The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-17
QUEEN MARY.
Tennyson's Play Being Prepared
for the English Stage.
THE STRONG SCENES
Where Slashing Will BE Done-Crticism and
Trial by Footlghts
LoNpoN. Anrll Q. 1876.

Soon after Tennyson's "Queen Nary was published
here appeared in the Edinburgh Reriep criticism OF
the work which OF the most curiously absurd
productions | ever The critic was, in the first
place sayagely bitter. He indignant that Tennyson
should even have attempted the dramatic form and he
seemed 10 feel of deep personal injury that the
poet should have thought OF writing play. He evil
IDENTIFY believed that Tennyson mad broken great
moral law that he had set at naught great first
principle underlying the universe that he had revolicd,
as were, against the solar system Naturally, no
good could come OF such proceeding, and
THE PLAY WAS DAMNED
But the critic not only objected to II on principle;
no condemned II detail, and showed that 1t Ut
tery absurd and wrong from beginning end His
grand objection was, absurd may seem, that Ten
nyson had not written like Shakespeare. He showed
first, for he seemed TO know, how Shakespeare would
have done it. then pointed how Tennyson had done
II; he showed where the method OF this one differed
from that OF the other; he said Look upon this PFC
lure and then upon this and thought he had damned
Tennyson.
With regard to
QUEEN NARY AS AN ACTING
II of course difficult, with any play say until It
has been put the stage whether 1t viii succeed or
The only test of play play Is rs success or
failure the stage, and this test will soon be applied to
sQuccn Mary" Mrs. Bateman is preparing to bring It
in the style OF magniccncc, regards scenery
costume and decoration with which she put Hamlet"
'.Macbeh' and .s0thello on the stage OF the Iyccum
Although believe Tennyson wrote this play for the
theatre it Is in its present condition, hardly adapted
Tor acting and will have undergo several alterations
before 1t is finally brought IL betrays the nexpe
rienced hand OF who has never before written
e,r the stage. There is certain lack OF dramatic
hcrcnce and sequence It, fault which would not
have been made by an experienced playwright OF even
inferior order
TISyysoS's LACK STAGE EXPERIENCE
The very loosely put together and do not
follow each other with dramatic sequence; that is,
they do not produce each other No is made
necessary by that which precedes follows it, and
many of them might BIO taken entirely without
terfering with the progress of the story little
they contribute the central dominant interest
There is no plot properly speaking. The play con-
sists OF series of historical pictures drawn from his
tory and strung together, with scarcely any continued
dramatic interest unite them But this Weakness
arising from want OF stage experience, that be
easily remedicd by ordinarily skilnl playwright.
There is the material in the play for grand acting
tragedy Ii Is composed OF series OF pictures, 1t is
irae but each of these pictures is full of fc and in
crcst and three OF them at least contain situations Of
the highest dramatic power, either one of which
ought TO insure the success Of play.
A HIGHLY DRAMATIC SCENE
One OF these Is the last scene Of the second act.
Mary Is in the gatehouse of Westminster Palace with
Gardiner Rcnard Alice others of her court await
ing the result of tho battle that is raging outside The
rebel Wyatt attacking London and has advanced
driving part Of Mary's soldiers far the palace
gate where they making last stand The result
Is doubtful Messengers rushing in upon each
others heels bringing news OF defeat and disaster
Gardiner advises her fly, but she refuses. Then
Courtnay, Earl OF Devon comes rushing in
breathless and battle from ChariDg Cross,
where he her the rebels victorious
aud urges her to fly to Windsor. But she only treats
him u coward. Then the soldiers who are defending
the palace gate driven inside and the gates are
closed against the enemy She orders them to be
thrown open again. the guard to sally out and she
self rushes TO the window 10 watch the fight spite Of
the arrows that flying thicky everywhere. This
time her troops are victorious; they drive the nsur
gents before them, and messengers come pouring
announcing that the tide Of battle has turned the
ebels flying all hands Finally the capture Of
Wyatt is announced. He II was who headed the re-
pcon which enemies had stirred up prevent her
marrying Philip ITO the Tower with him, she
ders; them trembling, quivcrng with the excitement
md suspense OF the previous few minutes, sinks
hausicd on seat and cries.
my AT ny fEEr AND PHILIP KfxGn
The is iul OF lie, excitement action, and vii
have, II properly acted, overw helming success.
THE THIRD ACT
is by no means good. IL is the most part de-
eoted quarrcs between Pole and Gardiner that can
have the slightest interest the reader:
description OF the ceremonies attendant upon the
dissolution of England by the Pope's egatc Cardinal
Pole. which treated to a long sermon of moro
fifty lines by the latter nexprcssbly heavy and
wcarisomc and without the slightest bearing upon the
action. This act Is, however. relieved somewhat by
Eugcnhall's touching description OF the Lady
Jane and IL Is lightened by pretty
at Woodstock In which Elizabeth plays the principal
part II is in the last scene OF this act THAI Philip be-
gins to take prominent position; but fully halt OF
H. comprising three whole scenes, might be cut away
xxifl an in no lQaS m IN u 10 M
The whole OF the fourth act Is devoted to
BURNING cRASNgR.
His death Is not. OF course, represented the stage
hut Is described by person who cav H. Although this
act considered by itself, part OF other play
that which prcccdcs and that which follows and does
reality belong TO the play The OF the
spectator IL centred ON Mary and Philip and a whole
act devoted TO the death OF Cranmcr which does not
affect IN the least and has not
can only weary the audience 1t is ,hs act primer,
paly, that Tennyson, think shows the greatest lack
VI technical skill and stage experience
The characters oGCourtenay, the ordly oppsh fool,
anu OF Elizabeth cool and scncmng, but susceptible
battery well drawn Philip i only rapid sketch,
Tone were with few light strokes OF the crayop,
1ut u is CHARACTERISTIC and iiiekc The character OF
Mary herself drawn By tho hand OF "A MASTER in
spite OF the dark side OF nature which
scaled in the least she excitcs interest and pity
with all the pcty bigotry. cruelty implacabilty and
Intolerance OF the age IN which she liyed-characors
tics which ought TO repel MS, would think at tho
very beginning But there Is silver Inning To this
cloud. The picture not all shadow. There Is
brighter side TO this gloomy. forbldding character
This Queen Is stu woman and English woman
Her love OF country, her doing foolish ionducss fer
Pnihp her love and vencraton Tor her poor unhappy
mother and her own miserable, unhappy existence
seize upon interest and in spite OF faults excite
pity and compassion TO the utmost Nothing can
be touching and pathetic than the conScous ncss
her ago and uglinsss beside her young handsome
husband: nothing more affecting than her hlnd deyo
lion tohim while half conscious that her love
turned.
MARY PHILIP.
shc FIRST appears upon the kissing Philips
miniature, for IKE schoolgirl she has Ialcn IA love
with his portrait without ever having seen him:-
Most goodiy king like and an Enperorsso son.
king TO be--s no not noble, girl
So ful OF grace and beauty wonid Shat mine
Were half a. gracious u. my lord 10 be,
NV for thy sake only.
i nj eleven older than he is.
will he for that
No by holy Virgin. being noble.
lt,,. Nv. Nv har Ifathr ted ms