The Royal Box (1914)

The story of "The Royal Box" chiefly concerns a favorite actor of a century ago in England. James Clarence, the boon-comrade of the Prince of Wales, and one who occupied a peculiar, popular position with the play-goers of that day. The scene opens with the actors presentation at the Swedish Embassy Ball, by the Princc of Wales. There he meets Lady Felsen, the wife of Count Felsen, and she is at once charmed by his elegant manner. He apparently reciprocates her admiration and the warmth of their first meeting, inspires her noble husband to be very distant and disagreeable. The second party to the plot is Lord Hasset, a petulant old roue, who urges marriage upon his beautiful ward, Celia Pryse, and singularly enough, she comes in to innocently share the big responsibilities that make and mar the close of Clarence's career as a favorite in England. Lord Hasset eventually thinks that he has made a conquest, for he is not slow in notifying the Prime of Wales and other notables of his wedding prospective. Celia temporizes with this hateful old party, but is at her wits' end to know what really to do. Finally, recalling Clarence, the actor, in a similar situation, she feels that she might do something in the dramatic direction, and impulsively writes to him that she is positive she has a career ahead of her, and would like him to consult with her, almost forcing an interview upon him. However, he advises her in a letter that she should take up any other career than that of the stage. Time flies, Celia Pryse's wedding day is set and comes, but the bride has disappeared. Hasset, in his rage and mortification, makes a terrible scene, and declares that his ward has been abducted by Mr. Clarence of the Drury Lane Theater. The actor has, in the meantime, received a pressing invitation for another reception at the Swedish Embassy, but declines. This does not cool the ardor of Lady Felsen, who, with a friend, visits him clandestinely in his dressing-room at the theater. The occasion of this appearance is simultaneous with a great benefit performance given by Clarence for an ailing comrade actor, Bob Widgets, Which although in some ways, a serious matter, involves a great deal of comedy, during the course of the visit, Lady Felsen drops a fan in the actor's room. Shortly after her secret and hurried departure her husband visits the room with the Prince of Wales, and the former picks up the fan and secretes it, adding further fuel to his antagonism for the actor. The performance is gala, and the Prince of Wales has as his guests. Lord and Lady Felsen. They appear in the box, and as Clarence appears as Romeo in the balcony scene of "Romeo and Juliet," their talking is so loud, so persistently annoying, that Clarence forgets his part, comes to the footlights, and in a speech denounces them. Such reckless nerve on the part of the actor toward the heir apparent starts a terrible commotion. The audience is dismissed, and the excited actor, whose feelings are beyond his control, is hustled away to a place of safety by his friends as one out of his mind. Everybody naturally thinks that such an affront to the Prince of Wales will end his career in England, but the Prince takes the rebuke rather good-naturedly, visits Clarence in his lodgings and assures him of his unbroken friendship. Celia Pryse, who has sought sanctuary at her aunt's, has managed to get some instruction in stage work, and keeps in communication with Clarence despite his attempts to dissuade her against the stage career. She is persecuted by her guardian, Lord Hasset, and finally concludes that the only way to escape him is to emigrate to America, she, in the interim, having secured a stage position. Lord Hasset more than ever believes that Clarence, the actor, is at the bottom of all his troubles, and finally secures a warrant for his arrest. This fact becomes known to Lady Felsen, who greatly fears that she may be involved in an exposure, owing to the fact that she has written Clarence a number of letters, and has sent him her portrait. He had previously informed her for her own safety that the fan she left in his dressing-room was found by her husband. Happily this incriminating bit of evidence is taken up by the Prince of Wales, who disarms the jealous count, her husband, by telling him that he himself lost it there. The upshot of all this trouble is that Clarence himself determines for the good of all concerned it would seem well for him to accept an engagement in far-off America. When the Prince of Wales and all his other friends come to see him off, he introduces Celia Pryse, who is a passenger on the same ship, as his new leading lady.