The New York herald., 1879-07-03
BEACONSFIELD'S TRAGEDY.
A DISMAL PRODUCTION OF DrsRAELIs YOUTH,
"ALARCOs"
Prom the London Daily News.l


ample and jet black satin stocks spread wide in
glossy wrinkles upon the bosoms Of the dandies of
Pail Mall. there issued from the intensely fashion
able publishing house OF Mr.. Colburn pamphlet
bearing the title "Alarcos q Tragedy. by Dis
raei, the Younger" Forty years have elapsed
since then; but there is evidence 10 snow
that the distinguished author of this produc-
tion has during that long period ever invited
the attention of managers to his work. Neverthe-
less about eleven years ago Count Alarcos" did
find its way the stage when a daring lessee of
Astley's Theatre having made some slight modih-
cations-prosumptively with Mr. Disraeli's assent.
for otherwise these proceedings might certainly
have been stopped by injunction-ventured to act it
for the benefit Of the patrons of that establishment
On the first night curiosity to have attracted
visitors from other quarters. The session not
then ended. and the theatre in which this long
neglected work was destined at last to hnd bodily
presentment is actually within sight of the two
houses OF legislature it is easy imagine that
political friends or opponents may have thought it
worth while to slip Westminster Bridge that
evening to soc what the actors would be able to
make of It.
NOT A SUCCESS THEN.
We regret to say that Q contemporary chronicler
has pithily recorded the fact that 'the audience
came there prepared to laugh went away not dis
acting does not appear to have been OF kind to
sustain the dignity OF blank verse or to
speeches in the high heroic tho solemnly tragic
vein from ludicrous associations. 1t is. however.
not to be concealed that the first left
q very decided impression that the thing would not
do. The gloomy terrors of the piece were found to
be oppressive up to point, and thenceforward re-
lief seems to have been sought in watchful look
out for anything OF An absurd or maladroit kind.
When audiences are i'll this mood bad acting is apt
to grow worse. One actress, who played what Is in
technical language OF the stage 1.-THE second adys
part is said to have acquitted herself fairly, but,
icler or the description OF Juliet
So shows ,. SNOWY dove I've, ToUp,nr with crows
ther. Count Marcos" can hardly be said to
have had ON the occasion referred to fair trial.
Perhaps 1t rlay be for this reason. among others.
that the authorities OF the Crystal Palace have de-
termined to revive Lord Beaconsfeld'g tragedy for
the entertainment OF that curiousy grave and
class OF playgoers who believed never to
be seen at the play when with book in hand
they sit out afternoon performance in the theatre
at Sydenham. 1t was played here for the
ence. who listened to the rather difiuse
speeches Of its personages with exemplary patience;
self. and certainly not heard to laugh more
than four five times during the whole three
hours occupied IN the representation The laughter,
which are bound to say hardly exceeded the linn
its of we'll bred litter, unfortunately not be-
slowed upon passages intended by the author to
excite mirth, these passages in themselves
of mirthful kind. They ON the contrary, dis
tinguished as a rule, rather by an accumulation of
terrible Details which seemed to miss their effect
from the very prodigality with which they were
presented to the imagination OF the audience
SUBJECT.
theme of the play represents the Count as the VIC
tim Of al exaggerated sense OF his duty as loyal
vassa It is the desire OF the King that he should
get rid OF his meek and beautiful wife in order that
he may. marry the Infanta, the princess Soliza,
whence Aarcos, having made vow so to do, delib-
erately strangles his wife with handkerchief. In
dying the Countess pardons her husband. but
prophecies that within thirty days the King the In
fanta and finally the guilty Count himself shall ap
pear before the Judgment seat and SO it proves In
assigning this story, which is without indications
Of date to the twelfth century the author of the
tragedy has modified some of its features 1t may,
perhaps have struck the reader that 1t already
depressing enough for the purposes of the tragic
poet; but 1t Is noteworthy that the effect neverthe
less of the alterations introduced is uniformly to
increase it's dismal complexion. There is very little
of the play Like Orsino in Shelleys terrible drama
of "The Cenci." he has q "sly. equivocatng vein."
He complains OF the hypocrisy and wickedness Of
his fellow Castilians, but in private makes no pre-
tence to any superiority in those respects. Men, he
observes, who
And gave them coin as ready as their own,
And not less base.
He has little reason to feel at in the royal
palace, for he had been banished by the King at the
instigation of his Queen because, as her daughter
does not scruple observe to her royal father he
"did reject her "wanton overtures." Nevertheless.
the unamiable Soliza no sooner makes love to him
by tempting her to encourage the advances of
prohigate admirer, then by bribing an assassin.
When these means fail and the wicked husband has
grown weary of such unamiable EXPLANATIONS as
"will no pest descend upon her bloodY' he seizes
the weapon himself from the grasp OF the
remorseful cuttnroat. and. after the ashion
of Macbeth. dispatches his victim i'll an
antechamber. As regards the Princess. it may be
safely the Borgas and Brinvilliers OF MIS-
tory would show fair by her side The mere discov-
cry that the lady she has deeply is comey
tempts her to aim . blow at her with poniard
ba In lvin sek md hall thaH Ho1.I ha;,
only averted by timely Interpolation The King, it
may be sad fully sustains the reputation of the y
furnished by young gallants Of the Court, who plan
deeds OF blood in lively. jesting vein. and hire
bravos to aid them In shameful designs. without a
token even OF consciousness OF the Nervousness of
their behavior.
GLOOMY WORK.
Among oil these wicked folk there ia the injured
Countess, who draws the line at spying her hus-
bands movements in a rather shabby fashion, and
is otherwise really respectable lady. There is also
Moor who hires himself ~ cut throats. not for
pay, but TOR protection against uting enemies
amt VINO finally exhibits touch or conscience by
stabbing himself rather than fulfil oath to do tho
bloodthirsty bidding his exacting master. Beyond
these no ray OF goodness relieves the story. which,
from the hrst .haunted with prcsavcd gloom" Tho
operation Of the curse which, have seen.
tended in the original ballad thirty days is of
FASTENED III the play indeed. the itself
is necessarily lost sight OF since the murder of the
Countess takes place OF the stage and is indicated
only by o shrek. We may here observe that a good
deal is accomplished tho play by sounds from in
visible disturbers vocal aud instrunien-
ts screams toing Of bells and occasional blasts OF
trumpcts and horns. being invested from time to
time with special Significance. Thunder and light
ming may also be reckoned among these outside
manifestations. thundcrbolt playr, indeed. very
important part. Tor 1t is by thls agency that the
wicked Infanta IL finally struck to the ground
told. "a bphted corpse" Indirectly. this bolt
may be said to have slain the guilty hero, for
as he has learned the fatal news he stabs
himself. calling on what few of tho personagos
remain unstabbcd or unstrangled 10 observe that
The Count Alsrcos lived
To find a hell on ca, tn; yet thus he sought
deeper and darker.
The prevailing characteristic of the style Of Lord
Bcaconsheld's ~ork hardly bc said to be "A noble
simplicity. The pcrsonages apt to exclam
rash ca,tih!'' Whenever opportunity occurs. and
the prohigate adnirer waxing bold. calculates.
Thou art innel" and insists on encircling ''this
delicate waist tho porsecuted Countess replies,
"Unhand me. sirl' in All approved fashion which
ought to have conciliated Lainbsth audiences Its
cut thrpsts swaggcr. too. more tnan seems abso-