The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-22
AT THE THEATERS
etropoIitan-"When knighthood Was
.-.r in Flower"


in Flower"
Two. phases Of the Tudor temper are
contrasted in Charles Majors clever his
torical romance, When Knighthood Was
in Flower'-one the masculine phase eX-
hibited by that famous and much mar
ried king, Henry VIII, and the other
more lovely feminine phase imputed by
the lively fancy of the novelist to his
sister Mary. This Mary-aunt of the
Bloody Mary who reigned later, and
progenitress Of the unfortunate Lady
Jane Grey, who reached the block in
stead Of the throne-does not loom large
in the history of the time But the main
facts of her career-her marriage to
Louis XII. Of France and later secret
marriage to Brandon, duke of Suffolk
have been made the pivots around which
the Major romance, and the play con-
cocted from it. revolve.
The Lady Mary imagined by Major
and made real flesh and blood by Roselle
Knott, is a charming reature-way-
ward and wilful, ruled by impulse, swept
by storms Of passion and temper-and
yet, withal, a lovable, true-hearted girl
whose soul, transformed in the alembic
of love, shines pure white. Miss Knott
Is an actress Of great versatility, who
depicts all the changing moods of the
girl-and they run the whole feminine
certify The light love comedy of the first
act, the gusty quarrels with her royal
and choleric brother, eliminating In the
| bedroom scene where wornan's wit ballls
| masculine obstinacy the fatigue and en-
| barrassments that overtake and finally
end her flight in doublet and hose, the
| pitiful bargain she is fain to make to
save her lovers head. the persecution she
! bears at the French court for loves sake.
no frf,1 I'M, 1o Mt n
| the wheedling Of the king that makes a
happy ending possible-in all these vicis-
, STUDIES Miss Knott demonstrates real and
undeniable talent. She is thoroly femi-
| nine, entirely charming and full Of Win
! some vivacity. Surrounded by a company
| in no way to be compared with that
which supported Julia Marlowe in the
original production, she achieves a sue
cess whose lustre is not dimmed beside
| that of the better known and older
| star. .t
| Charles Dalton is not altogether cited
! to the character of Brandon. His touch
| is too heavy, for the lighter side of that
chivarous lover and his makeup is not
fortunate. He is more at home in the
! fighting than in the love-making. And as
| the action grows more strenuous, his i'm
personation gains in effectiveness. Og.
den Stevens contributes a portrait O.
| Henry VIII. that is most fetching. L
! is the merrier aspects of the monarch!
character that are shown for the mos
| part, but Mr.. Stevens realizes astonish
ingly we'll the ideas Of the great Tudo
formed by the student of history Maud.
Claire Shaw, a well known Minneapolis
girl. gives a delightful representation o
Lady Jane. the confidante Of Lady Mary
in which her gifts of voice, appearance,
and manner are notably useful. Rich
ard Sherman makes CALAMITY accept
able Caskoden. The rest Of the compan.
) is rather weak. Especially futile are tn
Buckingham of w. Howard Smith an
the Wolsey of Herbert Forest.
Despite the shortcomings of the com
pany, however. the preponderance Q
Miss Knots role is such that with tn
timely aid of those who have been men
, toned, the performance is thoroly en-
joyable from first to last.
w. B. Chamberlain.