The Indianapolis journal., 1902-09-27
~Beyond Pardon at EngIi.h's.

Miss Lavinia Shannon must have been
delighted last evening. at English's. when
large audience, composed mostly of patrons
of the Grand Opera House stock-company,
applauded her enthusiastically to show her
that she had not been forgotten since the
time when she was seen in a new part
every week. Beyond Pardon the title
OF the play in which she returned, after
an absence of two years and half. is
not one to attract persons that habitually
pay more than so cents for their theatrical
entertainment, but it is because of its man
ner rather than its matter that the play
cannot prosper in the higher-priced
theaters. Its principle is generally re-
garded as the right one. whether presented
to the patrons of a low-priced theater or
to ''dollar-and-a-half' audience.
Evan Prescott. while studying medicine
in London, betrayed two girls. Both the
unfortunates had run away from their
homes in New York with the intention OF
becoming actresses. Velma Gould rises to
stardom and fortune; Beatrice Jerome gets
no further than the chorus Neither
knows that the other has been ruined
or that the same man has professed love
for them both. Velma has child, but she
conceals her motherhood and is married
to an operatic tenor named Lloyd. Leav-
ing him In London to fill an engagement
IN New York. she goes to the house of her
father, who is chaplain of the battleship
Maine, which Is lying in the Brooklyn
navy yard preparing for Its fatal trip to
she has an illegitimate child and refuses
TO tell the name of its father, the old man
raises a dagger to kill her. Voices in a
sacred song float in through window and
arrest his arm.
The ncentious Prescott is surgeon of the
Maine and a frequent caller at Velmas S
fathers house. He is seized by remorse
when he realizes the womans misery and
when she, to test his repentance, demands
that he marry her, he accedes. Brought
closely together by their mutual agitation,
they seem to be embracing when Velma's
husband. Unexpectedly come from London,
enters the room. He draws a revolver and
shoots at Prescott OF course, after this,
the story comes out: Further, Beatrice
Jerome arrives TO pile more trouble on
Prescott He succumbs and takes poison
but before his death he IS forgiven by the
two women and Is assured that Lloyd
will not only continue to love Velma, but
will give his name 10 Prescott's child
This ridiculous stuff points the convention
al moral, but seldom has that moral been
so be nandlSaPPed by clumsy Presentation
Kremer. who wrote Beyond Pardon. !"
must be curiously crude. Even to excite
lower-class audience with a string of
sensational episodes, the play must be
worked over so that its theme shall be
apparent.
Two impossible caricatures of society
women are offered as comic relief and
there is pure love affair between a
silly girl and silly man. The Character
of Velma is almost interesting for its alb
acts well in ii considering the kindrance to
intelligent personation. The chaplain, too
far gone in dotage really to be of anv
use on battleship. is played with dignity
by Arthur Hastings. Ii is understood that
the play soon is to be taken into the
..popular-priced" theaters, and there n
should be profitable. in money Two per-
formances OF II will be given at English's
to-day.