The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-22
NY e. nnucn cnEsrEnMAN.


4 The interest of local theatregoers
( this week will centre in Amelia Bling
I ham, who appears at the Academy
/ Thursday evening in n presentation
I of the somewhat daring play "A Mod
orn Lady Godiva.'' AT the beginning, 1t
may be as well to state that Miss
Bingham does not appear in fleshings
in this play. there having been some
speculation on this point by those who
have formed their idea OF the piece
by Its very suggestive title. The wife
of Leofric, Earl of Chester. in the
eleventh century, rode nude through
the streets of Coventry, upon white
horse, in order to relieve a hurdened
Z people from the tyranny of unjust
y Taxation.
In the four-act play written by
Frederic i. Schrader and Lloyd III.
Bingham, the latter a brother of the
actress, no such sacrifice Is made. The
Modern Lady Godiva of this play so
ia. sacrifices her modesty as to pose
in the nude for painting of the ORR
ginal. 1t is the price she pays for
her husbands If, for 1t enables her
to secure sum of money necessary
for her to move him to tie South of
France. where he has been orSered
by his physician, who advises that only
this change of climate can arrest his
malady.
There is no posing for the picture
in this play. And in view of some
of the very daring scenes that have
been introduced in dramas in recent
years, the authors are to he congratu-
lated in refraining from the tempta-
ton offered of keeping pace with the
times in matters of the stage. The
temptation must have been strong.
Such a scene, however would have
been no great shock to the stage in
this age. for the drama during the
past decade has witnessed some very
daring attempts to shock its patrons,
without having succeeded in very
greatly outraging the feelings of the
latter. This would have been an
appeal to sensationalIsm as we'll as
sensualism, which. perhaps, would not
have been tolerated outside of the great
centres. and as nj ;s Bingham of recent
years has deigned To look with favor
upon some of the small, but respect
able towns of the South, her play
wrights We're no doubt influenced as
much by monetary motives as a regard
for morals.
However. there is in this play sub
sect sufficiently unconventional to at
tract the necessary attention and dis
cussion, and even to call forth some
criticism from quarters not too libcrni-
'phiIhtu III It's NIcNs upoH lHS
of the stage of to-day. There seems.
however. nothing worse in the piece
than the display of a painting from
I've Indn. the figure representing Lady
Mary Fulton, of the play, impersonated
y by Miss Bingham.
Baltimore and Washington have both
Just witnessed "a Modern Lady Godi-
va" without any visible shock.
4 The story of the play, briefly told,
is as follows: Lady Mary is the wife
of an English nobleman. Sir Charles
Fulton, who though devoted husband,
and possessing the most ovable traits,
is altogether lacking in those bust
ness qualities necessary for the proper
management of his estate. Through
the designs of his private secretary
and man of affairs, he soon BECOMES
]lelplessly involved. This private sec
gretary is In love with Lady Mary. and
1t is rathsSr'to find a way to win her
from her husband than to gain the
money that he prosecutes his schemes.
Not only does ruin threaten Sir Charles
but i'll health has SO prcyed upon him
that the physicians offer no hope of
recovery unless he can be moved to
more genial climate than the shores
of England afford. IT is at this crucial
point that Lady Mary is offered the
means of saving her husbands life. A
& large sum of money is offered her If
she will pose for a famous artist for