New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-25
THE DRAMA.
PALMER'S TIIEATRE-MRs. POTTER.

and Crown. A small company of suectators attended
but Mrs Potter was welcomed with the cordial sym.
patty and applause OF many friends "'TwIxt Axs
and Crown has been known to the American theatre
for eighteen years. 1t was first presented in New
York in September, 1870 at Woods Museum nov
Daly's Theatrel, when the Princess Elizabeth was
impersonaed by Mrs. Scottslddons, and Courtney by
Charles IL. Thorne, 1r, while the associate cast In
Guided T. ". Keene, Mckee Rankin, Louis Mestayer.
Henrietta Irving and Alice Logan. II was again con-
spicuously presented in NewYork in January, 1873,
at the Lyceum Theatre (now the Fourteenth Street
TheatreD when the beautiful Mrs. Rousby, making her
first appearance In America, enacted Princess Eliza
beth, with George Clarke as Courtney, and with
vining Bowers, Kate Meek, Welsh Edwards, J. C.
Dunn and Mr. and Mrs Waldron In the subsidiary
parts. 1t has been represented in many Clues and
It has long been recognized and accepted'a an his
torical play OF high order
This drama, indeed is one of those historical
pieces which invest facts Of history with an atmosphere
of Imagination, passion and sentiment 1t is FIVE
act play, written mostly in blank verse, and II tells
coherent story chiefly by means OF rapid and vigor-
Gus action Its principal situations are dramatic
and exceedingly effective. The period covered by mo
piece is that of the five years OF Mary's reign, rom
1858 TO 1858, Immediately preceding the Princess
Elizabeth's accession to the throne OF England ae
the death Of her sister, and thus tho setting OF u
involves scenery and dresses of the Tudor dynasty
ono OF the most picturesque tunes
In English history. Its purpose IS 10
suggest the seething danger and the omlnou'
suspense Of critical historic hour; TO tell an eA-
citing tale Of love and political intrigue; and unner
romantic circumstances to set interesting CHARACTERS
in the strong light of action, contrast and vital ex'
perence That purpose IL entirely and ably fulfs;
and at the time land this is the quality thas
makes IL chiefly valuable 10 the reader or tho ise-
ener It helps 10 make you realize through "pa'
deadly pers the march OF religious freedom fh~a'
its way I'm England. The scene Is laid at 1t. Janess
Palace and at the Tower, in London, and al HAT
field There is a lack OF humor-always relief 10
the serious strain OF historic play-and there Is
an excess OF talk in the dialogue; the text savors
more OF the mechanical maker than Of the poet
for the reason that 1t Is deficient OF spontanety.
Affected and fantastic phrases are introduced with
needless lberality, and the theme itself-the ex-
perience OF royal persons-is somewhat removed from
human sympathy. Yet its nimble movement and its
abundant incident redeem It from dulness, It's
wealth of emotion gives it natural vsor and, as our
own poet, Holmes, has truly and gracefully OBJ
served,
The heart of queen, under jewels and laces,
Keeps time to the pulse In peasant girls breasts
Last night this fine old piece was revived with
cast that includes Kyre Bclew as Courtney, Harry
Edwards as Gardiner, ian Robertson as Rcnard the
Spanish Ambassador, Helen Bancroft as Queen Mary,
Mrs Eldridge the Duchess of Norfolk and various
auxiliary players of efficient talent. The public
interest naturally centres upon the Improvisation OF
the Princess Elizabeth by Mrs Potter The Princess,
in this piece, is drawn a girlish woman sweet,
innocent, lovely hlghmlnded spontaneously honest
in conduct, re gious in principle, and serenely pa
tent In adversely. She IS suspected or treason
against her sovereign sister, Queen Mary and snares
set around her path to enrap her guieless MIND
and insure her destruction. 1t IS shown
that her lofty integrity Of character and
her perfectly ingenious yet simply wise conduct guide
herf in afptv uph he Of
rigue and that her perfect honesty Informed by keen
ntuitions and armed with potent will. is more than
match for malicious duplicity and inveterate hate
The nature that means TO do right. and acts frankly
and boldly, will usually prevail. This Princess IS I'M
prsoned, watched by spies. tempted through love. bat
made all tho while to stand firm, In mistaken loyalty
and unblemished honor between the soaffod and tho
throne. Her enemies are that INSCRIPTIONS and cruel
prelae, Gardiner, Bishop Of Winchester. and simon
Renard, the envoy of the Catholic monarch Of Spain.
