The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-16
IN THE THEATERS.
"The Turtle" at the Lyceum.

For months "The Turtle" has been
the most talked of play on the boards
until finally the very name came to
symbolic all that WAS suggestive and
naughty in a theatrical way. The dis
robing scene in the second act was re-
ferred TO as the climax of indecency.
Possibly il was a very much modified
version of that much condemned dis
TobinG scene which was presented at
the Lyceum last night as the star feat
ure of "rhe Turtle" but, at all vents,
those who have witnessed the disrob-
ing scene in Fra Diavola" without
blushing could not even feel shocked at
the manner in which Miss Evcsson
made her preparations for retiring last
Hight.
If the disrcbing scene Is not as bad
as painted, THE Turtle" taken in its
entirety is much worse than reports
credited ii with being. 1t is indecent
and thoroughly tainted from rise to fall
Of curtain. The greater part of the
indeCencies are thrown into the farce
by the brazcn chamberma!d and the
corpulent mother-in-law of Champaler,
who has been dubbed The Turtle" by
his wife because he is slow.
The house of Champalier has more
guests than il can well accommodate
but an apartment is required for
Jumard, the attorney of THE
Turtles" wife. The chambermaid sug.
eests there is a room in the attic and
when the attorney elevates his eye
brows i'm disgust. she naively remarks
that it is next to hers and that she
will show him the way. He decides
that the attic room will do. The next
morning the lawyer cannot find his
boots and makes a great fuss about it
for upwards of ten minutes that the
audience may the better perceive the
sequence of events. After Jumard
has besought almost everybody in the
cast to find his boots, the chambermaid
appears. Look in my room," she says
with Il look that means as truly as
words, you stupid fellow and Ju-
mard rushes upstairs to the chamber
maids room. That's a sample of the
clever dialogue and apt wit Of the
farce.
The uiot turns on the usual multi
plicitv Of wives and the inevitable
mother-m-law found in every farce
borrowed from the French. In real
humor the farce is utterly lacking.
True brightness it has none. To tear
down ali respect for the married state
seems to he The object for which the
farce was written.
Champalier has a beautiful wife who
conceives passion for an artist. She
nags at her husband until in despera-
ton he seeks divorce and narrieS
again. This is what a the time she
thinks she wants. His second wife
is young woman. who was
urged to marry Champalier by
her parents. on the night of her
marriage a young man she loves
forces his way into her bed chambe:.
The exchange of endearments can
hardly be recOncied with her new sta
ton in life. but seemingly she is un-
aware of any change. It's all so new
you think that the poor, huttering bin d
forEetS her added responsibilities; but
she won't let you think that, for after
many embraces she bids Adolph de-
part before her husband discovers
him. she realizes the lax condition of
, her morals, you see. To further i'm
press you with this fact she promises
to leave her husbands side at midnight
and join Adolph in an arbor in the
garden.
Beautiful picture that to put on the
stage for the young person" to con.
template These are only mere Incl
dents. The entire atmosphere of the
farce is permeated with allusons that
are everything but props to good NOR
ais. Within the last ten years many in
decencies have crept into the perform
in lnc
but with The Turtle" the limit seems
TO have been reached. The bars that
can still be let down are not visible
To the naked eye.
The Turtle" had the advantage Of
fine stage setting and a reasonably
good company.