The Washington herald., 1907-09-17


his play The audience was not large.
"A Modern Lady Godiva" is play that
is built along the lines of the old-fash-
toned English melodrama,- with Miss
Amelia Bingham as the prosecuted hero
Inc. She has 10 pay the penalty that Is
eXacted OF most American stars, under
our modern system of play-writing. and
do most Of the heavy work but she is
ably assisted by Mr.. ". l. Abingdon. as
Sir Charles Fulton, her husband and by
Mr. John T. Kellerd as Michael Harri-
gan. her husbands private secretary, and
the villain OF the piece.
The play tells a story. as all good plays
should. This is fl. condensed: Sir Charles
Fulton has married an Irish girl. whose
father seems TO have been a tradesman in
some sort OF way. though he had a suit
in chancery which might some day make
him rich. When the play opens the scene
is on the lawn Of Sir Charles estate. near
London, and the date is the second ami
versary OF his marriage. All has gone as
merry as a wedding bell up 20 this time
Il is evening-just before dinner time
and fox hunt is just over Lady Mary
Fulton and the huntsmen arriving lust in
time for dinner. she having won the
brush, incidentally, Sir Charles lets 1t be
known that he is in receipt of an income
or $4,000 a year SO, of course the din
ner, which is served on the lawn. is very
luxurious. But it soon turns out that
Harrigan is in love with Lady Mary, has
been in love with her for many years. and
when he tells her of his love. and she
spurns him. he threatens Sir Charles.
While dinner is IN progress, there arrives
man with a writ Of execution. which is
served on the host, and the act ends with
The host facing ruin and in despair But
there have been toasts drunk az this
n fresco dinner, so Lady Mary jumps on
a table and drinks a toast to "the best
husband in the world" as the curtain
falls.
The second act finds Sir Charles and
Lady Mary in a garrett a really squalid
garnet. Sir Charles is I'll and Lady Mary
Is pushed to find food for him. She ekes
out a bare living by selling some of her
sketches. Then the doctor comes. and
after examining the patient tells Lady
Nary that he must be taken TO the south
Of France, or, ar least 10 the Isle of
Wight Lady Mary, who is known in
this tenement place as Mrs. Martin. has
received an offer to pose for a picture
OF Lady GOdiva, and though It revolts her
innate sense Of mOdesty, she consents, ex-
claiming
What woman does with a pure heart
and clear conscience no man has a right
10 judger
The third act shows the luxurious rooms
Of the Victoria Club. four years later. In
the interim the chancery suit has been
determined and Lady Mary has become
rich, SO that Sir Charles Is restored 20
his rightful position. It is Christmas Eve
and the guests have been invited 10 see q
painting which Mr.. Harrigan. now the
owner Of half the diamond mines in
South Africa" as he tells US. has pre-
sented 10 the club. II is the picture OF
Lady GOdiva. He offers his love 10 Lady
Mary once more. and tells her that II she
VIII love him he will TepreSs the picture.
but she declines with scOrn. The picture
IS shown; the guests and Sir Charles,
with strange intuition, recognize il. and
although Lady Mary tries 70 explain how
esty 10 pay her husbands travelling ex-
penses he apparently casts her off. He.
being an aristOcrat, tells her that he
might have known what 20 expect from
her, but she aptly replies that she thanks
God she is not of noble blood II il would
have prevented her from doing her duty.
and she eXclaims in Justification as the
curtain falls: Thank God 7 am Of the
people,"
The last act takes place in Lady Mary's
bedroom in the Carleton Hotel. the same
night She comes in weeping because she
has lost the love OF her husband. but she
IS hardly IN the room before Harrigan
comes in through u window from the
balcony. Again he offers love TO Lady
Mary and 10 emphasize il he takes from
his pockets numerous diamond bracelets
necklaces, and so on. These, of course.
she spuTns. but while she Is parleving
with him Sir Charles enters by the door
Mr.. HarTigan again tells Sir Charles how
rich he Is, and offers 10 take him into
partnership. but this having no avail he
offers his former employer all his wealth
just why is not particularly clear. ex-
cept that he is afraid. At any rate. Sir
Charles advances upon him and chokes
him over a gold table after telling him.
i am going TO call you TO account for
When HarTigan is thrown 70 the floor
Lady Mary, knowing that her husband
sui loves her, in spite OF the picture she
has posed for, puts her arms around
him, and the play is done,
The play is not lacking IN interest, but
its story IS hardly as convincing as might
be. There are many points here and
there that want explanation, and the per-
feet play explains Itself. "a Modern
Lady GOdiva' presents 10 problem. solves
no moral question. and certainly does nor
offer Itself as a transcript from life To
the average spectator il must be a little
difficult to understand a fox hunt in the
FIRST act that does not end until within
fifteen minutes Of dinneTtime, and it is
surely dramatic license alone that al
lows dinner 20 be served in front of Sir
Charles country house on the lawn. It
might be objected. too. that husbands do
not have their wives kneel 10 them while
they kiss them in the presence OF the
servants.
Throughout the play there are incon-
sisJenCles OF this sort which mar It. Il
is not quite reasonable. for instance, that
man used through life 10 an income of
$4,000 a year should be reduced-no mat
ter how he was ruined-to d garnet and
starvation within six months. The in
lection OF Charity and her coster sweet /
heart, Harry, adds comedy to the piece. |
but it is dragged in by the heels and is. |
anyway, a most awkward method of con- |
Neying 70 Lady Mary the offer OF the ar !
fist 10 paint her picture which IS a focal
point of the play.
In the third act, at the Victoria Club /
which is supposed to be a club of ladies
and gentlemen, the rumors are thick that
the unveiled picture which is to be ex- /
hDited offers an insult TO one of tho
prominent guests bur M nnn r,,,ro.o... |