The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-10-31
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
THE AMBASSADOR.

A play from the pen OF "John Oliver
Hobbs (Mrs. CraIgle) and produced by
such an aggregation of talent as Daniel
Frohman's company certainly should
have bsen potent enough to attract to the
Jefferson theatre last evening very large
and most representative audiencs. The
attendance was quite equal to that OF the
night before and AS brilliant and fashion
able in quality. The Offering was ''rhe
Ambassador" which received its first
American presentation at Daly's New
York, the earlier part of this year, and
most Of the principal persons still remain
IN the cast The scene is laid in Paris
while the play takes it's title from Lord
St. Orbyn, the British ambassador at
Madrid who meets his social set, who are
leaders IN the fashionable world, at the
residence OF Lady Beauvedere, who is a
widow with one son scarcely grown to
manhood and stepson who is ambitious
to cut quite a figure In diplomacy. St.
Orbyn is fond OF the handsome and
gracious widow until at length a sweet,
but poor girl, the fiancee Of a young
nobleman, catches his fancy, and she anu
he develop from friends to lovers. The
girl Juliet, tor snch is her name, does
not care much for tbs nOblsman but as
he is willing to save his brother, young
Vivian Beaudevere, who has forged a
note, ~ visiting at midnight the rooms OF
a gambler, Major Hugh Lascslles, to OBJ
tain the paper. She is followed by the
AMBASSADOR who never doubts her and
thus saves her from any suspicion OF re-
proaoh.
This sketch VIII give only a slight idea
of the plot which though well planned is
not easy of analysis in it's development,
the play ending in a pretty garden scene
at dawn. TO those who like play OF
lively dramatic action ''The Ambasea-
dor" may have proved disappointment
for 1t Is literary rather than dramatic
but for all this delightfully."- entertaining,
IN that the mirror IL held in front OF Ger
tain types Of women by no means myth
cal ones, whose insincerity is veneered
with the finest kind OF polish. To listen
to them, to hear them indulgessssin en-
counters Of wit and biting sarcasm is /
one OF the charms of this play. which
might by characterized as a satirical
comedy with melOdramatio and alsOsfaroi-
cal touches, the latter rather strongly
marked in the love making scene between
Sir William Beauvedere and Lady
GwendOline BIarleaze. There is an origt
nality about the play and By an easy turn
some Of the situations could have been
made risque bit to the everlasting
credit Of the playwright she avoided
every temptation to unolanIiness and no
bad taste is left in the mouth. It is pure
from curtain to curtain The Ambassa-
cor is beautifully staged and the gowns
of the ladies justify the word stunning
and were creations Of the mOdistes' art,
simply dazzling in their beauty and rich
ness,
Mr.. John Mason had very clear con-
ceptiOn of the character of "The AMI as-
sador." 1t was distinct and convincing.
marked by torcs and artistic methods. I,
He was easy and his acting was in keep
ing with the situation AMI the spoken |
word. His love scene with Juliet, his
effective interview with Lady Beaudevere,
the memorable situation In the third |
act just as he says Il seek the night