The Washington times., 1909-04-29
SOTHERN ACHIEVES
TELLING PORTRAYAL
Francois Villon Proves No
Less a Success Than
Dundreary.
LIKE A CHAPTER
OF OLD HISTORY
"IfI Were King" Visualizes Life of
Middle Ages 20 Brilliant
Audience.
9 were kine-ah. love, If ! were KING

n were kng-ah love. II I were king;
What tributary nations would I bring
TO Stoop before your sceptre. and to swear
allegiance 10 your lips and eyes and hair,
Beneath your feet what treasures would
fling
The stars would be your pearls upon a
The world ruby for your hnger ring.
And you should have the sun and moon to
wear
II I were king
E. H sothern may be spoken OF as
the son OF his father In "Dundreary."
though his success be as great OF
greater but as Francois Villon. the
ne'er-do-weil Of the streets of Paris. who
at one throw OF the dice OF fortune is
transformed into the high constable OF
France. he Is distinctly himself.
Another brilliant audience crowded the
Belasco Theater last night to witness
his revival OF the poetic drama OF
Justin H. Mccarthy.
History clothes the gamin or Paris
in a cloud OF obscurity. but Mr.. Nc
Carthy reached back into the middle
ages and plucked him forth 20 make a
wonderful character. Transported from
among the human wolves of the French
capital, where he was neither better
nor worse than his associates, save
that he was a master of arts Of the
University OF Paris. the staggering
Frenchman awakens after midnight
bray1 TO ind himself in an exalted
position.
Reign of Louis XI.
To the whimsical fancy Of that cum
ming old fox Louis xI, and to the king s
fondness of intrigue. the change IL due
lTraveging among the lowest OF his sub
&ects. lettering in an inn. the king hears
Francois. the vagabond and rhymster,
tell to a maudlin troup what he would
do If he were king. He determines tc
punish the man BY giving him chance
and then to die.
"A poor devi. with heart too big
for his body" ie the way Francois iden-
tifies himself when the disguised mon
arch inquiries his name. And the king
starts to make of him his mountebank
play thing for a week.
The poetic strain in Gsss.ch Mr. Nc
Carthy has written the play intensihes
rather than dimfnishes Us strength. The
manner in which Francois accustom;
himself to his new environment, power
acting as Sothern is called upon to per
form in any OF his repertoire From
dumb amazement gradually the straiT
lessons. until AT last he ruDS his eyes
shrugs his shoulders. raises a colder
goblet to his lips. and declares: In the
meantime dream liquor makes gooc
drinking
Has Capable Support.
Malcolm Bradley and Miss Gladys
Hanson are also entitled to much Of
the credit for last nights excellent per
form2nce. The role of the unscrupulou:
king. with an inordinate love of in
trigue. at times almost a blithering Ok
idiot, but withal strong enough TO have
his VIII, could hardly be better por'
trayed than by Mr.. Bradley.
Mlss HansOn's acting, her clear, deer
VoicA her 1arriage, and her beauty. con
tributed TO make her work notable. A.
Katherine De Vaucelles. one Of ths
queens companions, who fell in love
with the French rhymster's verses anC
then with him again as the high con
ietabie. she called forth the admiration
of the audience. Miss Virginia Ham
mond' IS work IN the part OF Hugette y,
Hamel, The Abbess," a companion o.
Francois IN his old days, calls for mucl
praise.