The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-08


Sturdy, virilc mclotlralna. served with roman,
tic sauce the acceptable dish presented at the
Lyceunr Yesterday by Miss Viola Allen and her
splendid company.
In creating Sin the Palace Of the King a
somewhat roundabout and unusual method was
adopted, I. Marion Crawford was commissioned
to write a book from which play for ,iiss
Allen could be taken. lie selected the time Of
Philip the Second and Spain as the scene OF his
story and made his heroine, the character Miss
Allen was destined TO play the lovely Dona
Maria Dolores DE Mendoza. The story completed,
Iolmcr Stoddard, the playwright, took ii in charge
and from il evolved the fine drama seen at the
lyccun yesterday afternoon and last night. With
novelist ard playwright striving to produce a
stage character which Miss Allen could effective
L. present il is not wonderful that their work
was a good fit, and good fit it uLquesionahly
is At both performances yesterday the STAR
scored great triumphs The curtain calls wSlc
numerous, hearty and inSiscnt
In all the varying emotions and passions that
stirred the young Spanish woman, who loved
Don John ardently, Miss Allen was admirably
convincing She presented Young woman Of
strong nature and rcSolutc will Who WAS as lear.
less as she was true and noble. Alter HE
splendid scene in the throne room where Dclor IS
gradually aro,iscs the mobiles OF Spain 10. a state
OF frenzy Of devotion to the imperiled Don ,Iolm
the audience gave Miss Allen Il great Ovation. L.
is u scene worked out with rare skill and can be
depended upon 10 arouse the coolest audience
IN the last act Tie scene between Dolores and
ihc King was also srlendldly done.
III" word melodrama has fallen into d,rcpuie
and is now usually associated with cheap ''ih.il
lerS," SO SIN the Palace OF the King" is rot
labelled ''mclodrama" but melodIama it is and
"I kind that ii is good to come back tn
the stage. After the problem plays, weak
knrcd romantic dramas and utterly useless dram.
ailzation This story OF IA" loves and hates ana
ambitions OF persons who are actualed by very
human motives, takes strong hold on The theaipr.
gocrS and in part explains the marvellous sue.
cess that has attended thc production OF the
play nom the beginning. Miss Alien is another
explanation, and If anything further is needed 1t
i! furnished by her line company.
Robert Y. llaines as Don John WAS hand,
some, manly and good lover. w. L. Bonncy
was sufficiently yillainous as King Philip, and {.
Leslie Allen and Clarence IIandyside made gooi
impressions in the important roles assigned to
them, William Norris work Us Adonls, tho
court Jester, attracted much attention. lie is
the actor whose presentation o, the role OF tho
eccentric poet in ''Ihe Children ol the Ghetto"
was sucl Il teatur, OF that memorable production
Marcia Van Dresser, who will be remembered
by scIanionians as the prns donna OF the Boz.
tonans, revealed splendid dramatic ability in
the role OF the Princess Of Eboli and Gertrude
Norman as the blind sister Of Dolores, showed
fine discrimination in presenting that difficult
role.
The play is laid in the Alcazar, the Palace II
the King OF Spain, in 1870, and is presented in
six scenes, all most elabolatey staged.
The audiences that crowded the theater alter.
noon and night we're the largest that were ever
seen in the th,ater. In the audience last n,nht
was Miss Bertha Galland, who was this wear
starred Jointly with HackeIr in The Pride OF
Ienni.0.'