The daily sentinel., 1906-04-26
MISS FRANKENFTELD DELIGHTS
Large Audience last Night as MERCY
MIerriclS" in "Hcr Double
I.ifc"-All Pleased.

MISS Laura Iduhtnuelu secured
additional hold on her many old
friends in this city and made many
new ones last evening at the Park
opera house when she assumed and
splendidly interpreted the difficult
character of Mercy Merrick" in the
play. Her Double Life" which is
n dramatizatlon OF wilkle Collins
strange and sorrowful story. "a New
Magdalen."
An actress that undertakes to por-
tray such a character as that of "Mer-
cy Merrick" must need have real
talent of high order or else she will
make dismal failure for the inter-
probation of such character calls for
work of the very highest order. Laura
Frankenheld has the real talent and
consequently her Mercy Merrlclk"
was strong dellneation.
There is not a single line of comedy
in "Her Double Life. 1t is truly char
acterisiic Of Wilkle Collins Sorrow
of the deepest strain, sadness unal-
loyed, n series of situations that are
all intensely dramatic. all going to
make up a strong and beautiful story.
one that holds the unnagging inter
est of any audience.
Mercy Merrick" is a Magdelen of
modern times, made so largely. by
her environments. The story turns
upon the assumption by Mercy Mer-
rick" Of the name and social posi-
tion OF another woman. Mercy Mer-
rick" was formerly woman of the
under world of London. whose past
character, despite her noble exeI,
ton to hide and blot out persist
emily followed her and prevented her
from regaining that social position
which she seeks to regain.
Having tried in vain to raise her
self above the level to which she has
fallen, she becomes a nurse in mill
tary field hospital during the German
French war and the opening scene
of the play is laid on the Rhine from
tier during the late Franco Prussian
war. AT this hospital Mercy makes
v
a Young lady, the orphan of n colonel
in the British army. who is on her
way to friends In England Mercy
becomes interested in Grace, and
learns her story while they are at
the hospital. The hospital Is at
tackled by German soldiers and by
the explosion of shell Miss Rose
berry is apparently killed and Mercy
Merrick" conceives the idea of chang
ing clothes with her and assuming her
name; circumstances favor the ac-
complishment OF her plan. The young
woman who was supposed to be dead
comes to life. however, and endeav-
ors 10 assert her personality and
rights. and from this complication
springs story of intense interest.
Mcrcy's love for Julian Gray. the
minister, the appearance OF the real
Miss Roseberry. Mercy's awful re-
morse followed by her confession and
atonement, and the last great scene
in which she tells the minister who
knows her past and the awful strug-
gle that she has passed through. but
who loves her, that she can never
marry him for the past life of
Magdalen can never be blotted out
and telling him there is hope only
in brighter world to come. are only
few of the deeply dramatic situa-
tions that mn up the latter part of
the story.
The manner in which Laura Frank
enfield pictured and acted the char
acter of Mercy Merrick" brought
forth the highest admiration of the
large and appreciative audience. AL
no time was the part over done. at
no time was she weak She measur-
ed mp to every great scene. every
remarkable situation As an emo
tional actress Miss FrankenReld
stands in the front rank.
George Dagelen as Julian Gray. the
minister. was splendid. Mr. Dage-
len is an actor Of much ability and
he handled the role of Julian Gray
adepuy. The other characters were
In good hands. with one exception.