The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-05
THEATRICAL ADJUSTMENTS,
CHARLES F~ROH1rAH's OoNPANY IN
II PLAf At THE EMPIRE.

n Frnuce-RruH1tn war DRAMA ~ raul ~.
Petter-A Probably Fiuni RiEzie OF the Cri.
terIon Independent Theatre - stage Notes,
The Frohman stock company belonging TO the
Empire Theatre gets hardly q fair share OF tho
time at that house. 1t was not permitted
to begin this winters season there until
last night, when 1t did so in the pres
enco OF q brilliantly fashionable audience.
The new drama enacted was The Conquer.
ors,'' by Paul NJ. Potter. inspired by one OF
Maupassant's short stories, but essentially
tho original work OF tho American play
wright. Its theme was the old, old one of
lovers separated by tho hatreds and vicissi-
tudes OF war. But the story OF their progress
from hostility to wedlock was now and was very
strange. The man was a Prussian officer, who
went with tho invading army into France.
Tho woman was a French resident OF
Dinan, whose family castle was made tho
quarters for some of the enemy. The officer
was a wanton destroyer Of the household
treasures of art and a brutal bully in
his manner toward the ladies. He insulted
the heroine SO grossly that she angrily
threw o glass of wine in his face. Ac-
tuated by q feeling Of revenge, he entrapped
her alone in q tavern, and told her that he was
going to assault her outrageously, feloniously.
She pleaded for pity, and then, his manliness at
last saving him from the commission OF the
crime, he withdrew from the place. But there was
n drunken, lustful landlord there to take up the
deed where the other had relinquished 1t This
scoundrel seized and choked the girl, aud, whilo
she was unconscious from that first onslaught,
the officer came back and killed her assail-
ant. When she regained consciousness, and
saw the dead body of the landlord. she believed
that he had lost his life in n vain defense OF her
against the successful b~estiality Of the officer.
She became rovengeful against the really inno-
cent man and stabbed him, but the wound
did not kill. They fell in love with each other.
After learning that sho had not indeed been
maltreated at all she saved him from being shot
for numbering the landlord, and they plighted
their troth to marry after the war should be
ended.
1t will be seen that Mr.. Potter's scheme had
been exceedingly bold, and he had very boldly
worked it out. He had not lacked the courage
to mako of it a melodrama of the intensest
kind, nor to relieve the tragic scenes
with contrasting ones of song, dance,
and revelry by the German roysterers and a
lot of concert hall women from Paris.
The first act contained a gay carousal
BY these parties in h, the s castle int inttor Supnnl
c%latory young mistress, and leading up to an ad.
mirable climax in her frenzied response to the
insult. In the second act the Partisan women
danced reckiessly before the episode Of rapine
and bloodshed. Again in the third act:
celebrated with feet and voices a supposed vic:
tory of the French, just prior to the stabhing Of
the dcnouemcnt of hate supplanted BY love;
All this matter was treated carefully ana
EMPIRE EaaI;i In H The ieadiHr T two parts eRs " we're p pia! &c
with all possible effect by Mr.; Fayersham and
s Mss ie AiIsn; WIFE IssF foT wf Blanche me roe wash al an a anaf !ishs
COMEDY characters for Mr.. Wheelock and Miss
eon a. S5,v Miss as kssssn y Mr,! EFstif sspa h 6HRRy
s sGea made saS a 20 debut Sis as Ms GPS If the Ss SSmel an.
otbar atapa rncrpit from "Sncinty." ThnRa
and we're NOT awkward, Mr. &c, Cf,roa% nEsO nm Mr.;
we're in the cast. and there were plenty OF trained
pa~ntomimists and choristers to help out the
ceilent incidental, music to play between acts.
and Mr.. UNIT had painted a fine set Of scenery.
II Of Mn the n drama itsoi h,i It must be- said that it
surprised the audience with its candor. some;
BY the exposition Of the circumstantisi evil
dence upon which the heroine mistakenly con-
her. But the interest was intense. and the only
passage that miscarried-near the end OF the
Ri1ayr rsnd.r be e easily fy,l ,ee0e e4aesiSsi II It a is way q
peculiar piece. melodramatic, in the legitimate
sense of the word. and SO bold and strong IN us
depictions that it is bound to DO the theatrical
talk Of the town. That it is good dramatic
art will hardly be questioned nor that
What may easily become a ferce discussion Of
its qualities will arise. including not a little OF
condemnation as well as admiration, but that
will assist it to popularity; So it is safe to
write down 1.-The Crusaders" as another Empire
success.
The Criterion Independent Theatre izzled
ont yesterday. The afternoon performance
which it had advertised at Hoyts was not
given. The few persons who went there saw
closed doors. and a placard which said that q
postponement had been caused by the 'indis-
position of William +. Henley, who was to
have taken n part in each of tie three plays
that had been prepared. The employees of
the house seemed TO know little and care less
about the matter. Their interest had ended
with the judicious collection of rent in advance.
They were not engrossed a little bit in the Cri.
terion enterprise of elevating the drama. Mr..
Henley is noted for surely getting his pay, and
1t was surmised that he was 'indisposed" in
this instance to do without it. He was really
hoarse but he had been 80 ever since the failure
of his voice compelled him to cease acting
regularly. 1t was said, too, that Elita Proctor
Otis had been forced to withdraw her services.
but that was, not so, though there had ben a
fB erolSde. an excellent actress, remembered in
Salvini's last American company, had been
enngag9a for tie heroine Of Giuseppe GiaGosa,s
1t was not easy to obtain a suitable successor,
because the Criterion directors had published
ayers. whom they had described In a pros
pectus rs i~lliterate, vulgar adventurers, and
draw the best talent. Daniel Frohman, Angus
!, tin DAILY, and Charles Frohman, who would
otherwise have permitted their actors to en-
gage in these matinees. positively forbade IL
Under the circumstances. Miss Otis, who is
= playing in Brooklyn In "a Ward Of France, :"
l accepted the part, but tho Criterion reformers
had abused the authors and managers OF that
5 play very viciously. and almost at the last mo-
: mcnt IL transpired that Miss Otis had not So
V cured tho consent of Klaw d. Erlanger. her en-
ployers.. That firm, however. did not interfere.
The failure to hold the matinee may have
been due to n scarcity of money in the treasury.
|, At least one employee had brought suit for sal,
|, disrcgarded by New York, to which it was
= brought from st. Louis. and il is understood to
have exhausted its capital. The grandiloquent-
Iy announced series OF ten semi-monthly matt
a ntes ito demonstrate that literature has a place
= on the American stage and that whatever
is Is wrong, begun and ended with a poor and flu.
tile performance of Ibsen's John Gabriel Bork.
a man" last November. 1t was not until yester
day that a second attempt proved abortive.
2 Tho well.meaning but indiscreet conductors an.
= tagonized at the outset those important man.
i ayers and tnfiI ntial reviewers WHO, until