The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-12
COMING DRAMATIC EVENTS.

Two facts should be borne IN mind IN
connection with Marie Corelli's "SofTows
of Satan.' William A Brady's elaborate
production Of which Is to be given at the
Crawford tonight In the first place ~
touching upon religious matters IL does
so in no irreverent way. No one q the
more than million people VINO nave
read the remarkable story in TINS couh-
try reeds to be told that 1t could not
offend the most sensitive of the deVOut
On the other hand the general theatef-
goer who has no settled religious conVlc-
ti0ns. need not fear that the piece on
this account, lacks dramatic interest NC
book of recent years has been 50 nlleo
with the theatrical element Of surprise,
none has had a stronger tendency 20
keep the reader out of bed until he has
finished the final page. As a drama II -
said to contain situations Of absorbing
nature never before attempted, ana u
can readily be imagined that plot deal
ing with the DEVILS appearance on
earth and successfully playing the part
of q leader in modern London's smartest
social set, would arouse curiosity anu
hold attention; that a fascinating Sa-
tan. who longs to he good and IS wor-
shipped by beautiful women, would prove
a matinee hero Of the most pronounced
kind; and that the electrical effects, from
which he cannot altogether rid himseiT
even in his human guise, would delight
the gallery
James K. Hackett win appear in The
Pride of Iennfcos a romantic play new
Mr.. Hackett is, perhaps. best known Tor
his magnificent production of Anthcny
Hopes Rupert of Hentzau The PRIDE
OF Jenn1co' has been very SUCCESSFUL IN
the east and affords the star superb op--
portunities. 1t IS a Naturalization OF
Egerton Castles novel A summary or
The plot follows: Basil Jennlco. a young
Englishman, settles on the broad acres
in Hungary left him by his deceased un-
Gle. The uncle has stipulated that the
young man marry no one beneath the
rank of princess JeIRnico determines
to comply with his late uncle's wishes
The Princess Of Dornhein. Marie OF
tile. takes up her temporary residence
in Jennico's castle. She is accompanied
by her maid-In-w waiting and introduces
herself to Jennico as the maid and the
maid as the real princess. Jenn1co .te-
terunineS to marry the princess though
he has really fallen in love with the sup
posed maid. When the couple return
from the church Basil discovers thar
OttilIe has substituted herself for the
bride Believing that she, a lady's
maid, is beneath him in rank, he is fur
ious, but love triumphs over everything,
and the couple live happily together for
a month. Ottilie does not confess tie
deception because she wishes to be GER
tain her husband loves her for herself
alone Prince Eugen, a cousin to OF
tile. and himself in love with her, visits
her at her husbands castle Basil, nat
uraliy jealous at learning OF THIS, de-
mands an explanation. which she le-
fuses to give. not liking the tone he as
sumes This results in a. quarrel and
separation.
At the beginning of the third act we
find Basil at the '-Silver Stork Inn in
search of the woman he loves Every
effort he makes to recover Ott1lie IS
blocked by Eugen, whose hired assas-
sins waylay the hero and attempt his
life more than once A master hand with
the sword Jennic0 has little trouble In
defeating his adversaries. with the eS-
cepti0n Of EURen- The latter contriVeS
nit har
husband. first warning her JennicO will
be shot instantly If she acknowledges
him This is one Of the supreme mo
mentS Of the play. When Ott1l1e secs
the armed cohorts Of the prince lined uo
ready to compass JennicO'S death, she
horrifies her husband by renouncing him
and leaves with Eugen- few moments
later circumstances come about which
reveal to the young man the real reason
for Ottilie's action Jennico tracks the
chief cOnspiratOr to brigand's lair in
the mountains Eugen has provided
priest who IS to marry Ottl1e to him.
Jennico DISCUSSES in the priests coWl and
robes and at an opportune moment
knocks Eugen down, seizes his sword,
and defeats ingle-handed, all of tie
princes followers, and hurlS Eugen over
a cliff to his death. A rescuing party
from Ottilie's home arrives at this mo-
ment, and then the young husband learns
for the first time the true rank of the
woman for whom he has gone through
so much. Mr.. Hackett has had no bet
ter role than Basil Jennico. and his
leading lady, Miss Bertha Galland, is
declared to be most excellent as the
Princess Ottilie-
One of the most gorgeous productions
known to the stage viii have its setting
at the Crawford Friday and Saturday
when MesSrs. Joseph Brooks and Ben
Stern will present Miss Blanche Walsh
in More Than Queen story Of the
tragic love of Josephine for Napoleon.
Miss Walsh. judging from her enactment
of the Sardou roles, seems eninently ft
ted for the part of the Creole Empress
She has the physical attributes. the teIc-
permanent and dramatic ability which
ability, If it has not been developed to
its fullest, has been because of lack Of
opportunity. Josephine, as depicted by
Emile Bergerat, is a character which
should give her that much desired op-
portuuity- It is said Of Miss Walsh that
she has realized the possibilities of the
character and has achieved the greatest
degree of success in her even brief ca
reer- She has been surrounded with a
capable company, including William
Humphrey as Napoleon.