New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-02

ROMEO AND JULIET AT THE LYCEUM
THEATRE-MR. IRVING AND MISS TERRY

THEATRE-NR IRVING AND MISS TERRY.
LONDON March q.
In producing this tragedy" writes Mr.. irving,
al have availed myself OF every resource at my
command to illustrate without intrusion the ltalah
warmth life and romance of this entnralling love
story The statement is put forward with charac-
terstic frankness at the beginning of Mr.. lryings
little address to the publican address duly adver-
tsed in the papers and printed on the back OF the
plavblll 1t indicates one of the two leading OBJ
jects Mr.. Irving kept before him III bringing out
Romeo and Juliet" He has a theory, in the main
n sound one. that Shakes had he lived in our
time would have freely availed himself of the adj
vantages offered by The fuller development of the
modern stage Mr.. Irving is man who does things
thoroughly and he has carried his theory into prac
tice He has mounted Shakespeares tragedy with
n fitness and splendor that whatever else may he
said pnt the public IN position to answer in the
most definite way the question whether this is or Is
not the way in which they like to see Shakespeare
dealt with.
There are two Henry Irvings now before the
public. There is the distinguished actor whom
general consent has long since placed at the head OF
his profession in England. There is also the lessee
and manager of the Lyceum Theatre and this IS the
capacity in which Mr. Irving deliberately elected
attention of his audience. 1t may be said ut once,
pu ing the Shakespeare part Of the problem aside
for the moment that the triumph of the manager was
complete Nothing comparable to the mounting of
" Romeo and Juliet" has been seen in London.
do not forget the SAKE Menngcn Company and the
minute liberalism OF their representations at Drury
Lane peope say Mr.. Irving has taken more than
one hint from the comedians to the German Duke.
Very likely he has but lac has bettered the instruc
tions he got from them. of which, for that matter
the Tcutonic troupe were neither the inventors nor
patentees.
Between the mise en- scene Of the Lyceum and mere
spectacle such may be seen at the houses devoted
to such things, there is a wide difference There
are several managers capable of mounting panto-
mime with all the vulgar gOrgcou-ness which the
taste of the day demands. Mr.. lrvings distinction
is that while he can be as magnificent when he
chooses, as anybody. his magnifcencc is not there
for its own sake, but as an accessory duly sub
jected TO the necessities of the scene. will not say
what relation transformation scene at Drury Lane
bears TO art II is enough to point out that when
Mr.. Irving set himself 10 Illustrate " Romeo and
Juliet" tine resources he called into play were alike
tclleOtual and artistic. He is the best stage car
penter living, and the bcst-l don't know whether
there lie an English phrase which quite answers to
aetteHr scene. lie has most able stan OF scene
painters and machInsts, an excellent manager and
stage manager, bat they work in subOrdinatiOn to
him. The scheme of the whole is his. The Opera at
Paris-thc so-calcd National Academy of Music-is
unrivalled in the scale of its spendoIs. Mere size
counts Tor much AMI art for good deal more. But
it may be doubted whether even ID Paris anything
has been seen like the life. the animation. the
ordered vivacity and well-dred hustle of the
Iyceum in such scenes as the first quarrel in the
.. scf 41o with fln Tpo thp
arrival of the Prince to dispense it and other not
less mastery examples later in the Over and
over again the stage presented picture which. for
composition and color any of the artists who were
present might have been glad to sign The cos
tunes were of equal richness and beauty; a little
mixed possibly, the historical side. rs was the
architecture but not more so than COMFORTS with
due respect for the anachronisins OF Shakespeare
himself.
A price has to be paid for this Whether it is all
done "without intrusion" is "A question The
and action are beyond question at times
far too much retarded. The stage is occasionally
Oycr-crOwdcd and the eject confused -notably in
the Capuet ball-for ball it becomes. The piece
sometimes dragged. 1t took exactly two hours to
play the first two acts; and exactly four for the
whole five. And it is certain that the impression
of beauty and luxury was deeper than ;he impress
sion due either to the tragedy itself the acting OF
it, There was much applause from the thronged
and distinguished audience but the greater part of
it was not called out by The poetry the players
nor did the talk between the acts turn mostly on
those topics.
Mr.. Irvinss Ro,qco is not likely to he spoken Of
hereafter as of his best representations, nor to
add much to his reputation. | don't think he ex
pocted il to. For moment he thought of playing |
NccUtio and rclinquishing the leading part OF the
play TO Mr.. Terrss. 1t is well he did not. We get
a sufficient measure of Mr.. Terrisss capacity for
work during the two acts and part of
"A third that elapsc before Tybcifs sword dsmisses
him from the scene. That Mr. Irving is not an
ideal Romeo he knows as well as anybody. People |
complain of his age, just as people complained of
Mr.. Booth being too old for Hamlet. Neither crit
csm has any real force The jeune premier of the |
Theatre Francois is sixty-three and has not yet |
lost his yOuthfulness. In figure Mr.. Irving is quite
slender enough, and has quite muscular elasticity |
enough for the character The true criticism on his
of the part is that it lacks cheerulness
and spontancity His conception throughout gives
token of the most careful study, and is not less in
telgent than careful. At moments it rises to high
excellence-generally in what are thought the most
difficult moments. But the note struck at first and
all through is note of Effectiveness,
)ftcn passing into sheer melancholy. When he is
gay he is gay from conviction. 1t is the gayety of
I an who has satisfied himself there is sound
eason for being gay not the natural irepresslble
,utburst of animal spirits and eager, unthnkng en-
oyment of life proper to this Italian boy When he
S miserable when great blow comes upon him IN
moment when he has killed Tgbalt, when hc hears
If the sentence of Punishment passed upon him, he
passes by the same process of logical ratocination
rom gay to grave Reason, not impulse. reflection.
lot feeling govern his words. 1t is Hamlet playing
Romeo. playing with skill with great power in the
tronger parts but never quitting that region OF
NOT nh..sics In xhich t is his nature to dwell In