New-York tribune., 1886-04-25
NEW PLAYS IN LONDON.
ENEMIEs-ANTOINETT RIGAUD-THE LORD
HARRY

ENEMIES-ANTOlNETTE RIGAUD-THE LORD
HARRY.
| lFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIE rRBUNE]
LONDON, AIrl l.
Events in the theatrical world have been,
during the last month two. numerous enough but 1t
would be sIron; thing to say that any of them have
been very important.
| First in period OF t'mo the production OF Mr..
coghlan's Enemies at tho Princes Theatre with Mrs.
Langtry In the chief part This iece adaptation Of
the last or last hu, OF NJ Ohnet's popular novels
La Grande MarDere" The story of this not
thought suitable for dramatlzng in France but seemed
to Mr.. Coghlah sufficient to framework for
character which might reintrOuce Mrs. Langry to the
London public. An effort made, a'sO. to 2 ve a
| melodramatic n'ercsf to what is essentially comedy
and comedy wanting. in ths original bo,h freshness OF
motive AMI observation o lte and character The result
sion OF scenes loosely strung ocethe many OF
them improbable. the whole without oohcrence OF pur
pose movement Mr.. Coghlan has been content to
| use In his borrowing from ". Ohnet whatever he
| thongnt likely be effective the stage, with very
slight regard to Its bearing the action OF tho pay
He has transferred other portions W tn equally little
consideration of tho difference botwoen narrative ana
dramatic literature. Tho murder of the grl II an ey-
ample. This poor creature Is slowly strln9ol on the
stage in full view u the audience; performance which
was heartily and deseryedy Missed The rst night 1t
has since been taken in quicker time The 'lay rs
whole not r'ed bnt it rubbed through; the curtain
Mrs. Langtry the heroine was unequal; weak and
inlecislve nj times hut securing Tor her whole imrer
sOna,ion praise from the critics than ihey nave
bestowed her preciou. efforts sho retains, moreover
the pei sona hold she has al yays had section OF the
las ion Ible world The first nights audience Was the
smarest" that has oi late been seen IN any theatre
aud included the Prince OF Wales.
MAYFAIR failing TO draw a. tho 50. james's Theatre
Me.sr Hare anl Kenla after snort repro OF
OF NJ Deslanless Anton 1T, nj :a1i." This Iiece
nrst prolucel at the Com"da Francai'e in Paris. met
with no very brilliant thcrc. II ~ clever and
sometimes Ingenious variation on familiar. not to say
hsckneyod. themes The situations ar none of them
novel Antoia II ia OF those ght-h"artei msrons
vhor Mrs. Kendal. by the law OF conttares or somo
othor law takes lleau's portrayIn' Marriel to an
unsvmpath etc husband sic has toTni more appreeia
tive artist friend with whom, nevertheless her relations
bave not gone beyond the bOI Inds ~ Irritation Ihey
have parted AMI meet in country house. shc mas
written him letters and them hack First rcfus-
ing he finally agrees these Documents and for
very apparent reason chooses to bring them tp her
apartment after midnsh. Needless 10 say tlo husband
arrives unex pcctey anl the exlover has to he hidden
The husband "a cOaVed ont OF tho AMI tn cx 'v"r
Just 10 slip ere he returns Rut there Is
no exit from the barred and bof"d house. through
corridor which Ia opens be the corridor o. tn room
where slceI daughter oi the host whom the brother
of AnfofcUe wants to marry The father has rein'el
Next mo, ming out comes story % the evasion from
the daughters room The Ovcr in his Jump has Dropped
medallion rortrat Of Atigt,eHe, which is found, pro
diced; recognized by the husband It ia damning
niece Of evidence and Anliaote is under terrible sls
picon "To whJm did you gIye this por'rati' queries
the stern host To my brother" Enter at that no
rren the brother. Is this yours T. An appealing LOOK
from tho sister induces him yea; Knowing nothing
OF what his The ia'her-he Is OF
course a Frenchman to the conclusion that the
brother has entered his daughters to compromise
and force mis- consent to tho marriage Under ho
horror OF this charge the brother Loyalty sticks !aSt I'd
his story. Arithmetic Is saved. presently conies-es tue
whole story TO her The brother after being MAZE
To endure agonies resign his commission Ia the army,
an submit to be turned ont or the house he Is nor
actually turned out is reinst1ed in lis good name, ana
OF course marries the daughter. The dun husband OF
AEtJpere with a tbOusanl circumstances TO arouse Ms
su.picon i supposed to swallow all the mpro0abities,
| aud preserve his ignoranc" unietied.
