The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-10
RUPERT OF l4ENTzAU"
James x. Hackett Makes His First LEGAL
Appearance as Star.

The proverb, Second thoughts are
best" does not often apply 10 sequels
of successful books Rupert of IIent-
Eau is no exception to that general
rule. Its plot is forced, its action per
Iunctory, and at times incoherent, and
It's sentiment queer mixture of false
heroics and garbled honor. Neverthe-
Tess, with handsome, manly hero like
James K. Hackett for its central figure,
ana its atmosphere OF dash, danger and
daring. it wiz be for leng time a ia
Norite in its dramatic form with the
matinee girl and her romantic aunt,
both of whom We're out in full force at
The Worcester theatre last evening.
Even with the sSilful editing of Ed
ward Rose, whose assistance the man
aSement acknowledged in a card on the
program, the dramatizaticn is ragged
and requires the most perfect familiar
lty with both novel and sequel to follow
intelligeptly the action. The audience
however. possessed this familiarity, and
We're most DrCdigal of their aPprecia-
licn ana applause, nine-ten;hs of which
Went uessTVedly TO The sear Without
an actor equally famed as MIR Hackett
with respect TO manliness, personal
magnitude and loneliness. versatile Y
and dramatic instinct, the play would
be a failure. Wish him and because OF
him j is a brilliau, success. He per-
Nades the piece entirely IN the dual role
az the pceVisn, moody king, and the
stout-hearted, virile Rassendyl. and
draws The distinction between the two
with an art as clever as the celebrity
with which he passed from one dis
suise 70 the other.
Mir. Hackett may have made extra eff
forts, realizing more depended on him
as star, than when ne was but one Of
company Of as polished actors as
himself For his support was not like
the Lyceum company; there was a diff
ference. The only names thar had a
1anulia" sound We're Theodore Roberts
and Mabel Amber and these, by az o.
incidence did the bsst work, Mr. Rob
erts imperSonaJing bluff old Col. Sapt
ia sturdy sort of way, and Miss Am
Der gettinE the other tenth of applause
as Rosa Holt the waitress OF the inn.
Mr.. Arthur Hoops is q palnstaking
Young actor. bur was hardly equal to
the unvekins audacity of Rupert Brig
ham Royce and Robert Elliott were sat
lsfactory as Fritz and Bernenstein.
I-onEIey Taylor did good bit as James,
Rassendyu's servant and George Alli-|
son ana Z. w. Thomas were conscien-
1lous in their roles Of Rupert's accom-
plices. Miss Jobyna Rowland won half
her battle on her first entrance. for she
looked the part Of Queen Flavia ideally,
ana cast glamOr over the audience
which was partly dispelled by her
faulty elocution. One can pardon a
great deal, though. in q woman of Miss
Howland's beauty
At the close Of the play was given a
tableau showing the dead Rudolf LYING
IN state. surrounded by his guards and
the mourning Flavia.
Although a striking stage picture.
this seemed in doubtful taste and re-
minded the irreverent Of the apotheo-
sis in Uncle Toms Cabin" where little
Eva is represented being waited toI
heaven by means Of a piece Of rome and
three "supe" angels The audience
however, with a morbid love of tbeI
gruesome kindred to that which makes
funeral attendance a delight TO some
individuals, demanded the curtain bn
raised four times for a view Of theI
corpse.
For the rest Of the week THE Drum
mer Boy will be given for the benefit
of Post 10. The members of the casa
count their friends in Worcester bv Inc
thousand, and all will want to see how
we'll these actors and actresses win ac-
quit themselves. The praiseworthy OBJ
5ect Of the benefit alone guarantees
crowded houses for the entire engage
:nent