The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-24
JULIA MARLOWE,
a Brilliant and Richly Dressed Audience
Welcomes Her Return to Worcester


Welcomes Her Return to Worcester
Julia Marlowe's new play has at least
one excuse for existence. 1t is an eX-
cellent manual of the customs and man
ners of the time Of the restoration The
etiquette, politics and costumes are all
faithfully portrayed-especi the cos
tunes. At the stars first entrance,
the ladies delayed the perfunctory ap-
plause of welcome to give one Mortified
glance at her garb, and then devoutly
murmured thanks that they We're liv-
ing in 1899 instead of 1876. The odd
couture and ugly cut gowns are ex-
tremely unbecoming to Miss Marlowe,
and the other ladies of the cast like
wise found them considerable handi-
cap, excepting Miss Ida Vernon, who
appeared the same majestic and mag
nlt1cent dowager she always does
Aside from the admirable picture of
the morals and manners of the time
the play gives, ones interest in the play
is languid till the capital acting of Mr..
beach as King Louis, in the last act,
enllVens everybody up, and sends them
home In good humor. There is a great
deal of dialogue, but little of it rises
above commonplace. The story lags,
and it takes all the skill of the com
pany-which is considerable-to hold
the attention of the audience. Mr.. Har-
court, Mr.. Blair, Mr. Hall and Mr..
Charges, of the gentlemen, and Miss
Vernon, for the ladies, have the prin-
clpal burden of the support, and handle
their roles gracefully and intelligeutly,
like the skilled actors they are.
The play is decidedly the property of
Collinette. the heroine. for she is kept
on hn 1of
but of conversation-for nearly the
whole progress Of the play Miss Mar
lowe invests the role with her accus-
toned charm. but the nervous. flighty
precocious child Collinette is pictured
to be. is a difficult creation for even
her personality to satisfactorily leaven.
She, in common with her support, was
richly and magnificently costumed, and
the drama was deliberately and accur-
rately staged.
In the story Of the play, Collinette
IS the bourgeoise young wife of the
Marquis de Rouvray, a former Bona
partist, who now follows the fortunes
Of the empire. Becoming innocently
embroiled in a Bonapartist plot, he falls.
under suspicion, and at the same time
his wife attracts the attention of the
susceptible king. The minister of
police pursues the husband with spies
and the wife with temptation until the
last act. when the king with unhistori-
cal clemency, pardons Collinette and
her husband, and banishes the too zeal
GUS minister. AS said above, the last
act is the best Of the four and almost
worth waiting through the other three
to see.
The house was crowded by a bril-
liant and extremely cordial audience.
including very many of Worcester's so
ciety leaders.
Tonight Miss Marlowe plays Rosa
lind, a part in which she Is always well
come. Already good seats for the per-
torrance are conspicuous by their
scarcity. In view of the fact that we
have so few good Shaksperian produce
tons and so many excellent romantic
actresses, one is tempted to wish Miss
Marlowe would conf1ne her repertoire
to the classic drama, Of which she is
the acknowledged queen in America,
and leave commoner plays to commoner
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