Her lover whom she loves again, IS Edward Courtney,
Earl Of Devonshire. The situations in which she Is
entanged by the adrot dramaiist demand that while
loving the man, she shall repudlate and condemn tho
treason that he would undertake for her advantage,
defy her powerful enemy, part from her lover, and
defeat the Vaccinations of those crafty ntrigues who
would devote her to the axe. The part requires In
ellectual character, perfect refinement dgnihed ret
icence, fiery temperament held in prudent repres-
sion, and that indescribable mannerthat inborn dis
tnctlon, vigorously denied. yet. all the same.
isent an attribute of human naturc-whch APP
pertains 10 a naturally royal person. Success in tho
part must depend upon the power TO act, but also TO
large extent it must depend upon condition.
Mrs. Potter. who has been in almost continual
practice since she acted here year ago, has
what modified her tendency TO elaborate posture and
to tho slow insipdity Of linked sweetness long
drawn OUT She moves about the with more
character of the Princess Elizabeth. Her choice OF the
character Of the Princess Elizabeth proves fortunate
for the actress, like the part IS girllsh woman,
sweet Interesting, winning and very pretty The re-
Qus.ie distinction OF manner she did not reveal Her
acting in the love with Courtney dclicatey
and pleasantly sufus d with a fehre animation,
alike sensuous and IQuant; and this may be re-
corded the supreme merit OF thr representation.
TO Ezabehs wild grief and passionate revolt. after
the heroic parting with the beloved Courtney, the
actress brought certain spasmodic rr9ulaiiiy OF
these fral substitutes for deep feeling were again
employed in thar nobly imag native passage In which
the royal girl IL made Ia undergo and to express tho
frenzy of fear and dread, in The shadow OF the scat
fold Beneath the best manifestation OF dramatic
Mrs Potter ploases the eye, but It does not impress
the mind or touch the heart. II denotes person
not indicate distinctive force In the realm OF ex-
preston This Princess Elizabeth portrayed by an
ton as perfect type Of mo al hcroism ana tpyI
tellect, virtue tenderness, and moral power Por-
trayed by Mrs. Potter she IS gentle little creature,
attred I'm becoming garments and mpelled 10y various
puny dlscomfors, to an excited and even tumutuous
behavior. The achievement Is irfcgulary pretty pnt
artificial and trivial MIS-. POlier may possibly, IN
the future have some message TO convey to minds
that are earnest and hearts that feel At present she
means nothing. In execution method, technical
proficiency Mrs Poters acting remains essentially
experimental and feeble The elOcution Is full 81
starts and flaws motiveless whlsperngs aternatei
with sld cries. The picture Of character lacks
huency, consistency. meaning and form The work
lacks sincerity and purpose and may 90
lkened writing that is freshly blurred.
The astonishing announcement Is made that this
lady will presently undertake 20 enact
Shakespeares Cleopatra I'm association with Mr. Kyrlo
Beew Antony an enterprise for which these two
PERSONS are about well hitcd ~ "A pair OF French
dolls Courage l. virtue, but II IS also true that
fools rush In where angels fear IN tread" Mr.
Belew, who appeared last night as Courtney, mani
tested neither sturiiness Of physique, nor depth Of
feeling. force of ihOughi-all OF which al
tributes Of the character; but Mr. Rellew Is Of
the most graceful eNecutans Of stage business
extant and his picturesque aspect and pleasing de-
meanor make him, for Mrs. Potter, an appropriate
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