The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-31
NbanOla
ADJUSTMENTS.


EngliSh's-"The Kings Musketeer."
Poetic Sothern came nearer realizing the
public ideal Of the Gascon D'Artagnan in
The Kings Musketeer,i at English's, last
night than the intellectual Mansfield did
as the Gascon Cyrano. As a result Sothern
reaped a glorious reward in furious ap-i
plause after each of the dozen scenes in this
new version of THE Three Musketeers."
The fine audience, second only to Mans
fields in eclat, departed immensely salts
fled and reluctant to leave the theater
which, for the time, had been the scene of
so much romantic daring, and courage. and
dueling, so much lovemaking and perfumed
chivalry. Sothern has fairly surpassed all
his former efforts as a feathered-hat actor
with swagger boots and "trusty sword"
He can turn more pretty compliments in one
breath than any of his rival poseurs, and he
Is just as ready as ever to die for jealousy
or rip open the bowels of an adversary In
deed, Sothern played the Gascon as Mans
field would have played him had he not
played him the way he did, and there is no
offense in that to either fine gentleman
II the leading actors of the stage are GO
ing to return to the heroic drama they
should all take look at Sothern's new pro-
duCtion. ANY one who calmly SURVEYED the
audience at English's last night and saw
the people carried away with enthusiasm
in the good old-fashioned style at the thrill
ing events of this famous Dumas story will
be ready TO admit that the stage is ripe for
a return to the old plays again There was
enough blood-letting in the first act to set
The gallery shouting, and il was all so
gracefully and CALAMITY accomplished as to
win the immediate appreciation of the more
refined taste of. the parquette. From the
time when SotheFn, as DArtagnan, meets
the three famous musketeers, Athes, Pro-
thos and Aramis, and joins them in the
great act OF despatching the cardinals
guards, he had the audience at his COM
mand.
The drama retains the characters of King
Louis, Cardinal Richelieu, Queen Anne
Buckingham. Miladi and in all has thirty
three speaking parts. The Queens maid of
honor Gabrielle, with all the purity of a
modern heroine. with whom D'Artagnan
falls In love, lends moral tone to the French
story ana assists IN Diling up sympathy for
the success Of D'Artagnan, who finally
triumphs over all his enemies and defeats
the plots Of foxy Richelieu himself. The
play when given in It's entirety requires two
nights for its performance, but il has been
condensed with keen insight and fine APP
probation so that nothing is really lost.
While the scenes at times are a triie more
IMAM tableduX, the heart of the story is so
accurately set forth as TO maintain Won
derful continuity of thought and action.
Whole chapters of the book are put into a
single speech and II is done so we'll as
To become a powerful adjunct To dramatic
exigency Sotherns recital of his wonderful
adventures IN quest of the queens dia-
mOnds which buckingham had carried off
TO England, Is given without a break and
It's strength Is IN the cumulative climax
that came as near sweeping the audience off
its feel as anything spoken or done in the
play.
The success OF the production owes no lit
tie praise TO the number Of excellent people