The San Francisco call., 1897-03-30
PICTURES Of A
DEPRAVEO COURT
Otis Skinner Presents a
Play of Charles IT'S
Time.
For Fair Virginia" Makes a
Favorable Impression at
the Columbia.
Pretty Ballets at the Tivoli in "Dor
Juan, ad Lib IN W Flood at
the Alcezar Theater.

Love-making and the selfish intrigues
of Charles IFS court are the themes OF
His Grace de Grammont," the roman tic
comedy by Clyde Fitch, with which Otis
Skinner opened his engagement at the
Baldwin Theater last night. The linked
sweetness, long drawn out, of the love-
making and counter love-making is
scarcely strong enough motive to fill
| four acts. But there are some telling sit
uations in His Grace de Grammont,
and the picturesque costumes and settings
of the restoration period. which were
faithfully reproduced in every detail,
made the play a series of charming pic
lures.
"The Merrie Monarch as chroniclers
who condone Charles lis high-rolling pro-
clivities love'to style him, is presented in
anything but an enviable light in "His
Grace de Grammont." Clyde Fitch has
not minced the state of morals, or rather
the utter absence OF morals, which pre-
vailed at his court, and the ''goings on''
OF the wittiest and wickedest of the Stuart
kings are enough to make any American
thank the Lord that royalty has never had
chance to disport itself in the land of
tlon morals are calculated to jar the sensi-
bilities OF the descendants of the Pilgrim
Fathers.
The plot OF the play centers round the
attempt of the tickle Charles to win the
affections of fair Mistress Hamilton, who
in the first act falls in love with tue Count
de Grammont, an exile from Louis XIV's
court. Grammont from all accounts has
been as great high-roller as the Merrle
ornb hofo ho Coil ,,Aa
Hamiiton's charms, but true love makes
him reform, and thenceforth he discards
his former firtations and soars above
court intrigue.
Two ladies with whose affections Gram
mont has dallied are not SO easily shaken
off. however, and they manage to put
several spokes in the Chevalier's wheel.
Twice is sGrammontgoadedb by his enemies
into speaking about Charles before his
face in a way which almost made the
Merrie Monarch cry ''off with his head. 4"
The last time the Chevalier was already
on his way to the Tower for high treason,
with a prospect of decapitation 10 follow,
but in the end Charles was induced to be
generous and not only pardon the cheva-
lier but bless his banns with Mistress
Hamilton.
Otis Skinner was excellent in all the
phases of the Chevalier's role, both as the
ject. His picturesque restoration CO.'S
tune suited him we'll. and there was
nothing that one could have wished al
tered, except to have wished him more
voice for his song.
1t is impossible to speak in too high
praise of Maud Durbin's Mistress Hamil-
ton. Her appearance was extremely pic
turesoue and youthful and she acted with
a winsomeness and girlish abandon that
won her the house.
Frederick Mosiey's makeup as Charles
II was strictly on historical lines. ANY
one familiar with pictures of the Merrie
Monarch could not fail to be struck with
the faithful reproduction of the King.
Mosley acted his part almost as we'll as
he looked it. Rose Shuman and Eda
Aberle were satisfactory as the two ex-
flames of Grammont, though he showed
questionable taste in ad miring TWO ladies
who looked like caricatures of the me W
woman" Sarah Trna acted we'll, and
looked picturesque as Lady Csstlemain,
and the rest of the cast was satisfactory.