The attraction Of tais piece lies in the acting o It, and
most of all in Kendars representation of 4h,imrHe
mistake at any OF several critical moments would
have ruined the play She mae none. Never did she let
20 that bold OF the audience which she fist obtained by
| sympathetic wlsomencss OF manner The picture she
drew OF AntDincue composed OF many subtle ana
vivid touches, aud the very difficult mtorviews with
lover husband br and host wore playe1 with ~
| failing surensss OF method and with pathos that
really touched the house The succeS or lho hrst night
Next come, the production OF The Lord Harry " at
the Princess Theatre. with Messr. H. A. Jones aud
Wilson Barrett iolnt ai;hors ms or course j. a
! mrlodrama Mr.. Barrett has dropped the sham classic
period for rehash OF the cavalier AMI Puritan contest
Ths Lord Harry l. not the Dfil nor can any nnqte
rert Of nllusion 10 that prunttc be detected Ia inc
story. Ts Il sDply young cavalier Win nine llVrs
unc0nqucra 10 by the Zoo and Irresistible ~ mo wo nc
lie oscarcs times than could count from the most
awful peril DEATH and he captvatcs At slght
urit maiden who is ~ conrsr daughter TO nc COY
crnor ot III. Castle which King Charess soldiers are be-
seyng There villain, MIR. willard, a." pattern
highly appI the rginces's Theatre bus likely 10
orcur perhaps nowhere rlso 81. te & e p,,s, has n
ia.t, oi IT. own Ordinary w!ckedness has long since
sh on the ne pr.s. rrr.nt T eouare but current
onlonl. They like their scounlro to he OF an unquai
h,d scounlclism and Ties lhd tne man Infy van III
.niy HIS Is the wanting and vloent villain "nO
sends you into sudder At tho surrey lie is a smooth
bitt r. pasty faced ~ Bella" capable of more crimes
during the period of five acts than any nhe nave
hitherto met He commits them with an nrctuous salts
faction i'm wickelness for wckc1ncss' sake. winch mas
| n fair cliim to be called artistic. VIRTUE and tho
Puritan maiden. and the yonng man Win curl'ns @
aud nine lives, are IN e end 100 IN ,cn i'r ' 'u' luz
az least four Is the real hero OF this piece
Mr. Wilson BArfctts acting is matter on which II Is
pepexng to have to express Juleinent no 1ns a.
and his actag OF Hon has been discussed in tone or
by the dramatic writer's ON tie cue ionon
The mart The Tort Harry must hc supposed 10 SUIT MI
wilson Barrett lie created It In his quality OF anthor
| and then created IL again In his qualy OF actoi
He surrounded himself rs manager win every cIcun
stance OF difficulty, ~ speDdor, OF romance tat couu
add the attractions OF hi, hero must nevetlheirss'
admit that I remained throughout the evening I'M
iunressed 10y Mr. Barretts eFfDTance. When made an
| effort 10 judge Mr. Barrett critically, found hlm m
| effective HIS deiScry Is at umss hhu Ior , in"hT
minutes together quite uuntelliible. II very rapid
and the finishing of one word ana tne
| of the next was no apprcclaole mt,i val lno
mongt,nv of his method snch that for all the more
strenuous situations 81 the piece hc IesOr yea, IL
10 ne TO the same gesture and tho same form OF a. peal
10 the emotons OF the audience Mr.. Barrett In sor
is an actor whose hitOn Is in excess OF his means
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