The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-17
t.IfI Were King

IF / Were king" Justin Huntly Nc
nance In witch Il. H. sothern scored
one OF Ills greatest and most decided
successes a season or more ago at the
Garden Theatre in New York, will be
presented here Tuesday evening at the
Academy, with Lester Lonergun In the
role Of Francois Nion the vagabond poet
and hero, cast of uniform excellence
and the same gorgeous and costly pro-
duction used by Mr.. Sothern during
his triumphant run in New York
The story has to do with the expert
ence Of Francois villon, a poet Of France.
who besides making ballads to the beauty
OF the ladies of his day, has written
burning criticisms OF the manner in
which The French government is con-
Quoted under the reign of that crafty
old monarch, Louis NJ. The old King.
h while visiting the Fir Cone Tavern, over
hears young Nillon reciting Just such a
poem, vibrant with what he would 90
were he the King OF France. Inc &c
centric old monarch determines 10 Stest
b the truth Of his words and N1lloh, rag
Eed and unlcmpt. is clothed in purple,
and made king for a week." There IS
rs provision attached to the condition,
however, and this consists in the stpu-
lation that unless Nillon accopplishcs
certain reforms, and wins the hand of
certain lady of the court, at the end
of the week he will be beheaded Vlllon
nccomplishes all this, even to winning
3s the hand of the woman lie loves. but the
King, seeing his popularity with the
people, resolves to carry out his threat,
md it IS only by the merest of acct
q dents that the poet escapes the death
penalty, though the curtain descends
upon a happy union OF the hero with the
girl of his choices
The play is reptetc with stirring and
= exciting situations which follow so closely
upon one another that the spectator is
kept in feverish state of excitement.
Z The love theme in the drama is simple
and beautiful, and effectively interviewer
With the plot of the story.
8ss The production that will be revealed
sin this city is exactly as given for al
most an entire season at the Gardei
as3 Theatre in Now York. The electrical
and mechanical effects are startling ant
Original, and the costumes are entire!,
new and particularly gorgeous.
"The Squaw Man"
One of the newest of the Licbler s
Company productions, THE Squav
$50 Man. comes to the Academy on Wed
nesday. matinee and night The pla!
q has achieved success in New Xork
where it ran for over six months a
@Wallacis's Theatre, and has by compe
tent critics been described as one o
the strongest plays of American lii
sS3 now upon the stage. The title In IL
70 self reveals to q great extent TIL
character Of the drama, and the prln
ctpal figure is one of whom compare
lively little is known by people of til
East. III the territory west OF til
mississippi. tho white man who ma,
ries an Indian woman, is known {
once as "a squaw man." and to some c,
tent at least he is looked down upo
by his fellowr.' The mere fact that !
may hnve..acted from any one Of
variety OF motives does not seem
count for much in their eyes, az
il is the purpose of Edwin Milto
Royle, the author of the play, to sho
that through self sacrifice a man M,
@ he brought TO a point where his hon
demands that he make still furl.l
sacrifice OF himself in carrying o
what he deems Is his pounden duty.
The first scene of the play is la
in England. and tells the story
Captain James Wynnegatc, an arm
I9s officer, who, for sentimental reason
takes upon himself the onus OF cri,
he has not committed, and flies
Wyoming, where he takes up ranchi,
under another name He meets an ]
@ dian woman, Nat ritch, who saves |
life, and in gratitude ne marries h,
The subsequent proceedings make
pretty and convincing a picture
= . . F.. . F. ~