The times., 1899-02-21

line in lavishing care and money produc-
tion these matters are not noticed they might
be otherwise. There is wide difference between
the handsome scholar who slaps his gloyed hand
on his iesthern doubet and declares Il am gen
tleman from Gascony" and tho rough shod fel-
low who sights old rifle while remarkng,
Hands up! I'm Coyote Charles from Wyom-
ing, 50 intelligent audiences that would be
tempted To call The Kings Musketecr'' a
Sational lot of doggercl were il but by such a
man as Albert Berg, it a delightful ro
nance upon noting from whose hands the work
comes.
Nor is all of this pure mental shoddyiSm. 1t is
after ALL hut natural that elegance and refine
ment. intellectually and beauty, sentiment and
seeming bravery should appeal to even when
the sane kernel in another nut would provoke hut
ndcule. so it is but fair to remark that Mr.
SothernS vchcle-harbarous melodrama that
it is undoubtedly appears while il lasts to he
thing OF color and strength OF dash and vgor
and OF all that is striking and brilliant. Last
nights assembly enjoyed the performance huge
iy, and. indeed, were the piece even more faulty
than it is the costumes and scenery would be
cheap at thrice the price OF admission
The star himself assumes the role of the pug
nacious Young Gascon. portion of whose glory
has fallen actors like Fechter Sheridan
Ihorne, and the younger Salrini. lie sets his i'm
person1tion in the clearest and strongest light.
sun playing the part with all the broad effects
and st'lted trickiness that might he expected of
less able man. Graceful and comprehensive.
withal his portrayal is still noisy and often
reasoniess. As usual, Mr.. Sothern is most at home
in his love making and he has not forgotten how
to fence but he delivers his best speeches rant
lngly, and does himself several other gross in
justices.
There are thirty characters in the p!ay-nt its
beginning. This list narrows down considerably
before the end OF the last act. Mr.. Sothern's
supporting company takes its tone from him and
Is Tor the most part noisy and irrational. Some
hne bits of work done but Of the portraits
are but roughly sketched and much too blacky
The three musketeers-Athos, PorthoS and Aratnis
are seen in the persons OF Roydon Erlynnc
Norman Connicrs, and George f. Bryant One of
these actors is able and conscientious the second
more riotous than brasgart role requires
and the third proves clever and finished. Row
land Blackstone. who appears the captain of
the COMMAND, speaks almost unintelligibly and
has some unpleasant mannerisms, while Morton
sclton'5 portrayal OF the weaK Louis NH, Arthur
X. Lawrence, the crafty CARDINAL and Marshall
Stcdnan. as the ovc-siek Buckingham. are digni-
fed, conscientious and-quiet. Rebecca Warren
i fair as the Queen, though not quite up TO her
more emotional passages; Edith Crane is stately
and convincing the adventures, and Katherine
Florence is pleasing in the role of the lady in
waiting-D' 'ArtaGnan's inamoEata. Kate Patti>on-
Selton and G. p Fiocton round of to advantage
cast with one common faut-its belief in the
deafness OF audiences.
The Kings Nlrsketeer' will be given until
Friday night, when it will he replaced with "A
Colonial Girl