New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-09
g ELECTRA = Ar THE LYCEUM.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE GREEK PLAY 10 ga
PRODUCED ON MARCH IL. sls.

sophocics ought TO be here on March III 10 see ~
DO Mflis Bolasco adaptation Of bis play fIectrAA
BE not only wrots Electfas but acted m Il in ~
eocd Old days when tho Greek piay was part Of sk6
Greek religion sorhoclss did not have extrsordns
amount OF faith IN the perceptive farrltes Of ias
average Athsnian audience or tho dramatic abilities
Of the average Greek actor, so 10 mako sure thxt
Electrsp should not be- improperly mounted aud
incorrectly interpreted he took one Of tho kzdins
parts and showed everybody how the thing Should
be done. Even at this late day authors sometimes
20 on the stage for the ssme reason, trick thsy
must have learned from sophocIes. ~
Tbs distinguished Greek would not ind much n:
ligien IN the English adaptation Of EJsctras wha
he acted IN the original piece he began the pes1ous
snce with tho sacrifice Of pig. Mr.. Dc Milo Is
authority for the statement that there win DO no
pig In the cast Of the modern Electra notSithsan6
ing that pupil Of the American Academy OF Dramatic
Arts volunteered for the sacrifice. So ths
play win begin with Electra mourning fos
orestes, accompanied By the sympethetc lamentations
Of the chorus. Z
As regards this chorns, DO not imagine for "a
instant that 70 isseomposed Of snpernumcrares VIA
Ill MP the ssage behind and form sort OF solemn
background TO SGT OF the brilliant work Of tho pnn
cipals. In Greek drama tao chorus Is not less
important than the rest OF me cast While the
principals come and go, appear and disappear. tis
chorus IS with you always from the beginning Of the
play TO tho end. In the days OF sophoclss the pn-
cpais far from tho audience that the audience
frequently got lost in ts endeavor 70 follow the plot
In such emergencies glance at the chorus revealed
everything. Tho chorus Is iika great mirror reflect
ing every seton so perfectly that there be NO
wrong Interpretation. ~
In Electra the chorus will DO composed u
fifteen young men and young women. but you VIII
be unable 10 tell which Is which An viii try 10
look like young men. Women never went on ne
stage 10 Greece, and such parts Electra and
clytcmnestra were acted by mon. Mr.. Sargent and
Mr. BeIaseo have been over two months drilling this
chorus TO act and talk as one man. 1t 70 much
easier 10 persuade one man 10 look sympathetc when
Electra comes with her mourning than to stamp
the same expression on the faces OF ffteensnd soma
Of them women. But Fsther Time docs wonderss
and the chorus Is well up In its part fsss
There win be two stages. which are to be ar
ranged like two very wide steps, tho one nearer
the audience being shout Ave feet lower than the
ether. On the upper stage the principals will dc
their acting beside tho altar OF Apollo, while the
chorus viii occupy the 'front.' lower, platform, the
centre Of which win support the altar OF Bseehus-
steps win lead from 70 the other, 30 that sos
principals may descend 10 the chorus whom the oc.
cason A At This arrangement Is as much ike Thai
Used 81 s61hocles as DE Lycenin stage VIVA admit
The Greek sctors must have had an easy tfms
The principals not repaired 10 bother themselves
about costumes or facial expressions. Their CHEZ
object was 10 increase tncH atasufc SO nal tnry
would not look too small to the distant audiences.
Frcuch heels were unknown In those days but there
was hind OF Greek soils eight Inches thick which
was extremely popular with tho dramatic profession
when an sytor wanted TO express grief he wore .
scrrowful-looking mask which extended about ten
riches above his head and this also helped TO increase
his sine When he wished to laugh he retired 70 ths
playe there were three principals, who by donbnng
up played six parts. The leading msa played 9ss
part the first actor two parts and tho second aeof
Flectrs. wfi be produeed on tho afternoon OF
March IL No one 70 the cast has Appeared N pnohe;
the Dramatic Arts and la all number twenty nlne
Dir Beasro has been breaking them IN and Daniei
FrohTnan Is pleased with their performance NAV
he will probably present Electfas 70 the Lyeeam
patrons az "Wednesday matinees The costumes srs
10 be historically correct Every Iec, o. a2p ss
was once worn by Fechfef. THIS VIII sdorn ono ot
the principals whoss duty II Is 10 say nofhlng
Brief bur graphic reminders OF OF the pNmplss
games viii Be seen in the course OF
the play, which win continue Without III
tcrm,sston for about two and onehsn hours , The
were no changes OF scene. The music Tor the piece
was composed according 10 the Greek method as tsf
AZ possible By Miss Collins, an ex-pupl o. thc ar1i
envy One peculiarly is that n constantly enanses
the key On the choral movements Mr.. SARGENT nss
built up some curious dances The scenery IS de-
Eieclras has never before been done in English,
though IL has been acted frequently In tho Original
both in England and on the Continent There arc
several transations Of the play, but Messrs be.sso
and De Mile have drawn spsrtngy nom ness sou,res
The demand for seats iarse cunning eh'en' H0Ai
aknu.to s-rAo