The hatchet. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1883-19??, 1900-09-16

The New York theatrical season mas
opened ausplclously, for, while there
have naturally been some comparative
failures. most of the plays so far pro-
duced may be said to be more than or
binary successes. The biggest hit up
to date belongs to Annie Russell In a
romantic comedy in three acts entitled
"A Royal Family" The piece Is the
work Of Captain Il. Marshall of the
British army who Is also the author OF
that excellent bit Of nonsense, "His
Exccllency."
Unlike most so called comedies, "a
Royal Family" is not IN any sense
farce There Is no hOrseplay and the
incluents follow eacn ot1er with some.
thing like rational FEASIBILITY. There
are no mock heroics and no melo-
drama, the sentiment being pathos and
the satire real humor.
The story of "a Royal Family is not
remarkably original; but, save during
the earlier portions Of the first act, 1t
is interesting, which, after all, Is the
main point. Louis VII is the king Of
Arcacia, an imaginary principally, the
location of which the author does not
see at to divulge. At the rise of the
curtain we are informed that Arcacia
and Kurland are on the verge of war
and that the Arcacians, through a So
ciety of patriots, are doing all In their
power to preclpitate hostllities despite
the fact that in the last previous set to
between the two countries Arcacia was
ANONYMOUSLY trounced. The king
and his ministers are anxious to avert
war, and the latter, in a moment of in
splratiOn, hit upon the eXpedient OF
marrying Louis daughter, Princess
Angela. to Crown Prince Victor Of
Kurland. The prince is said to be as
violently opposed to the match as Is
Princess Angela. They have never
met; but. as Is usual in such cases, the
element Of compulsion has served to
make them almost hate each other.
At this point the aid of the shrewd
Cardinal Casano is sought by King
Louis. The cardinal engages to ar
range matters If everything is left in
his hands. Receiving this promise
from the king. his first step is to In
vite Prince Victor to visit him under
the alias of Count Bernardine as an
ambassador from the court Of Kur-
land Naturally Bernardine falls des-
perately In love with Angela and
equally naturally Angela falls in love
with him. Then there is trouble. for
Bernardlne fears that when Angela Is
made aware Of the deception he has
practiced she may refuse to wed him,
after all. even though she has prom
ised to follow his advice by wedding
Prince Victor. The revelation of his
identity is made to Angela happily
without untoward results. in the final
scene of the play, where occurs mag
nihcent bit of action in which not a
word is spoken.
There is a pretty and unconventional
little episode in the second act in which
Angela and Bernardine, finding their
little tete-a-tete interrupted by the APP
proach of the royal family. climb a
tree. They are finally discovered and
severely reprimanded the little Incl
dent serving at the same time to ex-
pose the hollowness of the pretensions
of royalty.
As Princess Angela Miss Russell left
nothing to be desired If we except a
tendency, common to most Of the mem
bers of the cast, to speak in subdued
tone, as though a funeral were about
10 be held. This repression" Is all
very we'll in its way. but there Is such
thing as OVERRIDING it, and 1t must be
admitted that there is dangerous
trend IN that direction In New York
city.
Mr. Charles Richman, as manly and
lorceful rs ever, made handsome pic
ture Ms the impetuous but always dig