The record-union., 1896-10-02

AT the Clunie Opera-house this even
ing the stock company, Whlcn Is Lhe
best we have ever had In Sacramento
for a long seasons work, will present
again the beautiful drama, Divorced.
Manager Todd announces this morn
ing the engagement Of the Madame
Sans Gene company of Augustus Pltou,
headed by Kathryn Kidder as Madame
Don't Care and Augustus Cook as Ma
poleon Bonaparte. The company was
originally engaged for two nights, but
as it has to leave Tuesday night 1t
could not on that occasion mount all its
scenery or give the play in its entirety
Accordingly one night has been can
celed and the troupe remaining until
Tuesday noon will appear at the Met
ropolitan Monday evening next and
give the play in full with the original
scenery and effects and properties. In
deed, Manager Todd says he furnishes
nothing but "a snare drum and two
sticks,'' everything else being carried
by the company. The box office opens
this morning and the prices are, all
seats throughout the house reserved,
dress circle and orchestra 81 80, balcony
circle 81, 10 and 30 cents. Public ex-
pectation has been much aroused con-
corning this famous play which has
achieved such success in the East and
in Europe and that has recently closed
a three weeks run at the Baldwin, San
Francisco. 1t is a historical drama that
has received the highest praise and the
least Of severity in criticism. Miss
Kidder in the matter of costumery is
said to take the palm, and as an actress
is esteemed one of exceedingly superio1
r. L
Duchess is conceded to be a creation
and worthy of the study of any one
The San Francisco Chronicle" said of
the play there:
Kathryn Kidder made decided sue
cess in Nine. Sans Gene The audi
ence liked her from the first, applaud
ed and encouraged her with a frank
ness of appreciation she evidently felt
for she played with constantly enthusi-
astic spirit. 1t may be that she
was not altogether the Sans Gene of
France; but 1t suits the American audi
ence to subdue those characteristics
which in the French are so much less
broad than in the English language
The slang was American, which might
perhaps, be considered inartistic, and
liable to bring Napoleon over to San
Francisco, but that was a minor fault
after all, easily forgiven as adapter's
license. And Miss Kidder had made the
character suit her individuality, which
lent itself very well in it's anguIarities
to the eccentricties of Nine Sans Gene
She gave it, too, a certain refinement
which was agreeable and which made
the woman more popular with the audi
ence. Her business was carefully con-
hay
adventures with the court gowns and
long trains gave unmitigated delight
to the ladies'
The San Francisco "Call'' said of that
occasion:
THE plot of Nine Sans Gene shows
in prologue how the washerwoman Cath
crime Hulbscher saves an Austrian Off
Ger, De Neipperg. during the revolu-
ton from the wrath of the French pop
ulace with the help of her fiancee, Le-
febvre, and later shows how she res
cues him again when Lefebvre has be-
come Duke and the Emperor suspects
the Austrian Of being the Empress
lover.
THE story also shows how Napoleon
tries to make Lefebvre divorce his wife,
Nine. Sans Gene, for her free and easy
manners, and how Sans Gene herself
wins his favor and makes him her
friend.
THE background had good deal to
do with last nights success, for Nine.
Sans Gene is to a great extent a series
of gorgeous tableaux, with one figure,
that of the ex-washerwoman standing
out warm and lifelike among the other
somewhat stilted dramatis personae,
who give one the impression of being
on continual dress parade
Such velvets and satins, yards and
yards of them trailing over the stage
in regal magnificence Such jewelry to
look at it made one wink and blink!
|Such uniforms! and they were not made