Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-11-12

|
bage Patch"
Nov 14-"Buried at Sea-"
| and night.
Nov. 15.-"Under Southern Skies
Nov. 16.-''The Bonnie Brer Bush =
Full sway is given the talents of
Louis James and Frederick Warde in
their new play, alexander, the
treat" given its initial Rock Island
| presentation last evening at the Hi
| 1oiS. Mr.. James essays the role of
Alexander and Mr.. Warde Perdiccas,
both characters with high dramatic
lavor. which is brought forth in its
| fullness by these excellent opponents
Of the. drama, than whom none are
more welcomed on their visits by local
olaygoers. The play has been given
/ gorgeous investiture. while the prin-
cipals have a strong supporting COM
1any.
In the first act Alexander is merely
1 prince. His father. King Phillip, is
rway at war. and the kingdom is be-
ing administered by Perdiccas. the
prime minister. who is seen to be in
! sTiguing with Phillips young wife,
! 'leopatra-not the famous Cleopatra
| IF Egypt, but a Macedonian woman.
| While Perdiccas and Cleopatra plot
! against the absent Phillip. Alexander
5 surrounded with women and cOur-
tiers with the design Of making him
| / weak minded idler. He organizes
| the girls Of the court. however. into
/ make-believe army. his dawning am
DitiOn being shown when. upon being
| -ebuked by Perdiccas. the prince takes
him by the throat and forces him TO
wear Legality to his future King.
Masking his rage. Perdiccas vows
'engeance. An Egyptian ambassador
| comes to court to ask Macedonia s
lid gainst Persia. Alexander prom
'ses the required assistance and. on
meeting by accident. the ambassa-
Tors daughter. RoXana, promptly
falls in love with her and makes a
new resolve to go to- the rescue of
Egypt. At this iuncture Phillip re-
turns from war. and is stabbed by an
assassin in the employ of Perdiccas.
Alexander succeeds to the throne and
quickly Overawes Perdiccas by his
courage and the greatness of his
plans. In his new found ambition,
just begin to flower in his heart.
The second act finds Alexander
Norld-renCwned warrior. about to
visit the Egyptian temple of Ammon,
TO render homage to the Egyptian
gods and to invoke the oracle. RoX-
ana, having lost sight of Alexander,
has returned to Egypt and has sought
the seclusion of this temple. She is
chosen by the high priest to deliver
the oracle to Alexander. The lovers
discover each other with rapture, but
meanwhile Perdiccas and the high
priest have been plotting that Alex
ander shall not leave the temple alive.
When the attempt to kill him is made
Alexander cuts his way out of the
temple. but believing that ROxana had
been a part of the plot, his love for
her is killed.
The third act is laid in the tent of
Perdiccas, who. with the aid of his
willing tool, Cleopatra, has arranged
new plot against the throne and the
life of Alexander. RoXana. who has
followed the army disguised in boys
attire, stumbles upon part of their
scheme and wishes to know more, Of
ander. who appears upon the scene
inopportunely and discovers what he
imagines is general conspiracy.
Perdiccas. to save himself, swears
that RoXana alone is guilty, and her
life is only spared by Alexander on
account of her likeness to ROXana,
whose brother she declares herself to
be.
The fourth act is in two scenes, the
first of which shows the siege of a
walled city. when RoXana saves the
life of Alexander by taking an arrow
in her own breast which is meant for
him.
The other scene is among the gla-
ciers above the clouds in the noun
tain tops at the end of the world"
Here Alexander is attacked by con-
spiracy of his generals. His life is
saved in novel manner by Perdiccas,
who realizes that it would he fatal
for Alexander to die before the army
is near home. The return could only
be accomplished by the magic of
AleXander's Rame.
The last act is in ancient Babylon,
at banquet. where Perdiccas finally
accomplishes his purpose through
Cleopatra. who puts fatal poison in
AIexander's wine. Alexander dies in
the height Of his fame, and the trag-
edy of the situation is heightened by
the fact that the banquet was being
given to celebrate his marriage to
RoXana.
Theodore Kremer, New Iork's pro-
life playwright, is without doubt one
of the most successful writer's of to-
day. his first great success being ''The
Nihilists," afterwards THE Slaves of
the ORIENT Road to Ruin" For Her
ChiIdren's Sake" and many more too
numerous to mention, except his last
seasons great success. THE Fatal
Wedding" and last of all comes
Buried at Sea- his last effort, which
is considered by critics everywhere to
be his masterpiece; written in most
emf prtaininU manner and though