Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-06-02
THE "(EDIPUS TYRANNUS."
nov THE GREEK PLAY UAs ACTED
AT H1RT1RD.
A brilliant Audience la IL Delight
fuI Thentre-Cbaracter and Action
of the ssEdipus'' A Touch of
HumOr.



SpecIa Correspondence Of state journal.
CAMBRIDGE, May 20.-Sanders' Theatre
is as different from ordinary theatres as
the play presented there this week, from
the usual sensational drama The seats
rise rose-like tier above tier Everything
oonverying to focus accentuates the
scene or emphasizes the speaker. The
audience likewise is peculiar. Upon
Tuesday night, besides the faculty of the
college and distinguished literary men,
it embraced past and possible benefacto,s ;
from Boston. Full dress was required
and nobly sustained by such blaze of
diamonds and luxury of laces ~ a
university town seldom sees.
The play dispenses with footlights,
curtain and changes of scenery. U.hJWs
Tpanus and ,jocaStd his wife oblgingly
come out of their palace and discuss all
their very interesting private affairs quite
pro bono pabiico. The chorus is below the
stage, reinforced by sem-circle of choirs
and orchestra-a chorus Of dress coats
and smooth hair, admitted only by way
of additional volume to that properly
gotten up, and an orchestra, wherein
occurs the only anachronism-strin
instruments. Mr.. Paine, however, with
proper thrift, declined to spend so much
time upon music strictly a Ia Grecgue as it
would he useless hereafter.
After the overture the suppliants file
slowly and sadly in, led by the priest, OF
Heus. They are clad in white tuncs,
rhlainyses and tillets. Dejactedly they
lay their offerings upon the altars in
front OF the palace. 70 them appears the
king and to him they bewail the city of
Thebes, wasted by pestilenee. They
wait for the coming of treon brother to
Jousto, Queen of ddpus, sent to inquire
the cause at Delphi.
lie returns and announces it to be the
anger Of the gods, because the murder of
LdtuS, former king and husband of Jousia,
has not been avenged. Upon him un-
known, HdipaS, MIR. George Riddle, a
young elocuti0nist of force and giate,
teacher of the art at Harvard, pronounces
after the first chorus curse, inferior only
to that of King Lear. lie coming to the
city, just after the death of Luius and
answering the famous riddle of the sphinx,
was rewarded by the crown OF Thebes and
hand of JocdStd.
The chorus, old gray bearded men,
with dark chlamyses and dark heads
bound with iillets, enter on the right.
They raise a supplicatiug hymn to the
gods, full of rich strains, well sustained
by iullncss of voice and Instrumentation.
Then comes the curse and King
ddipa gladly yields to the advice to
send for Ieiresias, the blind seer.
lie is we'll gotten up and magniiicently
enacted in the person Of MIR. Curtis Guild.
Publicly, Tciresias accuses d.dluS OF
the murder of Laius. lie is repulsed,
scorned, driven away as tool OF Creop,
who by this device seeks the throne. The
Indignation is vehement, but tempered,
AS are the emotions throughout, due
Difference being accorded to Greek love of
beauty and hatred of violence and con
cessiolls made 10 the fact that the actors
are students and not stars.
The chorus breaks forth into the mos |
beautiful and moving numbers OF tn 6
play
"Whom hath the mystic stone declared
To have done horrors unnauaLle with
blood stained hand t'' about which are
the depth and pathos of n Baton from
"Trovatore."
troon enters. d.hpUs accuses him o
having melted Ieiresias. treon denies,
delivers a noble speech against the empty,
protitless nature OF ambition to cast from
him the implication of having entertained
it. IdipuS is not convinced, and the
consequent GraCas wakes hot and brings
from the palace ,jocdsfa, and with her the
only unconsciously humorous element oi
Il very solemn play. This unfortunate
lady, Mr.. Opdycke of New York is immense
and raw-b boned, a perfect caricature o
the most attractive style Of blonde. Voice
feet, action are undisguisedly masculine
The only redeeming point is very deli
cate hand. AS deal of her grief and
affection are taken out in dumb show, il
is II littl" hard To keep sober while she
pnrsurs with every sign of love, anxiety
and woe, her equally unfortunate sol
and husband, diminutive simply be
cause She is good half-head taller.
Not getting much satisfaction from eacl
other, they attack the chorus, which i.
always magniccntly equal to the oc
casion.
To comfort Hdipps, ,jocdSta relates how
her former husband LaipS was to hav'
been slain by their issue. lie, however
was exposed upon Cithwron immediately
after birth and Ldius slain by robber'
where two ways met, Just before OedJ,p
came to rhebes.
The latter, more distraught yet, de
mands to see the slave who alone ESCAPED
and c0ntesses the dark cloud hanging owe
his life from the oracle which has declared
that lie shall slay his father and wed hi:
mother.
The chorus breaks forth with the in
spring music Of
"necpim my life, by fate impressed,
l.rt holiness ot word and action rest
JocaSid enters again, bearing garlands