The sun., 1904-12-07
HACKETT AS A FLEEING PRINCE
,or TIE MOST EXCITING DRAMA,
THOTGH, IS HIS NEW ONE,
u,, very Moral Despite Little Profanity
" --"Tne Fortunes Of the Kins" Fine
show for the Young Folks NJ Christ.
mas, and the Actors Work Hard In 1t.


show for the Young Folks At Christi
mas, and the Actors work Hard In IL.
Now that the young people are 10 come
hama from school for the holidays, with
,bo wish to 20 to the theatre every night,
u will be perfectly safe to per nit them
To visit the Lyric. James X. Hackett
anneared there last night In THE Fortunes
oi the King" with the intention OF con-
tir,ling.
rroush there are two or three 1hells!'
n tbe play, the morality OF 1t as whole
!. uneYceptionable. 1t will afford enter
,sinment also to the adoleeoents who have
Ieft school far behind and study history
now in best-selling novels.
Mrs Charles A. Doremus and Leonidas
Westeryelt wrote The Fortunes OF the
King which is founded on an episode In
the lie Of Charles Stuart, what time he had
,a,en TO the woods after the battle OF Wor-
oaster, The authors honestly call their
osort n romantic melodrama. II they
had only made it more successfully what
thew call II several spells Of dulnees would
have been avoided last night.
The first act moved sluggishly, though
the actors grew frantically excited In their
Effort produce aSoa Sooasnd he ssn9 ssSona %as
talky, formess in development and ridicu..
Ious @ in climax. The third act contrasted
roisily and bristlingly with the tedium OF
is predecessors. The audience, which was
exceedingly friendly to Mr.. Hackett and the
authors, became enthusiastic and demanded
a speech. Mr.. Hackett replied modestly
and said he hoped the tumultuous welcome
WAS not wholly a personal expression and
also that the success Of this venture meant
a good deal to him.
Slr Hackett undeniably has spent much
for the scenery and costumes OF The
Fortunes of the King" The second scene,
already referred to, and the last scene,
Near Shoreham," with clouds rushing
across the sky, are admirable stage effects.
Mr.. Hackett has provided, too, a. large
company Of fairly competent players.
william Courtleigh as Capt Derereur was
scarcely as good as his record gave warrant
to expect. The Miller and the Veteran
we're amusing in small parts: The Veteran
was especially consoling when he sighed
the first -Oh, hell!" 1t was at dull mo-
ment in the forest scene.
Charlotte Walker, the leading woman,
does all she has to do earnestly, painstak-
insIy-and does 1t all wrong. Her methods
are not even good melodrama, and 1t Is not
to be forgotten that all you have TO expect
in The Fortunes OF the King Is melo-
drama.
In good melodrama SITUATION loHoWs
situation, exploding like caps set in line on
a car track. The poetic or rather human.
istic sentiment Of such plays Is condensed
into occasional swelling sentences that
serve as labels on the situations. II only
the authors of 'The Fortunes Of the King
had studied the works of Theodore kremer,
which we have always with US in some
to omit all the gushing speeches with which
Charles wastes time during the first half
The worst Of 1t is that when Charles il
supposed to be giving his fancy rein he
Is spouting the commonplacee OF album
verse. And Charles was declared, even BY
the man who lampooned him savagely,
never to have said q foolish thing.
OF course. history has properly nothing
70 do with historical plays except in the
matter Of costumes and scenery. But meio-
drama has it's rights. and neither Mrs.
Doremus nor Mr.. Westervelt seems to be
well acquainted with them
As for Mr.. Hackett's performance. reser-
yation in some degree must be made becauee
ii was the first night and the burden Of the
production was on his shoulders. Yet the
sincerest well wisher Mr.. Hackett has, II
have discovered before now that James
K Hackett is not a good actor. He has
presence, has worked hard and has won
popularity as matinee hero.
It is to be hoped that he will retain this
esteem always, though 1t can do nothing
toward endowing him with wit or humor,
with iexibility Of mind. variety Of gesture
and voice, with power or passion OF any
kind.
Now that the young people are coming
home for the holidays and all heJanes
women. naughty, wicked and those merely
depraved have vanished from the Lyric
Theatre 1t will be per fectly safe to have
them see The Fortunes Of the King"