The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-02-26

inspection.
The chief charm of NJ. Lavedans offer
ing is in its grace and elegance and deli
cacy. This being true, it is but natural
that the work should appeal only to those
whose regard for refinement is Unborn and
whose intellectually is of the finest
quality. The gallery god whose longing
is for broad effects and the man about
town whose appreciation is meted out
only to those who provide him with novelty
and blatant strength probably found but
little TO admire in Catherine" But to
the real student the dramas potency of
suggestion more than what it suggested
and the manner in which its story was
told more than the narrative proved i'm
pressive and convincing. The kernel in
the nut was not so agreeable as the outer
shell was attractive.
That even the most mentally worthy of
those who visited the National last week
were tired and almost bored by the effort
before its production was over must have
been apparent to the least inquisitiye.
Despite the notable sublety and gradua-
ton, or perhaps because of it, Catherine
is undoubtedly mOnotOnOus, frequently
dull, and ultimately wearisome. The
small plot is dragged over too great sur
face. while its least consequential points are
argued pro and con until the mind either
ceases to grasp them or to retain the
thread of the tale. American audiences
do not care to be instructed or elevated by
the drama and are even willing to assume
the likeliness of improbabilities rather than
have them debated at length. All that is
contained in the first two scenes OF the
offering might be told in the third without
material loss of effect or of foundational
strength. And, Notwithstanding the con-
tents Of Horace's book upon The Art of
Poetry most of those who witnessed the
performance would have been more pleased
toI has salya ,ta Cor -
ton. Even the spectacle of a heroine
seated on a stool at her fathers knee and
being told the story of her past life to one
of Memberships songs without words
would have been preferable to the endless
explanations that take place during the
first hour of the presentation.
Best of all, NJ. Lavedan had no need of
| dealing with why's and wherefores in the
questions he handled While it is assured
| ly true that the popularity of existing
social conditions in France made it ad
visable in introducing the play at the
| Theatre Franchise to show how a noble
man could wish to marry pianist and the
| reasons involved in the readiness with
| which that parsonage secured his mother s
consent to the plan, the distinctions OF
caste are not SO pronounced here, and
| hence the translator. who found no trou-
/ BILE in leaving out deal of NJ. Lavedan's
most enjoyable dialogue in consummating
| his adaptation, might easily have omitted
much of the original structural matter
/ also. The people of the United States
would have been quite willing to take it for
| granted that, once the Duke exhibited
| some affection for Catherine. the mar
riage on which the plot hinges became a
certainty. Americans believe that love
| should level all ranks-in pays.
This blind fidelity to the necessities that
| inf ba auth N nrin
| version of the drama is respons BILE for
other things in Catherine quite as unfor-
| tunate as the absurd e,ongation of its GEN.
trail story. Indeed. it may be said that as
presented here the piece is alien in every
way. Not only are many of the charac
tiers inexplicable, but several of thu Incl
dents are either unnatural and repelant
or have been weakened in being modified.
This last condition prevails in the case of
that episode in which the Viscountess de
Grissoiles offers herself to her cousin. the
dialogue leading up to the climax and its
elimination having been toned down in o.
der to suit prevalent ideas of propriety
until the actions of both parties seem to-
tally at variance with the spirit of the
scene. No less strange to local assem-
bly, is the conversation in the works sec
ond act wherein the Duchess asks NJ. Val
Ion for the hand of his daughter on be-
half of her son, and that OF the last in
which George Mantei appears in the unbe
| lieyable role OF adjuster to command that
his former love return to her husband. All
these things, with many like ones, are ut
terly insufficient or oddly foreign in this
country and the effort loses effectiveness
exactly in proportion TO the attention
given them by the spectator. In common
with the surplus building aforementioned
they might easily be remedied by an able
adapter.
And speaking of the superabundance of
material notable in the earlier part of the
play reminds one that much OF that which
comes later might readily be removed. The
crippled sister on whom Catherine bestows
such tender care and Madeline de Coutras
might be taken out of the offering without
bad effect, while several OF the passages
between the heroine and her brothers-even
between she and the Duke-should be cut
The occurrences prompt neither atmos-
phere nor throw side lights on the character
OF Catherine. They only distract notice
from the main issue and so subtract from
the impressivenesS and strength of the
work.
With all these faults, NJ. Lavedan's
product is still delightful and interesting
affair. Some of the individuals engaged in
relating its plot are as well drawn as 9TH
ers are lily, the principal character, with
its pride and its love, its talent and its
constituencies, its energy and its silent per-
severance, reminding one of the New Eng
land prototypes sketched by Hawthorne
and Miss wilkins. with a touch of the
poetry impaired to his people by Longfel-
low. The mother of the Duke. NJ. WALTON,
and even the boys are well presented, too,
and deserve commentator. AS a whole,
Catherine. abounds in wit and humor,
bright touches of sympathy and sentiment.
clever portrayals and strong incidents. II
offers an unobtrusive problem faithfully
and cleariy-tells a story of real interest
naturally, so that If not good play of it
self there may be no gainsayng the fact
that Charles Frohman was right in think
ing that he had found in it pegs OF suf-
ficient strength TO uphold the talent of his
exceptional company.
Catherine teaches at least one lesson
in a managerial way-that to the reputa-
ton of filth nothing more than a good press
agent is necessary. Such an individual
may now feel that he is making no false
pretences in claiming that he and not the
French authors. is responsible for the vari-
Gus ''audacious' outputs of the day. There
is scene in NJ. Lavedans drama which
for pure animalism surpasses anything that
Washington has seen in many years-in
"Zaza" orf'The Turtle or even in Char
MONS sensational disrObng act. And
yet because staid Francis 0Neill was doing
advance work for the attraction nothing has
been said about its suggestiveness or its
brutality. So much has Mr.. Frohman
missed in handling Catherine"
The episode to which the writer is re-
ferring occurs in the third act of the play
and will be remembered by all who saw it.
The Viscountess de Grissolles has loved
the Duke de Coutras for years. but has