The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-13
AT THE THEATERS
MetropolItan-E. HA sothern In 9Th
ss Proud brIncA

NORMAN conQuest and marklns tHs Dee i.-
nings Of English drama have OF late I
emerged from the musty tones In which
students OF the drama were wont to seek
them, and caught the interest OF the prac-
tical people Of the stage. These restless
folk. ever on the scent Of something dit
petites OF their patrons. brought out [
''Everyman, one of the best OF the old
morality plays, and were rewarded WITH
a great success. It was possibly this sue
cess that turned the attention OF Mr.. |
Sothern and Of Justin Huntley Mccarthy.
who had written for MIN the romantic |
success, If Were King to the miracle
plays. In which are celebrated the Won
derful works of righteousness accom-
plished by saints. Gaining further inspir-
alton from Longfellow's poem king Rob-
ert Of Sicily" Mr.. Mccarthy has written
a miracle play In the old style and MT.
Sothern has produced it in the old spirit,
but with every accessory that modern
stagecfaft can offer.
There is perhaps survival of the mir
acle play idea In the time honored Christ
mas pantonimes, wherein the good fairy
with her wand transforms country yokels
into clever allies for her contest with the
evil powers. At any rate, the triumph OF
virtue over vice, accomplished only after
narrowing struggles is the heritage of the
English drama from these early plays. In
the modern melodrama, this triumph Is
| however improbable are at least possible.
In the olden miracle play, the saint or the
i angel intervenes II, the nick Of time. The
| Proud Prince is In its substance Curl
Gus mixture Of melodrama and miracle.
4 It is the archangeI that humiliates the
prince in the first act Eby changing him
into crippled jester. 1t is the archangel
that averts the final catastrophe and gives
| the regenerateds prince for his pyre OF
lfagots throne and a bride. But in the
interval the Jester has strenuous time
l defending the maiden from the results of
| plans, which he himself as king had set
| in motion. And thus the second and third
acts are mere melodrama. In the fourth
land last act, the jester sees no other way
to save the girl from the pyre than to oc-
4 cupy it himself, and this supreme act of
4 self-sacrifice completes his regeneration
and causes the angel to intervene. Inge-
niously as the story is worked out, the
y author has found the greatest difficulty in
sustaining the interest and bringing it to
4 proper clmaXes thruout the play. The
1 very simplicity of the theme seems to re-
tsult in iteration Of incident, situation and
sentiment. Too often is the maiden
1 dragged away by remorseless captors. Too
often Is she snatched from the very Jaws
4 Of a fate worse than death by the Jester.
The play, so far as it's literary quality
Is concerned is nobly written. Lofty SEN
timents are clothed in striking language.
There is an occasional touch of modernity
in the talk of the characters, but still
we seem to breathe the air Of medieval
Sicily and to feel the pulse Of the siren
uous life Of the time. l.
It is not too much to say that Mr..
Sotherns impersonation of the prince
saves the piece. His earnestness and per-
feet sincerity save many situation that
, might easily become ridiculouss The duel
wherein the puny Jester batters down his
slilful opponent, who yields a huge sword,
/ with a still huger iron cross, would seem
absurd under. other circumstances. Mr..
Sothern contrives to show upon his face
the divine strength that suddenly ami
mates the jester, and in the end to win
| a triumph from a difficult and delicate
situation. This illustrates the spirit in
which Mr.. Sothern has conceived and exc
cuted the character. The arrogance OF
the prince, his ignoble wooing of the
, maiden, the bitterness and obstinacy with
Il which he Sat first receives his humilia-
Il ton, the gradual change that takes place
: in his character as he is purified by strug-
: gle and ennobled by his love, the peni-
tence that leads to his final reclamation
, and the true humility with which! he re-
sumes the throne-these things are won
l derfully made plain by Mr.. Sothern. Not
t the least Of his successes Is that won ir
q causing the soul of the king to shine
! out Of the foul ands misshapen form q
the fool
The raucous voice with which Mr.
f Sothern first takes UP the impersonatio1
f of the jester, in imitation of the rea
. jester, is rather nerve wearing, espeeiall.
= as 1t does not seem altogether necessary
It The maiden whose fortunes are inter
t twined with those of the prince finds al
q almost ideal realization in Jennie Laurel
:. whose beauty, sincerity and expressive
u ness are quite equaI to the task. 1t il
: no fault of hers that the simple girl Q
: the mountain is made to say things Q
= surprising keenness 2 and wisdom TIL
:, girlishness, the maiden purity, the fear
= lessness Of innocence with which she in
/ vests the character are remarkable. Orm
! Caldara is bold and dashing as the king
: favorite. John, Findlay plays the rea
jester somewhat exaggeratedly, but We
with pictorial quality. Rowland Buck
; stone, in spite Of his old makeup, finds
impossible apparently to play the execu
TONER, the maidens father, as an old mar
- His youth is not concealed successfully
Sydney G. Mather has spiritual face an
In an austere manner well suited to the rol
Of the archangel. Miss Affie Warner, a
re the kings favorite wanton, handles dill
ficult task with just enough realism nc
= to be offensive.
ID The production Isl set with impressiv
magnifcence, and it's effects are height
ened by the; incidental music special
WTlLI6n lOT IL ny lNldIluel. AleLl. ! II
audience last night was of a size an
character to inspire those on the stag
II to their best efforts. Recalls were numel
he Gus and insistent. }ae
w. B. Chamberlain
- Foyer Chat.
X, Miss Emily Rogers, who will be a men
as Der Of Miss Percy Haswells company
70 the Metropolitan next week. is a mo
promising juvenile actress. Miss Roge
| is member Of one of Baltimore's mo
prominent families.
why Girls Leave Home" continues
please large audiences at the Bijou.
Attic Uncle Toms Cabin whit
opens a weeks engagement at the Biz
Sunday afternoon, is the oldest on tt
American stage, and has been before Il
!. public over half a century, it still retail
me its vigor. assas
: But three more performances Of t
given at the Lyceum Next week t
EN- company will present 'Dr. Jelyn and N
/. Hyde. 1t 5s.
ouf At the Dewey, this week are the Tran
Atlantics, good .all-around compan
with a&lively chorus prettily costumed al
surrounded with gorgeous scenery al
effects.
CONSIDERED WEIGHTY PROBLEM
The Daughters of the American Rev
lin, luton have SeriOus nrOblemS to cOnSiG1