The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-29
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.


TcnnysOn's genius is idyllic rather than dramatic
and with the exception OF Charles Reade. who has
worked upDOTG into quite effective play, by infuSng
INTO the subject a good deal OF his own vigor the
dranatsts of the day, although tempted sorely to
Vall themselves OF the poets popularity have been
bailed 10y the unprOmising nature of the materials.
And yet throughout his poems there are good
dramatic hints that a man who had some original
IDEAS oil his own might easily convert into exceed
ingY effective pieces for the stage. The paywrters
OF the present day, however, not men Of original
IDEAS they find it much easier 20 borrow than to in
vent and they require the items of plot and charac-
Ter 10 bo all prepared for them before they
begin, and the consequence is that the credit OF the
success OF new play is generally due to somebody
else than the ostensiblc author Thus in the stage
auaptatl0n Oh me story oil Laoch Arden, which was
produced at the Walnut on Saturday. any impression
that is made upon the audience is owing to
the intrinsic merits of the subject and the
efforts OF tue RS rather than to the writer OF the
play This poem is more dramatic in style and SUBJ
stance than any OF the other writings OF Tennyson
and it ought to make much more powerful per-
f0rmance on the stage than Dora. TO do this, how
points Of dramatic interest in it. and the ability to
bring them prominently forward. This ability Mr..
little than to take the bare outline OF the story
as as TenDyson gives it, and to put IL into dialogue.
gna features OF the play consist in the introduction
aSr as G9mIc characters % Of drunken husband
who appeals in mild way to the risbles Of the audi
ence by the toerably we-worn device OF interlard-
ing his speech with msquotatons of Shakespeare
and the Scriptures There is necessity for some
comic business to relieve the darker features OF the
story m but TINS n very poor sort Of fun and yet it is
managed to squeeze nearly all the poetry out OF his
subject and his drama is very far indeed from repre-
senting the EnCch Arden of TennysOn. Any reader
OF the poem will see that the strong dramatic points
OF the poem are the departure of Enoch, the court
ship OF "Philip Ray" and the return OF "EnOch" to
Hnd his wife married to his rival, and his determna-
ton not to disturb her happiness by declaring
himself.
The departure of "Enoch," to which the second
act is devoted, does not realize all that the situation
is capable OF, and the eourtship of "Phlip" in the
third act is exceedingly BRIEF and tue playwrter has
failed to represent with any vigOr the strong pres
sure that was brought to bear upon the deserted
greater part OF this act indeed, is taken up with
the nuttlng party and dance by the villagers to
this portion OF the piece, and "Enochs return is the
subject OF one very brief scene which fails alto
gether to rival the pathos of the original "Enochs'
sOiourn on the island might also be made much more
surprise that any man who makes any pretense to
being dramatist should miss so completely the
effects that this subject offers; one Of the
Of Enoch Arden is that it gives the
actors but little opportunity to do themselves
good personaon Of "Enoch,n and in the island scene
and the scene in the last act when he looks in at the
around the hearth OF 'Phip Ray" happy and con-
tented he acts with much power and pathos. Miss
Annie Graham plays the character of "Annie Lee
with an excellent appreciation OF its requirements,
and Mr. Morrison makes the most OF the small part
OF 'Philip Kay" Mr.. Bailey gives good persona
ton of the eccentric ''Dr Grammitt," and Miss Rose
OF the boy "Walter Arden." Mr.. Fawcett INDUCES
too much in mere buflOOnery as "Peter Lane"
forgetting, he too often does the legitimate func-
tions Of the comedian, merely for the sake OF CX-
citing senseless laugh among the more thoughtless
of the audience. If this gentleman would learn his
lines, and abandon his nane attempts at being
funny, devOting his attention instead TO represent
taton of the character entrusted to him, lie would
deserve praise much oGtener than he does.