain Swift was
produced Monday at Palmer's, and promises
to have a successful rum 1t is a melodrama
in five acts, the first being laid in mining
camp at the foot of the Rockies. George For
rester has been convicted of cheating at cards
and is about to be hanged. Gerald Austen,
| however, interyenes ana saves his life. The
two men separate, after tearing in two the
card which caused all the trouble, each keep
ing half as memento. Out of this the
story grows interesting, and the situations
are often thrilling. The cast includes E. J.
Radcliffe, w. 81. Thompson. w. J. Ferguson,
James o. Barrows. May Robson Agnes Miller,
Amy Busby, and Adrienne Dairolles.
POINTERS.
Chauncey Olcott Is playing 'The Irish