The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-29

Otis Skinner, an especial favOrite here.
assisted by a large company that contains
several other players of uncommon ability,
began his annual engagement at English's
Opera House yesterday afternoon. His play
is Boxers Francesca da Rimini, 4" promi-
nent among many versions of the old
Italian lOve-story of Paola and Francesca.
The story is told in six acts. each of which
is a c~olOrful picture of much detail. The
presentation of the story is deliberately and
theatricaIly indirect. The play must suffer
particularly at this time because of its
comparison to Stephen Phillips's simple
dramatic poem, "Paola and Francesca"
the fame of which has inspired revivals
of the theme in several countries lately.
In Boxers play the tragic complication
involves several more persons than it does
in the Phillips drama. In the former the
Lord of Rimini found it expedient for state
purposes to betroth his son, Lanciotto. to
Francesca. daughter of the Lord of Ra-
VIENNA. Guido. ruler of Ravenna, was only
too willing. LanciottO had a complex ma
ture; he was a hunchback and he Iimped.
and. being of refined mind. he suffered ter
ribly from his deformity. He was rightly
proud of his great strength and skill in
800 ~
was first mentioned to him he shrank from
it. but he made no great opposition to it
after his handsome younger brother. Paola.
agreed to go to Ravenna as a proxy and
bring Francesca 10 Rimini.
Francesca's father was careful that
Lanclotto's physical defects were not de-
scribed to her. When she saw the good
looking Paola approach, she fell in love
with him IN a moment. thinking he was
LanciottO, her husband-tO-be The remov-
ing OF this delusion was a serious shock to
her and II she had been told then of Lam
ciottOs ugliness the marriage might have
been averted. but PaOla. Jealous in his love
for his brother, informed the girl only of
Lanciotto : nobility OF disposition. 1t was
not until she faced Lanciotto at Rimini
that she knew he was a Cripnle. Sacrf6cing
herself at her fathers wish ana 90 .b9
good OF his people. she forced herself 10
say she wished 10 be LanciOtto's wife and
he. IN blindness that would be absurd il
other than mimic life; accepted her acqui-
escence as sincere, though her revulsion
was plainly apparent on her face and in her
manner.
II was inevitable that Francesca and her
husbands brother should come together
Their first kiss was exchanged in a garden
and the action was suited 10 the words
OF a poetic narrative Of the love Of Gut
neVere and LauncelOt. which PaOla read 10
Francesca. They were watched by Pepe.
the Jester OF the court. and he ran six
leagues 10 LanciottO's camp 10 tell him OF
the inhdelity OF his wife and his brother.
His reward was death and the knowledge
that he had brought ruin on the family
I.anciotto hurried 20 Rimini and overheard
PaOla and trancesca's conversation I'm her
bOudOir. He stabbed Francesca. then Paola
and finally himself.
Paola and Francesca's last words to-
gether are the most valuable I'm the play.
He had determined 10 leave Rfmfnf. He
was nied with shame and horror that ne
had so injured his brother. With the typi-
cal male selhshness he forgot Francesca's
love for him. He was filled with the belief
that ne had sinned and his subcOnscfous
attitude toward Francesca was that she
was not his equal In the matter but that
she mad been merely the material. This ex-
cellent analysis stands far out from the