The times., 1898-01-30
National.

.sPrius.s Rudolph" the play In Whlch
otfs skinner has made one OF ms
greatest hits, comes to the National
this week, with Mr.. Skinner as '
Prince. The scene of this play Is laiu
in a tiny German principality' CURING
the early years of the present ceutui y
There is more romance, more SEM
mont and more good fighting materidl
in one of those wee German poeNe
rnonarchies than in almost any o'N0'
nlaca of its size; more than III may
~,aa+ kings court. The relgIihS
nrince of the principality of hronIeia'
p,,dolnb Wilhelm by name, mas hial
- to,. state reasons, the daughtei
- a neighboring grand duke. ~ %
+har odd TO think of that moaeih
rovth the new woman, croppihS
nearly a hundred years ago III d VI
man town, but that is what happens III
this play. The prince is loha Vi iiui.
ing. fishing amateur theatrlcais a
amateur verse. The princess Euoii'
is an ambitious princess, and her nus
hand turns the government over TO
her amounting her regent, ana ue-
votes himself to his pet amusemenls'
,rhe villain of the situation is the prime
minister. Baron Won Kanderperg, VINO
takes the opportunity to lay ms oW
,,Ianc IN overthrow the government ana
establish a republic, with hiInSelI as
president He most unscruPulouslS
nses the princess to further ms plans
One evening Rudolph comes nome lale
from hunting eXpedltloh' anu, tanIS
refuge in the house of peasant, learns
by accident of the plot for his over
throw. and. also by accident, meets ms
wife and falls in love with her On ms
return to the palace the prince mas
baIl in progress, and discovers, by the
way. that people are gossiping about
his wife and the prime minister. Mean-
while Won Kanderberg has called
meeting of the council, and undertakes
to get from the treasury large
amount of money, ostensibly for a war
fund. but really for his own purposes.
The princess presides, and all the coun-
ell sign the order but one, a cousin OF
the prince, who knows of Rudolphs
presence in the palace, and insists that
he be called. There is quarrel between
this councillor and the prime minister,
and in the midst of it all the prince
comes in, asserts his authority, and de-
nounces Won Kanderbers. The willy
prime minister. however, explains to
Edora his own side of the case, and in
duces her to sign a warrant for the
princes arrest. The latter is warned
of his impending arrest. and Edora is
warned of Won Kanderbergs depraved
character and in the midst of Edora's
perplexity and humiliation, the prime
minister enters to tell her of the sue
cess of his plans. She is very angry and
very beautiful, and he proceeds to make
violent love to her. She orders him to
leave; he refuses. Just at this point
the prince enters, rescues his wife at
tacks Won Kanderberg. and as the lat
ter falls the prince is arrested by
friends of the prime minister. The
prince and his cousin are taken to priS-
on. but Edora succeeds in releasing
them The revolution, however, is un-
der way and when the prince returns
to the palace he finds that his wife has
been driven out. They meet in the
farmers cottage and there is a pretty
and touching scene, in which both are
very much in love, very contrite for
past misdemeanors. and very happy.
Meanwhile the revolution has been
suppressed by friends of the prince.
and the curtain falls on the prince and
princess rulers in fact as we'll as name.
The role of Rudolph. as may be seen.
offers great opportunity for player OF
Mr.. SINNERS ability. and it is one of
the most successful which he has play
ed. The leading lady Of the company is
Maud Durbin. whose Juliet made a
sensation last season. Frederick Mos
ley is leading man. and the company
as a whole is a fine one.