The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-27
sEAGIRTERs AT THE THEATER.
They Occupied Boxes at the Opening
Performance of "a Royal Secret.

Performance of "a Royal Secret.
''The Royal Secret" was given its initial
presentation in Savannah last night by
Mr. Wilton Lackaye and his excellent
company. Interest was added to the event
by Manager Weis' box party to the Sea
Girt prize winners
The theater was handsomely decorated.
The boxes were tastefully draped with
flags and bunting and huge palms waved
over the footlights and festoons of gray
moss hung gracefully from the chande-
Tiers. AT the sides of the stage stacks of
arms were surrounded by flags Over
the boxes at the left of the stage hung
the state flag, and opposite it, on the right,
was the flag of the Guards battalion.
Just before the curtain went up, the
members of the Sea Girt team arrived. As
they entered the theater the orchestra
struck up Dixie. The members of the
team were in full uniform and wore
/ their decorations In the boxes at the left
of the stage were Capt. W. w. William
son and Miss Cosens Lieut. F. c. Will
son and Miss May and Capt. and Mrs. J..
c. Postell In the opposite boxes were
Col. George T. Cam, Capt. w. G. Harri-
son and Miss Elliott, Corpl. Fred Myers
and Miss Sullivan, Private H. e. Wilson
and Mrs. Wilson, Private h. c. Mercer
and Miss Freeland Capt. Thomas Hunter
and Miss Moses and Private F. c. Battey.
The guests were Col. VIM. Garrard,
Lieut.. Col. Peter Reilly and
Miss Reilly, Mrs Meldrim Mrs Morgan,
and Mr.. and Mrs. Emile Newman.
Souvenir programems in gold and colors,
tied with punches of violets, were present
ed the Sea Critters and their guests The
programmes had on the first page pic
ture in colors of a confederate soldier upon
a background of the national colors. On
the back page was an emblematic group of
guns colors and sword. The programme
gave the names of the Sea Girt team and
the names of the military guests who were
invited to occupy the boxes with them.
The audience was brilliant one and it
enjoyed the play 1.-THE Royal Secret is
a picture of the times of Louis XIV. 1t is
romantic play. The leading figure is
that of Mondory, a strolling player. in
which Mr.. Lackaye Is seen to advantage.
Louis XIV also cuts an important figure.
he is rival of Mondory for the
hand of ATmende Beaupoe an actress,
IN Mondory's company. The element of
jealousy and intrigue is copiously provided
through the Introduction of Nine de la
Valliere, the kings favorite, who natur-
ally does not relish the diversion of his at
tentions to her. She makes 1t her especial
purpose to incite the king to many more
acts unfaVorable to the lovers than would
otherwise have occurred to the monarch.
The course of events, therefore, is in the
main the outcome of the cross purposes
or De la Valliere, using Louis as her tool
and the actor Mondory The actor has a
personal enemy in De Harley, who has
previously attempted to capture and turn
over to the enemies of the king a political
fugitive. It is the knowledge of this fact
that is used by Mondory as a weapon with
which to fight de Harley. He demonstrates
TO the king that this man is false friend
and thereby wins the kings favor which
is substantially demonstrated by the kings
withdrawal of his affections from the he
roine and yielding her to Mondory In brief
that is the story of the play which is
told In prologue and four
acts The scenery from the castle and
forest of St Germain the kings audience
room, the dressing room in the court the
alter to the final scene in the ante-room
OF the theater where the play eliminates,
i5 handsome in its extreme
Mr. Lackaye was given a warm recep-
ton, and both he and several of his com
pany were recalled after three of the
acts. The company will repeat the play
at a special matinee to-day and again to-
night.
Manager Weis was the recipient of
many congratulations in the lobby of the
theater upon his compliment to the Sea
Critters, and the decora ton of the theater.
The sale of seats for Ahe Geisha" Mon
day and Tuesday nights began yesterday
morning. The opera will be seen here
for the first time. The company present.
ing 1t is said to be an excellent one.
The box sheet will be opened for the
reservation of seats for the lyceum enter
tainments at 8 o'clock this morning at