The herald., 1898-09-16
4 OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
AT THE THEATER
NENEHHEKEE g NAN q NNEH q

LOS ANGELES.-Henry Miller closed his
eugagement last night with IA Marriage
of Convenience" which was played before
the largest, II not the most applausive aud
!cnce of the week.
The cast was as follows:
Comte de Candale.. Henry Miller
Chevalier de Valdos......Charles B. Welle:
The General. ............. Arthur ELLIOT
Jasmin s(valeO........... ..'.Earle broWne
Comtesse de Candale... Mabel Bert
Marion (femme de chambre). Margaret Dale
The action of the play, as is kindly ex-
planned on the program, occurs in Paris
A. D. 175O" The piece is called comedy u
date is given, as the manners revealed are
positively shocking. The few people con-
cerned, as will be seen by the list above
given, belong to high society, either as
principals or servants, and their do!ngs re-
veal condition of morals which fortuna te-
ly belonged specially to the period of hun
bred and fifty years ago, and even then to
France.
According to the story, marriage "of con.
venience" has just been celebrated between
two people who have had no previous &C.
quaintance, the affair being entirely ar
ranged by relatives. 1t is almost immedi-
ately discovered by the contracting parties
that each has a private attachment. An
agreement Is made that the status shall not
be disturbed, and the parties are unfaithful
to each other by mutual consent according
tc the custom of society Of that shockingly
depraved dead and gone period.
That the husband learns to love his wife
and that the piece ends with alreconcilia-
ton Of their mutual domestic interests, Is
OF course required in order to satisfy the
sympa thies Of modern audience which
could not be expected to tolerate continu-
ance of such a fragrant breach Of PROM
nent commandment.
The comedy, as an illustration Of manners
that survive only by the help of tradition
and history, is to certain extent interest
ing as a literary cur!o. The acting, how
ever, was delightful. Miss Bert was adj
m.rable as the young wife, playing the part
with feeling and also with an ingenuousness
that made 1t extremely interesting.
Miss Dale has two or three capital scenes
and easily does her best work here as the
typical French soubrette. The young lady
is evidently more at home in this light
comedy than she is ever likely to be in the
more serious walks of the drama.
Henry Miller shows how much he has
gained in his profession, by the delightful
ease and grace with which he played the
part Of the apparently complainant and
unsuspicious, but really very observant
husband. He was ably assisted by the
other men in the piece.
Altogether, with handsome setting, a
number of changes of rich costumes and
an easy action that never allowed moment
10 drag upon the stage, the little comedy
borrowed. or, as 1t is called, adapted by
Sydney Grundy from Alexander Dumas
made quite a hit. While the lines are not
quite SO full Of witty coruscat tons as might
be expected, there was some excellent
satire upon the social customs of long age
that might also do good IL its( application
could fairly be made to any Of the manners
and customs Of today.
O o o
The Frawley company will open Its en-
gagement at the Los Angeles theater this