The record-union., 1897-11-25
ADJUSTMENTS.

AT the Metropolitan Theater this af-
ternoon at half prices, Louis James,
the distinguished tragic and romantic
dramatic artist, supported by large
company of capable people, will pre-
sent the most poetic and romantic OF all
of the plays of the immortal bard,
Romeo and Juliet" Tonight he will
present the new romantic and chivalric
play IA Cavalier of France" and to-
morrow night the great tragedy Spar
tacus the Gladiator The Portland
"Oregonian" of recent date, one of
the most discriminating and. exacting
of coast critics, speaks of Mr.. James
company as one of superior artistic
character, commencing the leading
lady especially as one of the most in
telligent of actresses. It pays high
tribute also to Mr.. James, pronounc-
ing him stronger and as appearing to
better advantage than at any time in
his career OF the new play "A Cav
alier of France" it says that it is
"brimful of fire and action, with some
of it cyclonic in its force and fury and
with all the characters drawn by mas
terly hand and clearly defined" The
drama, it says. is superbly staged by
the managers, Wagenthals and Kem-
per, with picturesque scenery and rich
and historically correct stage fittings,
costumes and furnishings. The char
acter assumed by Mr.. James is pro-
nounced as combining the qualities Of
D'Artignan and Don Caesar De BaZan.
1t puts to a new use Mr.. James ver-
satile talents ip the heroics, his por-
trayal of the dashing cavalier being
exceptionally well adapted to his splen-
did physique and his strong, manly
voice" 1t adds: eft would be diff
cult to say which is the strongest act
in the play, each being picturesquely
grand in its climax Another critic
in characterizing the romantic drama,
says: "The play is laid in the six
teenth century, that period of French
history which is full of opportunities
for pictorial scenic settings, handsome
costuming, and the reckless freedom of
the times, which though dissolute and
abounding in license, were for that very
reason, perhaps, sure to produce ex-
amples of the 'preux chevalier,' men
of accomplished gallantry such as Rene
de Froisac the character represented
by Mr. James. The time of the play
is in the reign of Henry III. the disso
lutte young King of France. A long list
of historic characters is introduced in
this play In one of the acts there is
a long sword conflict in which the we'll
known skill of Mr. James as fencer,
is displayed better than in any piece in
which he has appeared. In another,
where Marguerite of Navarro attempts
to poison Rene de Froisac and his royal
master the King, Rene discovers and
denounces the would-be assassin. He
is challenged to prove his assertion
and calls for venetian glass, a medi-
um much used in those days for the de-
lection Of poison, and as the liquid is
tered, a clever device enabling the aud
fence to watch the action of the poison
on the glass. The leading lady Of Mr..
James company is Mary Emerson, tall,
young, beautiful, with a fine voice and
the dramatic spirit fully developed.
Barry Johnstone is one of the strong
names in the troupe, as also is that of
Mrs Wells. an actress of fine accom-
plishments. Colin Kemper Norman
H Hackett, Laretto Wells, w. A. Lin
coin, Frank W. Peters, Miss Hendricks
and others compose the company. Mr..
James is a favorite here and full houses
may be expected during this brief en-
gagement in which he makes successful
entry into the realm Of romantic art
that made the younger Salvini famous
in the stage world and also presents
dramas that present him at his best
in other dramatic places