The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-30
THE THEA IERS
Lyceum-"Grsmot,da.U

tHe%WSSk Will be big
scenic production Of sardou's great play,
"Gismonda" Mr.. Ferris and Miss Stone
will play the two leading roles. The play
is in five acts, the first one Of which dis
closes a view of the east side of the Ac-
rorclis in 1451. The second act shows the
convent and cloister@ of Daphne, such a
structure as was built about the time of
the fourth crusade by the Benedictines Of
Citeaux. It is paved with tombstones bear
ing the half effaced inscriptions of ancient
tim es: In the fourth act is a view Of
Nymphs' hill, where is seen the ruin Of
Temple Of Venus. with the majestic
AcroPolis in the distance On the left is
Almerio hut, roughly built in the debris.
The last act offers magnificent repro
duction Of the Church of Santa Maria.
Sardou's story opens with the appear
| ance Of Gismonda and her suite. While
she is talking to some noble suitors, her
son Francesca, the 6-year-old heir to the
throne Of Athens, falls into a pit, where
is kept a Bengal tiger, recently presented
to the duchess by the sultan. In the
agony of a mothers heart, she swears on
the crossi<to marry the man who will res
cue her boy. None of the mobiles dares
make the. effort, but Almerio, the chief
1falconer, springs into the pit, dispatches
the tiger and bears the child to it's sob
bling mothers arms. The second act pre-
sents her In 1.-THE convent. where she is
laWaiting ia messenger to the pope, pray
| ing for absolution from her OATH The
bishop who has seen his holiness,is an
Enouneed. asHfid he tells @Gismonda* that the
| pope positively refuses o-re1easea her from
4 her VOW. Scarcely has she received this
news when Almerio returns clothed in new
I glory, for he has succeeded Ing defeat ting
/ the pirates who have been devastating the
shores of Greece. The people, with whom
Almerio has grown immensely, popular,
bear him in triumph to Gismonda's pres
ence and demand the fulflment of her
vow and proclaim him their duke. AL
NERO. asks >Gisnonda to fulfil the vow,
whereupon she, has him cast into prison
| for insoience. In the next act she has
sent for her prisoner and offers him brides
ofzwealth and honors If he will release her
He stolidly refuses declaring that it is
only she alone whom he Graves and not
She plays upon his susceptible and gen
ferrous nature and succeeds in getting hin
to promise that on the morrow he will
! publicly give her the desired release. NJ
4 sooner has she done this than she de.
i nounces him as a vile schemer, but it Il
i too late, for she has sacrificed her honor
Ito gain her release. The third act Is the
fseene Of the palace Of the duchess, Act
4 four shows Alnerio,s hut, on Nymphs hill
+ where the duchess. has gone to meet AL
merlo. She starts to return to her palace
Hate in the night, but Is stopped by thu
sound of two men, Gregoras and Fac
Icaria. She learns from their conversation
/ that they have come to murder Almerio
4 the formers. greatest rival. AS Zaccaris
lis about to enter the hut to plunge thu
dagger into Almerio,s breast, Gismonds
l r,1shes from behind and kills him with al
axe. The last scene takes place on Palm
! Sunday, at the Church of Santa Maria
where services are in progress. Alneri,
comes publicly to release Gismonda from
her vow, and while he is speaking Gre
I goras rushes in and accuses him Of muir
dering Zaccaria. His devotion to Gismond'
makes him acknowledge his guilt rattle
than implicate her. While they are lead
4 ing him away to execution, Gismonda i
i SO touched by his self-sacrifice that sh
i acknowledges her own guilt, begs Al
! nerio's pardon and asks him to becOm
her husband. The bishop Is called t
bless their union, and the mobiles swea
fealty to their new duke. The cast:
Marcello iAlmeriO Dick Ferri
zassapa sophioa By nsa 5 Rsssle
1gnello Accaiolii, nephew Of the duchess, eAean
Frederic Clar
jacques Lusignan, Prince Of Chypre,
Leonard de Tocco, Duke de Lencate. 80
Don Bridas, tutor to Agnello. J. George Armstron
Duke Jacques crispo, Della carcerI; ,,, 60,
Basialides, physician and s estrG,loser,
captain OF the U s 9ame
s4''lN''4' !, 1'e oscar Grey Brigg
Tiberio Observation-Disclosures. Belle Brigg
Andriolo ............. ......... Amy Web
Spiridlon .................. Roy Smit
FTaneeseo son Of the duchess Clark K Marshal
Cypriells, Gtsmonda' 8 stepdaughter
4 -. : Claudia Luca
Thisby, Gismonda's nurse 49,. .Laurette Allie
Lowell Alice Tay1o
q Abbess Donate ................. June William
7 Florence Ston
FooTLIaHT FLASHES.