The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-17

suit TO the auditors, for it is an abuse OF
their ~credulity. The imperfect life we live
cannot be made perfect on the stage, which
should reflect life, not distort It.
XXX
Mr.. and Mrs. kendall are acting at the
st. James Theater, London, in a new play
by Mrs. Clifford entitled The Likeness Of
the Night" Their characters in the drama
are Bernard Archerson and his wife, Mil
dred. The husband was a pleasure-loving
man that had married to get money TO help
him in his career as a barrister. His wife
adored him. His mistress, who IS imper-
sonated by Mrs. Tree, was an artist and
she pitied his wife. Mildred accidentally
learned OF her husbands deception and
painting Acherson's portrait and ingenious
ly drew from her the story OF ArcherSon's
infidelity to his wife. Mildred determined
TO go away and commit suicide so that
tress. She sailed for Gibraltar, but the ship
was wrecked in a storm and she persisted
with her fellow-passengers. Eighteen
months later Archerson and his second wife,
who were living happily together, received
n belated letter from Mildred. In it she
told how she had learned her husbands
mistress and how she had sacrificed herself
for their happiness. They were stricken
with remOrse and their future held no hope
OF relief from the dreadful cloud. OF the
RA6s 6AAL Tic - - ~ GOAo Gays az -
letter TO the New York Tribune: "A NOR
bid play il may be, but the ethical teach
ing is sound and wholesome. AS for the
acting, nothing equal TO II is to be seen at
any other London theater. Mrs. Tree plays
with remarkable delicacy and emotional
power and Mr.. Kendall makes the part Of
entirely reasonable. AS for Mrs. Kendall
she commands the Sympathies Of the dull
est spectator and draws tears from many
eyes. Her performance Is absolutely sin
aarA ~ nnrFnnf IN Gfngn rnEnNrEnn M
actress now in England rivals her in SEN
sibility and wOmanly tenderness. Her play
OF facial expression in the Hampstead duel
is marvellous, and what an instrument is
her voice and how perfectly she uses it,"
XXX
"Alice of Old Vincennes," the play made
from Maurice Thompson's novel by Charles
Frohman's carpenter, L. L. Rose, has had
q cold-or hot-reception in Boston, where
Miss Harmed and her company went at the
close OF their visit here. Henry Austin
Clapp, the veteran critic of the Adver-
tiser. says: 1.-THE first two acts, up to
the last moment OF the second act, are
exceedingly gentle n unmoving, and do
not amount to a row OF pins. Then the
playwright seizes the tale with both hands,
and with deliberate violence forces the
atrical process upon it, and for an act and
an eighth the smell OF the footlights clogs
the air. . : & This sort OF business does
llOI last lOllSs 81 dlO NIL. INOSOs
blushing red at his own eXCesses, returns
in the fourth act to the milk-and-watery
spavities with which the drama opened.
" " Mr.. Thompson's novel has d GER
tain charm of atmosphere, but only a
slight narrative interest and a rather con-
ventiOnal set of personages. Its love story
has a pleasant flavor OF romance, but
presents few exciting incidents. and the
whole tale is irritatingly devoid of wit
and humor. The grace of the novelist's
style vanishes in the hard glare of the
playhouse"
Another Boston critic says: The new
star annOt be unreserVedly congratulated
on her selection of a play. Alice of Old
Vincennes' will undoubtedly receive a meas
ure of popular approval, in fact, portions
of last nights gathering became nightly
enthusiastic over the thrillingly impossible
scenes of lurid heroics, which were pre-
scented in dazzling contrast TO the delight
fully Intellectual deeds of daStardly villainy.
But Miss Harmed is worthy of something
better than a sensational tumble of tawdry
heroism and artificial sentiment. She is an
actress OF excellent attainments and
worthy of consideration in a higher grade
of m art than is to be found in the
so-called romantic plays OF which the
theater-going public must soon be sur
feited."