New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-31
THE DRAMA.
MR.. IRVING AS CHARLES I.

y Thp BeII3." H u y
touched now AID then with Hurled glare OF insane
bumor The former IS stately historical drama, depict
ing domestic life and the surrounding political tnbu
iatons Of King during the days OF danger and turbu
lence that immediately proceeded bis downfall and his
death "Chares the First" was presented last night Mt
the Star Theatre, aud Mr.. irving In his Gun
bodlment of the King, gave an Immediate proof
OF his versatility, well larger
showing than the night before to the lo!tcr moral
aspects his mind his peculiar vein OF melancholy
tenderness and that noble serenity OF rcpose which
such an excellent thing In dramatic art.
The play Is absolutely the American stage IL
I. four-act play, written Cby Mr.. W. q. Wills the
novcs in mechanical style of blank verse, which oc
casonaly becomes poetcal but for the most part re-
mains simply useful The first scene Is ut Hampton
Court. where the King is shown with Ills "uo
and children around him. The second s''no
Is nt Whitehall where the King and Cro'""'h
confronted, and where an attempt 10 "roS'
the sovereign person frustrated by his Watchfu wfe
The third scene is In the roy al camp, al fanA' anu
ends with the betrayal and delivery oil inc hns Wy S
treacherous sdherent Lord Moray into the hauos VI"
parament-then armed against him. The fourth ano last
scene again whitehall where the Queen az hrst asks
Cromwell to spare her husbands life and then denes him.
and then the royal martyr his last farewell of wife
and children.
Inc slender story thus told has been made ny falSh
canon OF history In several Important PARTICULARS
Oliver Cromwell, doubtless, was ambitions 10 mako
himself King Of England and to establish his family as
royal ono but there to believe that he was
tho mean knave represented this play King Charles
was man of fine life and exalted character. refined, &c
complIshcd and devout but he was not altogether the
snint depleted by Mr. Wills for he very crafty, ana
his mind saturated with the Idea OF the DiVlno
right Of Kings to do they please that 1t had little or no
sense OF the obligation of absolute truthflncss to HE
people Charles not betrayed by any one man, but
was sold by the the English Parliamentary CHIEF
tains only two of his six children
were with him the Queen was In France
1t must be considered however that the only way IN
which effective drama be made, on an historic"
subject Is the free way making facts entirely psn 10
dramatic purpose. Shakespeare Henry VIII ana
Bulwer's "Richelieu," fer example are very goou
plays, hut very dubious history. MI Wits couu onF
mako bis subject successful on the stage py eNaihg
Charles and degrading Cromwell, and by pOVinhs per
sonal situations cabinet pctures-instead OF vast co
plex populous and dfused historical paintings He mas
dome tbis and done II exceedingly wei. There Is not
indeed much invention in his work Tho effect most
nearly electrical the close of the third act IN
Charess solemn, but whitening, denunclaon OF his Do
trayer: but this-as dramatic oxpedientsa situation
reminiscent of Henry the Fifth and his false Lords ana OF
James the Fifth and Lord Legion in The King OF the
Commons"
The felicity OF the author Is in conrvance Of pictures
that carry onward his simple plot and in selection and
combination of incidents that authentic or that may
nationally be presumed Tho scene that presents R"g
Charles among his children. repeating old ballad to
them while all around him whispers Of vague dan
ger and menace is conceived with great tenderness,
and with fine perception OF dramatic suspense The
character likewise Is somewhat inaccuratey drawn but
nevertheless drawn distinctly and with tho power OF
earnest conviction pathos inspires the beautiful
speech at the close, and the curtain falls upon kmg
Cbarles's famous Remember" Spoken, actually 10
Bishop Juxon the scaffold which is made his last
word to his devoted wife, In solemn and passionate al
iuraton that she will always love and cherish his mem
DRY, and that certain miniature may rest upon his
bosom in death This inspires great affection tow
ard the King and leaves the spectator In noble grief at
the ruin and death OF n good and most lOvable
man. The fine chapter in "Waverley" which describes
the execution of Fergus he named as exactly typical
almost hystercal emotion that pervades IT. and as
that chapter OF tho superlave OF literature
work indeed be sincere, and tender and lovely III
spirit that can be thought worthy stand besideit
Mr.. Irving as King Charles reproduces the well
known Vandyke face and figure pcrpetnated
on the glowing canvas Of that great paint
or at Windsor and at Warwick As matter
Of fact the unfortunate monarch grew very gray
and haggard toward the last and his hair and beard were
very long and were ncgcctcd-for suffered much But
the actor Is wise who Ot 10 fact Mr. Irving
reproduces FOR exactly that dark melancholy stately
figure TO which imagination has been accustomed;
and Just doubt not King Charles appeared IN his
better days. wheB walking in the sweet sunshine Of nm
English summer on the terraces Of Hampton Court Mr.
Iryipgs acting In this part calmly vigorous with the
weight personal character various with the play
Of fine intellect excellent for its even sust3nmcnt OF
royal dignity richly complex IN its elaborate, courty
manners and fraught equally with sombre stTangeness
and tender feeling The part admits Of 40 Wild ouDufst
Of morbid frenzy and Of no fantastic treatment Royal
authority moral elevation and domestic tenderness are
the chief elements 60 he expressed; ana MT
Irving with all his ripe experience, could find
no difficulty in expressing them. What most impressed
his auditors was his extraordinary physical fitness 10 the
tlcaI Cbarla
sopate cauestncss and personal magnetism that enable
him TO create and sustain perfect Illusion This perform
ance by Mr. Irving ia less striking than that OF MdH'dS
less relative to the imagination and the passions, and
therefore indicative OF the characteristic attributes
his genius But, undoubtedly it is one Of the most
rounded and complete Of his intellectual works and to
the student 1t especially Significant. indicative OF the
actors method. I'm applying what il termed natural
treatment 70 tho poetic drama At the close OF the third
act he aroused intense feeling and cheerod with
tumult OF yociferous applause.
The most surprising and absorbing performance OF the
night was that OF Miss Ellen Terry who forward
Queen Henrietta Maria, making her first appearance In
America She was welcomed with tho heaItiest enthu-
easm and called before tho curtain again and again
as the night Her dazzling beauty "a the Queen
and her strange personal fascnation-in which voice OF
copious and touching sweetness bears chief part
would readily explain tis result. But, there
is more in It than fair vsagc" The Queen
In this piece, has lot been furnished win
sny great dramatic situation. She has 70
exhibit mpetuosty and caprice She has to express con
,uoal tenderness and 20 Illustrate womans fidelity 20
The man whom she loves when IS In :rOublc and
danger She has ask boon from tyrant, and turn
upon him in scorn and noble pride when repnIs"d. Tie
situations are all conventional and even hacmcyed What
shall he said OF the personality that can max" them fresh
and newt There are who affect 10 understand
women but we believe fortunate creatures do not
write dramatic criticism MsS Terry, If we apprrhend
Alright the drift Of her acting is ESSENTIALLY sponi"nc"s
absolutely unconventional and positively individual
and will use all characters thc drama vehicles for the
expression Of her This in Qi'een He'"'ch0 Mdr'd'
was very great excellence. What II might be In such
- t,o.,;, be ia conjecture. Ccrry's