Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-04
At the Theaters


~ N boNus N
1t no doubt required a character of maht
sides and devious angles to accomplish the
work Of unifying France during the age
Of Louis XIII, for II ever a monarch was,
confronted by diverse conditions and sub
merged by intrigue and counter-intrigue}s
it was the vaccIlating king under whom by
virtue Of the cardinal of The unified church
Of Rome the throne in Frame became ALSO
lutte, the seemingly incompatible elements
that made up the nation brought into har-
mony and the royal family started ON that
broad road thar ended at the block.
Bulwer Lytton has done a great deal In
the drama itself to bring out In sharp con
trast the various elements that went to
make up the personality or Richelieu. bit
Mr.. sothern has undoubtedly contributed a
greater portion to bring about that result
Leaving out Of considerations the double
thread OF dramatic interest that runs
through the drama. the chief virtue at the
play is in the subtilty with which the devil
Gus character is unfolded by this great
actor. The struggle of the old man who
had devoted his life and his talents to
France to retain supremacy, IN its hour OF
greatest need, and the love affair Of Adrian
de Mauprat and Julie de Mortemar in them
selves enlist the complete sympathy OF the
audience from the start. and the tpemen.
dous climaxes heightened by the approach
ing death Of the one man who alone can
avert the threatened catastrophe tends
every moment Of the time to keep the ex
pectation keyed up TO the proper pitch.
But ali of this might be accomplished pass
ably well with mediocre talent.
The test of the drama will always lie in
the ability of the actor to bring out into
I Aor- ,a-,tr.g. 49,. ,-,,tgo-- 90 -. - ---a
inal as they showed themselves one after
the other as the whirl of the wheel brought
them uppermost. The early parts of The
drama rather intensity the fox-like side OF
Richelieu, but before we are given time to
make up an adverse opinion his zeniality
his tender love for his ward, Julie. and his
forgiving spirit are paraded before us as an
sntidote. Every new scene gives a new
point Of view, different but not incompati-
bic.
Mr.. Sothern's Interpretation OF the char
acter excels in the virile fire with which
he can invest the aged and broken down
old man. He compels sympathy IN the
tender parts and IN those passages in which
the cardinal almost gives way to despair,
but he rises to the magnificent when he
becomes the defender OF the right against
the encroachments Of the enemies of his
/ country. Out OF eyes AL out closed DN
death he darts the lightnings Of wrath and
a body wracked by disease he again arousos
to vigorous action for a brief period. THE
is accomplished without exaggeratIon or the
least departure from the truth. II is MOTH
ing less than a triumph OF versatile acting
The company affords very good support
in the main. Mr.. Lewis. as Adrian, and
Miss Hanson, as Julie. are cast+tn the prin-
ciDal Darts ana carry them well Mr. LAWS
does no violence to the part of the impetu-
Gus lover. and Miss Hanson gives strength
to the part of the faithful sweetheart of
Adrian. Mr.. Blind. as Baradas. and Mr..
HOwson, as the duke Of orleans, were per
haps too apparent to make trustworthy
conspirators. Mr.. Harris, as Joseph, the
faithful monk. deserves praise IN 9 part
which. though, slight in opportunities. he
fills faithfully. Mr.. Mather. as Louis XIII.
also is we'll cast
The staging was nttingfy in keeping with
the magnificence Of the period represented.
The eostuming was especially good.