Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-02-09
OUT AND ABOUT.
''MASQUE OF CULTURE" CHARMS A
MIXED AUDIENCE.
Successful Repetition of the Piece
Applause and Fun-Putnam-Gra
Wedding-old South Garden Par
ty''-Adams Reception

A large and fashionable audience as
sembled in Association Hall, Tuesday
evening, to witness 1.-THE Masque of
Culture at it's presentation by members
Of the Worcester Woman's Club, for the
benefit of a Womans Club building
fund This was the second perform
ance. the first having been given before
the members Of the club at an afternoon
tea in Memorial Hall, a fortnight ago
and in several respects the play as pre-
sented last night was an improvement
over that earlier production. The stage
accessories, though still extremely sim
pie, were yet more elaborate and salts
flying than in the first instance. Sew
eral persons had been added to the cast
adding picturesqueness to the effect of
the stage, and greater care was mani
fest in the grouping and ensembles. TIE
costumes were the same, and the only
change made in a speaking part was
in the role Of Zenobia, which was very
acceptably taken last night by Mss
Ellen Coombs, owing to the indisposi-
tion Of Mrs. ]. G. MacMurray Miss
Coombs wore flowing robe of yellow,
with a tiara in her classicaliy- arranged
locks, Mrs. A. c. Getchell and Mrs
J. W. DISCO, as DR.. Mary Walker, had
been added to the several groups Of "fol-
lowers" of the different factions IN the
convention. Most noticeable among
them, of course, was DR.. Walker, who
wore her hair combed straight back
from her noble brow, her manly breast
being encaSed in a stiff shirt front and
plentifully besprinked with badges. A
beautifully fitting black broadcloth coat
and a tall silk hat completed her dis
tinguished costume. DR.. Walker fire.
quently felt herself impeded in her eff
forts to see and hear what was going on
In the convention, and on such occa-
sions she did not hesitate to rise from
her chair and look about her, holding
her hat before her with a gentle solicit
tude for its safety that was touching.
Not little Of the success of the various
parts was due to the skilful facial make
up of Mr.. T. Haywood Blood, who kind
~ lent his assistance.
The first and third scenes were rem
dered> more attractive by the addition
of greenery, which assisted the idea of
Olympus successfully. The stage had
been built out several feet, and it was
on the added portion that most of the
action throughout took place. All the
back was filed in with tall fir trees, and
the effect Of their feathery green against
the star-sprinkled dome was immensely
pretty and Christmasy. In the second
scene the ladies were grouped in an ir-
regular semi-circle, with Charlotte and
her followers at the left, Gertrude and
her followers in the middle, Maximilia
r. Stantmore and her followers next,
and the two philosophers occupying the
other extreme of the circle. AS the cur
tain rose and fell on the chattering mob
of women the effect was characteristic
and funny. The convention scene is
one to be remembered.
At the time of the first performance
of the "Masque of culture" the plot
was given in the Spy somewhat in de-
tail, therefore it would be out of place
to repeat the story or incidents here.
| The play went off smoothly and most
enjoyably, not only so far as the audi
| ence was concerned, but also with re-
spect to the players thems elves, as was
witnessed by the act of Confucius in
bursting out laughing in one solemn
tete-a-tete between himself and Socra-
ties. The two philosophers were ap-
plauded as they appeared upon the
stage, so was Minerva, who was regal
and imposing, and so was Charlotte
And here it may be said that through
out the play the speakers were frequent
ly interrupted by applause and laugh
ter, and that there were emphatic cur
| tain recalls after the second and last
scenes. Indeed, it was a notably friend
ly and cordial assembly, fact to be ac-
counted for in part, no doubt, by the
family and neighborly relations existing
between the cast and many in the au-
dience. Still the play was interesting
and clever and enjoyment of it never
waned.
There were some funny things not
down in the piece. The kilograms made
much amusement, introducing as they
did 'tgrinds" on Ten Eyck, Consuelo
Marlborough, the Prince OF Wales, the
debaters on college education at a re-
cent meeting of the Woman's Club and
other local and temporal hits. When
Confucius laughed the audience followed
suit, and the smile that lowered at all
times about the features of the audi
ence deepened as Socrates paused in
one Of his most sententious remarks to
make nervous grab at his whiskers
They appeared to be In danger of fall