The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-06
HALLCAKE'SLATESTPLAY
ssTHE ETERNAL CITY" GIVEN TWO
PERFORMANCES AT ENGLIsH's.
A MeIodrama That Thrills, with Sew
eraI Good Actors to Interpret the
Important Roles.

Hall Gaines method Of driving home his
effects is surely one of undeniable power.
1t thrills, It's. stuns and. after a fashion.
Il convinces. That 1t mas q sound founda-
ton In art one is not so ready TO concede.
THE Eternal City in book form was re-
markable for its undisguised sensation
alism. Many Of the literary critics went
for IL tooth and nall" many discriminate
ing reviewers declared that 1t was stilted
In style. that its characters were artifi-
cial that 1t was as lurid as a dime novel
and that 1t was entirely lacking in genuine
local color-but everybody read it, and
everybody fodnd the story 10 be one that
held the rapt attention of the reader from
cover 20 cover.
1t is abous the same with the drama.
"The Eternar City, il dramatic form,
was presented at English's yesterday after
noon and evening before large audiences,
this being tie first view indianapolis has
had Of the play. and to say that the spec
tators were Interested from the rise Of the
first curtain until the fall of the last is
70 say too little. The faults which were
90 apparent an the novel were no less no.
ticeable in the stage version OF the story.
but II must lie admitted that THE Eternal
City, taken purely as melodrama, is
conspicuous success The long descriptions
end superfugus dialogue Of the book are
gone, but the effective development or the
story, the strong situations and the power
ful climax remain, while the characters
seem more real than in the book The
italian. ministers, mobiles, society women,
soldiers, anarchists, priests, TIE Pope him
self. are all faithfully presented, and IL
true Italian atmosphere was missing from
the novel IL sdoes not seem TO be missing
from the PLAY.
DEPARTURE FROM THE BOOK.
The departure from the book, for which
Viola Allen was altogether responsible.
has somewhat tended to weaken the whole
motif OF the piece. however. Miss Allen,
for whom the stage version was prepared,
and who pleyed the role OF Donna Roma
throughout last season, insisted that in
arranging his dramatization Hall Game
should show the heroine of the story to
be a pure woman from first to last. That
the actress should be unwilling to appear
In the character OF an impure woman re-
fleets credit upon her, no doubt, but Miss
Aliens ultinaatum came near turning the
play into a failure. When Baron Bonelli
In the book tells David Rossi that the
woman he loves is his mistress, the blow
falls on the young deputy with the force
or thundefbolt 1t is the most dramatic
scene III the story. In the drama, when
Rossi Is given TO understand that Roma is
Bonellfs aff.anced wife the scene loses
much OF Its strength and the play at this
point takes upon itself the familiar char
acteristics OF the popular melodrama-"
Tnere Is 80 occasion for repeating here
the story Of Hall Gaines Eternal City"
With the exception OF the emasculation
just alluded to, the stage version is pretty
usual the same as the literary version
which most people have read. The play
was presented yesterday on a most magnifi-
cent scale BY Liebler & Co. More beauti-
full stage pictures have rarely been seen in
dramatic sonfering in this city. Rome s
studio, overlooking the ruins OF the old
Coliseum, was splendid example Of the
scenic painters art, and the setting which
showed the Gardens OF the Vatican won
derfuEy effective. In fact, most of the
stage pictures were so handsome that they
brought forth from the audience exclama-
tons or appreciation when the scenes were
disclosed. aid in other dramatic at
traction ever put on the boards at En-
giish's, not even excepting Ben Hur,' has
the stage management been so perfect in
every way
The religious feature of the story has
been brought in so skillfully that il hardly
seems possible that the resence OF a Pope
OF Rome in the play could give offense to
anybody. 1t will be remembered by those
who are Interested in theatrical matters
that when the play had its initial presen-
tation in Washington last season, there
was considerable discussion over the APP
pearance of Holy Father of the Catholic
Church as a stage character. The Pope in
uoduced is not Pope Leo VIII, as many
people believed. nor the present Pope, be-
ing merely amythical parsonage who has
not yet ocCuplcu the 1OnIlH cQalr, the &C.
ton OF the play being placed In the future
The role Of his Holiness has been so care
fully written by the dramtatist and
is interpreted in such a dlgnifed
manner by the veteran actor who has
been allotted the character that the most
devout Catholic cannot; with any reason
find serious fault with this feature of the
The acting Of the drama was generally
good and in some cases excellent. A bet.
ter company has seldom been seen in play
81 10 a1~aa q d
OF great acting, however, and it is not tC
De wondered at that Viola Allen was GLAD
to get rid OF the part of Donna Roma
Sarah Truax now appears in this difficult
and. rather Inconsistent character and II
her performance here was not altogether
convincing, it can be said that the fault
does not rest wholly with her. 1t is under
stood that Miss Allen also failed TO max,
the part a convincing One-and realized
that fact herself. Miss Truax seemed very
artificial in some of the more importani
scenes, although occasionally she rose Il
more commanding dramatic heights This
David Rossi of Edward J. Morgan was {
sincere and impressive portrayal and IL
his one scene of passion, at the end OF the
fourth act, this capable young actor was
most admirable and won several rounds OF
enthusiastic applause. "A splendid perform
ance was given by Frederick de Rallvilis
IN the part OF Baron Bonelli, the unscrupu
lous Italian statesman and man of tn,
world. His fine stage presence and author
itative delivery made a very interestins
role out OF what might easily be changed
by a poor actor into a conventional stag,
villain. An excellent piece of charactel
acting was done by w. l.. Bonney as Bruno
Rocco. and the good Old-time actor, Franz
G. Bangs, ave careful and well-ordereC
portraitureiof his Holiness. the Pope Asid,
from Donna Roma, there is not a singl,
feminine character OF consequence In tn,
drama. All of the minor roles were wei
taken The incidental music, composed es
pecially for the production by Mascagni
was beautiful and added greatly 10 the at
fractivenesS of the perfOrmance-