New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-08
q THE SEVEN AGES

.,.t,on as a comedian and i'm
A ,hs, Henry f. Dixey gained from MS
pn,.r Isoniss and the many hundred performances
49,. ,,scs that he gave, the announcement 'hs' nc
nouM anpear in a play ana in now charScters We
W.. 20 crowd the standard Theatre last nleh"
eno"e ,,.cs was The Seven Ages by William
ino IA Mr. pixey. There are "reminiscences anu
o ON on,s now and then. OF the older WORK. ou' ''
s...l plan differs widely from most other pieces :,
gene The production has. in fact, little pu'
~ and incidents 10 offer, and the only conhe0'io"
...sn them is that they are supposed 10 hSpp0" !"
the life OF one man. 1900, .A.r,. &c the
- &c described in the familiar lines OF As
,r. IT, They are presented in series Or
-, with An introduction. BERTHE van Loo
sa,n ~ columbia among his friends IN the Iamny
hrv signs for realization OF the dreams oi
- statue of the poet thereupoh comes " liio
- ,ons him that he will but exercise MS
10Y Of imagination he may experience the scenes
,.r.n ages BERTHE falls asleep In his chair ana
~. Aro.r,, takes him back TO the days OF his an
us ,,r Dtxey now assumes variety OF char
- ,rgrested by his lines appearing first In his
-, ,lstor on the Battery, in the year OF l'4o'
80 a. accomplished by a clever mechanical oon'f-
-. A scene at school follows. and then
.y-=are feast and By the time this Is wen oNo.
,hs war OF the Revolution has come, and Ooionoi
Van Loo is member Of the Continental army
In the scene IN to pOiiCo 'O"'' -
r,odern one in some respects. for 1soo-
,nrlesone company is brought, or rather forced IN
and gives almost the only touch OF the buneSque
.. n is Familiarity known that the piece contains
,, also gives Mr.. Dixey an opportunity Tor some
~ 80 90 nonular actors "Grandfather Van
oos ,s again seen in his library with some Ola
,,snds who drink and tell stories and finally leave
IN. ,o,ternc old man to sink into his chaT anu
ycpeat shakespeare's closing words Ihere IS oarN
ness for a few moments and then the Berthe al
Lon n the Introduction is In tho chalr "aAlns
from his dream ,.ro-o,
The central figure in these pictures Is iolo"eu
.hrouvb them nv sweetheart and wife, and Dy
.v.l enemy and traitor who grow old with him. Inc
tr ~ the niece Is not so broad is common IN So
ma hrlsoues and has the merit of never approach
,r yr,rarstv There are few attempts at satire on
soc,etv OF the day but the dialogue Is trhe uuli
esneciallv in the first part The pictures are seP"
rated nv the dropping of scene representing the Ion
Of a Greek temple and before this stands one woman
,uss Ellen Ellison who plays the part
:, tho chorus of the ancient drama and
.1n,ans what ia TO follow with agreeable manner
b,,t IN words that might well be mace brighter ano
more attractive. Her costumes are designed TO rep
resent the varying seasons OF the year lno oNpla
nations made are hardly necessary IN themselves VI"
Ae scene-shifters must have time for their "orA'
Mr. Dixey's acting last night was easy ana grace
hui and his makeups were often eHe ecn,'i az o
stber members Of the company most deserving, %
,nnntion were George W. Howard. George A. Schller
Norbert Gresham and Miss Marie Williams. IN
mounting Of the piece was generally go9d ana NJ,
waits in inconvenient places which Will probably
soon disappear.