The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-30

Stuart stock company at the Lyceum this
week. With the scene laid III the court
OF Spain In the reign OF Charles IL,
The Master at Arms, . without anacfiron-.
Ism, is redolent with the spirit OF knight
errantry, and while sturdy manliness
wins in the end, It Is often sore beset by
the polished villainy and cotlrtly cruelty
which fiourished in that age and court.
he Master at Arms" constructed for
Mr. Stuart by Mtron Lefringwell, is
adapted from Victor Hugo's IA. D'Ennery
and Paul Feval and combines with skill
and striking effect the dramatic incidents
OF those productions wrought into mod
ern melodramatic mold, that Is meeting
with enthusiastic approval In Minneapolis
Inere is copious local color artistically
brought out. There Is love and romance
ana adventure rare and intricate enough
20 arouse the most blase, and incident
follows incident in dizzy rush that
never allows interest to flag. In fact the
action IS, II anything, too rapid to be
entirely natural, but the fault is easily
overlooked. Mr.. Stuart's scholarly and
artistic stage management is demon
strated by the way in which the produc-
ton Is staged and costumed. The set
lungs and stage paraphernalia are his
torlcaily correct and unusually consist
ent and elegant. especially for a stock
prouuction. The play justly opened on
sunday to Capacity houses
In Don Cesar de Bazan. wnown as
.Zafarl' an Impoverished nobleman. Mr..
stuart essays romantic role particu-
larry suited to his capabilities. The force
and daring dash of his Don Cesar who
with chivalric abandon defles ROYALTY.
loVes' nights, suffers and finally wins, all
are refreshing and compelling. AS the
spanish grandee out of funds and favor.
VINO gspurns the offer Of riches and ad-
vancement offered-in return for the
sacrlnce OF his honor, he is the ideal
nero ana wins the repeated plaudits OF
the SPECTATORS. His repressed methods
are the same that have given his other
cnaracter1zat1ons such subtle fascination
ana latent virility. His fencing seems to
1all little short Of what might be ex-
pected OF the best sWordsnaan in Snain
and the man who kills so many soldiers
IN the defense Of himself and his love. hui
there the fault lies somewhat with the
Playwright, who exacts almost too much
killing. ~ A'1uet
CHARLES Rowan plays Charles H.. "the
| royal Idiot" intelligently and with some
ula!latlc nnlsh, but his conception Of the
| character is exaggerated, and his kine
IS even too 1mbecile for the royal idiot ,
AS Don Pedro, the kings favorite
Lewis Stone Is a very proper signor. Win
nights and bows to royal favor but hi.
work In Juvenile parts lacks some of the
finish that marks his portrayal Of othe;
character parts. Luke CONFESS does an.
other heavy" in satisfactory fashion
Henriette Browne appears as Mariana
the peasant girl, who turns out to be .
lady: The role Is not a long one, but tn,
| leading lady does herself credit wittou
demanding any great encomiums Mabe
Wright plays the queen In a. sweetly sat
isfactory way, and Laura e. Lang make
the impression Of the play among tn
women by her clever portrayal of 1nez
disguised as an armorer's apprentice
| - Z ~->> ..C IN. E. H.