The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-01-19
OF the Latest in Drama
AN INDECENT SENSATION.

man has indignantly come forth with the
statement that ''it has proved one OF, the
greatest triumphs of the Empire theatre.
It is drawing crowded houses and suits
our clientele. Mr.. George Alexander
who viii produce 1.-The Conquerors" at
| the St James theatre, London, during
| this season., gave a copywright perfor-
nance Of the play in order to protect 1t
| in England. Mr. Alexander writes that
he sent the manuscript to the London
| play censor (Which is necessary with all
plays in London) and received reply
| which not only granted permission, but
| congratulated Mr. Alexander upon hay
ing 50 powerful q play.
Mr.. Potter is daring dramatist, and
| probably felt emboldened by the success
of his dramatic version Of ''Trlby"
! (Which is said to have netted him $40
| 900 for HIMSELF to 60 10 any length. Con-
! corning the extreme 10 which he has
verged in 1.-The Conquerors," he has re-
marked: cts a tart story, I know, but
the whole tendency of the stage is toward
realism In The Conquerors' I've tried
to draw the line between realism and
/ brutality-between the Theatre Francois
and the Theatre Libre."
The action Of the drama, in four acts,
may be recapltulated. It takes place
during the Franco-Prussian war. Uhlan
I officers are CHARTERED in the castle of the
/ ancient De Grandpre family, at Oman,
I a small Brenton village. In the midst of
/ q revel which these officers are holding
! with a lot of Persian dancing girls in
+ the castle library Yvonne de Grandpre
enters and protests against the desecra-
( ton of her ancestral home. Insulted by
one Of the young Uhlan officers, Eric
( Won Rodeck, she dashes a glass of cham
payne full in his face. In the second
/ act, CHANGING to have Yvonne in her
| power Eric deliberately plans a forcible
assault upon her virtue. And though the
picture she draws Of her defenselessness
| deters him from his plan, and he a few
moments later Stays a william who is
actually about to assault her, the i'm
preston left by his first fell purpose
would seem to be too painful to be
erased by any subsequent transforma-
ton in his character.
| Yvonne tainted when the second as
sault was attempted upon her, and be-
! Heves that the man whom Eric slew
! died in attempting to defend her against
| the Uhlan. Thinking that the latter
! accomplished his purpose, she stabs him
| But the knife does not penetrate vital
! part. When finally she learns that he
saved her, her hatred turns to remorse.
And when Eric is also instrumental in
| aiding her brother, Hugo, to escape, her
remorse softens to love. The part Eric
| played in IIugo's escape becomes known
to the German general Won Braden-
burg, and the young officer is sentenced
| to be shot. Before sentence can be exc
! cuted. however news is received that
French army under Bourbaki is APP
| preaching. Eric is promised his life if
| he will destroy a weak bridge and thus
retard the enemey's approach. Before
he dashes off to execute this mission
Yvonne indicates her love for him. Thus
a weak bridge is not appropriately the
weak span over which Eric passes from
| blackguardism to heroism.
Mr.. Potter has made of this plot
melodrama of the intensest kind but has
relieved the tragic scenes with contrast
| ing one sof song. dance and revelry by
the German roysterers and a lot of con-
cert hall woman from Paris. The first
act contained a gay carousal by these
parties in the castle, interrupted by the
entrance of the proud and denuncitory
young mistress, and leading up to an adj
mirabIe climax in her frenzied response
to tn einsult. In the second act the
Partisan women danced recklessly before
Again in the third act, back in the
drawing room of the castle, they cele-
brate with feet and voice supposed
victory of the French, just prior to the
stabbing of the hero by the girl.
Perhaps the best criticism passed upon
the play has been the New York Her
AIDS comment that Mr.. Potter seems
to have started with the absurd hypoth-
esis that German officers are not gentle
men. and then to have attempted TO
show how one German officer was con-
verified into a person fit for refined people
shocking features of this extreme
drama. a Herald interviewer also bluntly
put Mr. Potter on the stand with the in
/ terrogatiou:
us il possible that a man who, pike
{ C
at the last moment is deferred by her plea
ding, can win the Interest and sympath-
les Of an audience? And is it possible,
even though he subsequently becomes the
womans defenher against another as
saiIant. THAI an audience can understand
! how that woman car fall in love with him
and all IL the brief period of time in
which the story Of The ConqUerors' tran
spiros@"
You've gone right 10 the kernel of it.
I claim that the play is natural from
a wonans point oe view; and I wrote
/ Tho Co1querors' for women. Up TO the
/ end of the first act. when Yvonne dashes
| 3 glass Of champagne in Erics face for
/ insulting her ne has done nothing
/ spoiled young chap. hot in his blood
wouldn't have done.
/ Now the whole point as to the sue
cess Of the play is this: VIII women for
/ give E~ic for having intended TO assault
/ Vvo2ne and going so far as to partly
carry out his intention? I believe they
! viii. Women viii forgive anything for
/ love
"Of course, / think II would have been
a mistake 10 have made the scene Of
! the attempted assault too long. ! merely
casa it AT the audience. and thr
next moment Eric Is Yvonne's defend
( er As TO what follows in the next
act men and women viii have different
/ opinions. Men VIII say: Isn't It rot that
! she didn't know whether she was as
saulted or note' Women on the other hand
/ will ask each other the question: Would