The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-24
Marriage licenses.
THIS LOCAL srAcE.
\ MnEnfHccnt Production of "The
Prisoner of Zenda." il


The thanks OF the theater- going publ,
are due to Mr. Anthony Hope for hi
novel, THE Prisoner OF zenda,' and /,
Mr.. Edward Rose for his decentralization O
4 II. There arc few plays of the character
as good as this same ono. which tells o.
j the struggle of the Red Elphbcrgs and the
| Black Elphbcrgs for the throne OF myth
cal Ruritania, and there are none OF the
same class superior to 1t. AS presented al
| Sweeney Coombs opera house last night
by Mr.. Daniel Frohman's company, headed
BY Howard Gould and Margaret Fuller. II
left little or nothing TO be desired. The
casion and the book has been widely read
30 there Is really no necessity for a fur
Their comment on 1t at this time Ii may
| be said, however. that in but few OF the
plays ever written ~ there n more powerful
blending OF love and hate, more original
theme, more delicate vein of comedy, or a
more thoroughly unconventional ending to
| IL all. People shrug their shoulders and
say they do not like this same ending, yet
none OF them have an answer when asked
how they would change 1t. In this very
! feature lies one of the strongest points OF
this most charming play.
The cast which presented the piece last
night was as follows:
Rudolph v the lied Elphberg. king
OF Rnritania $50. Howard Gould
Rudolph Rasscndyll, young English
man .....s......... ~. Howard Gould
Michael, Duke OF Strelsau, the Black
Elphbcrg, the kings cousin. ......
...... ...... ...... Albert Perry
Colonel Sapt, an old soldier ...s....a.
.s.... ........R. r.. McClannin
Fritz Won Tarlenheims. Vaughan CLASSY
Captain iientzau, follower OF Duke
Mle n ~. Robert CONFESS
80 ....: ..... Charles c. Brandt
Bertram Bertrand. a young English
artist ..... ....s... BENJAMIN Monteith
Lord Tophatn, the English ambassador
...,....-. ~. ..-.,.. George Friend
Marshal Strakencz ..+.....,-.. Willis Page
Lorcnz Teppich. chancellor OF Ruri-
tania ..,..,..t Fred Symmetrical
Franz Teppich, mayor of strelsau. his
brother ..,,.4. ...., Duncan Harris
Toni, retainer at TarIenheim .......
500. ...... -. Edgar MacGregor
Ludwig, retainer at Tarlenheim ......
.....,.... George Friend
josef. retainer at Tarlenheim .,.,
$500. ..,-.. Willis Page
Princess Fiayia .,........ Margaret Fuller
Antonette de Mauban Helen Strickland
Frau Tcppich, wife of Franz. Carrie Prince
Countess Won storofzfn $50. Miss Hnyler
y
Some one might be able TO improve on
Mr.. Gould as the two Rudolphs, but, real
j., IT would be difficult to tell how. his
conception OF the trying dual role is an
artistic one from every point of view and
his Interpretation of II stamps him with
the mark OF undeniahle genius. This state
n,ent may appear a trife superiluous in
view of Mr.. Gould's metropolitan success
! III the part. but there is really no reason
why II should not be made. His acting
ts cA. st.rA tsy~ 10
noticeable absence OF that uneainly and
| inartistIc straining after effect which is the
| rock on which so many players are wrecked.
Mr.. Gould acts AS a man In real life might
act under similar circumstances and. sure
ly, no one could do more than that. His
work last night was pleasing Mt all times.
but he appeared to especially good advan-
,age during the first act and In his two
duel scenes. the one with Mr.. Perry AS
Wolfgang in the prologue and the other
with Mr.. CONFESS as Hentzau In the last
act. He deserves all the complimentary
things that can be said concerning him.
Miss Fuller's work as Princess Flavia
was, on the whole. of an extremely salts
factory nature although In one or two
instances she may be said to have laid
herself liable to the charge of overacting.
The part Is, however, one of the most dit
fcult ones that can be imagined and it
is no easy matter TO draw the line proper.
ly. Miss Fuller is undoubtedly an artist
of no ordinary ability and she throws her
whole heart and soul Into her work. She
participates in nearly all of the strongest
scenes In the play and in every instance
she wins warm applause and golden opin-
ions from her auditors.
The supporting company Is powerful
one and the several strong characters are
all well handled. Mr.. Perry plays the part
OF Black Michael very acceptahly and
yet he suffers somewhat in comparison
with Mr.. Robert Eliot. who appeared IN
the role last season. Mr.. Perry is undoubt-
eddy the possessor of a large amount Of ar
tistic talent, but he appears TO be somewhat
out OF his line as the Black Ephherg.
Neither his voice nor his personal appear
ance are exactly suited to the part Mr..
Vaughan CHASER, too. may he criticised. |
The part of Fritz calls for a certain amount
OF nffectation and littenishness, It Is true.
but hardly so much as Mr.. Chaser put into |
It. Mr. McClannip's work as Sapt could |
not be improved upon. Mr.. Conncss gives
more than pleasing portrayal OF the role |
of Rupert OF Hentzau Miss Strickland as
Antoinette. whose varying passions perform |
no small part In the working Out of the |
plot, plays her part extremely we'll and In !
several instances proves herself entirely |
capable OF disposng OF the trying demands |
made ON her. She Is All actress of no |
little ability. The remalning mambers Of
the cast arc all mp to the standard
The play Is put on with that careful at |
tention to detail which invariably marks
the finished production. and the scenery !
used. all OF which is carried by the con-
nany. is not only extremely handsome. but |
Is absolutely accurate. The costumes worn
are handsome and costly throughout. and
In shori. rs has been pre,iously stated
the production leaves but little TO he de- /
sired It is pity that more like IL do not |
come 10 Houston,
The comDany goes from here 70 Calves
Ton The Kllmt- Hearn company will open
Ann
and two mntines performances at popu-
lar prices. Under the Red ,Rohe' is the
next standard attraction booked,
Pnrker-Dukc.
Tenaha, Texas. January 22.--Today at