New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-12
A SHAKESPEARE HOLIDAY.
- HENRY VI, PART l." REVIVED AT STRAIT
FOPD-THF COVER STATUE.
EUND-I IIA3 W'1'N ~ III - - - !,
iypoM An ocC AsIoYAL CONFECTIONERY or THE TRIBUNE


FORD-THE COVER STATUE
,ypou Az ocC AsoSAL CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE!
London April %.
Yesterday was the birthday Of Shakespeare, aud
A. Stratford -on-Avon everybody made holiday.
party of visitors was entertained by Dir. w. g.
Flower who lives in the lOveliest spot IN STRAIT
ford on the river, next to the churchyard. NO
visitor ever goes 70 Strstford without seeing this
place and every American will recall DR.. Holiness
account Of his visit there last summer. The house
stands about midway between thu church and the
Memorial Theatre, which owes its existence eSpe
cially to Mr. Flower From his lawn on the bank
OF the Avon the eye follows the pretty stream 10
the left TO the theatre and Lord Ronald Covers me
mortal statue and 20 the night toward the church,
with the pale seal green light coming through the
windows from the other side, and the great elms
with the rocks in the churchynrd.
The conspicuous feature OF the series OF per
formances given In the theatre this week Is the
production Of tho first part Of Henry the SIXTH
II was to see this and Lord Covers memorial
monument the party had come down from Lon
don, among them the Marquis Of Lorne and Mr.
| Percy Anderson Henry the Sixth, Part IL hal
not been played since the time OF Charles IL and
the performance therefore promised TO possess q
unioue interest Edmund Kean prepared an act
ing edition OF the three parts one and the sim
! Lane 1917 But last tight for the first time on
the modern stage possibly for the first time since
Shakespeare, the first part Of the uilogy was pro-
duced. The text had been prepared by Mr. Flower
! With a very considerable degree OF snccess.
! Judaed By the best Shakesp"arcan standards
Henry the Sixth" is a poor and unenEagtng piece
Its interest lies in the indications throughout OF
the prevalent feeling OF that time against the
French and in particular OF the English notion OF
| the Maid OF Orleans The first part Of the trlloW
NOR over contains the famous scene In the Temple
Gardens when with the pluckng OF the white ana
the red flowers, burst forth simultaneously the
buds OF the disastrous Wars Of the Roses The
character of Talbot, furthermore, IS imposing and
not unherOic. Yet these two or three eIcclienceS
are all The play, as Shakespeare left it, could
have been tolerated only by an audience filled
with an Astounding and personal interest In Its
subject The present editor hns mnde tho play,
from the point Of view OF dramatic art, far
better piece Of work than he found it and actually
presentable on the modern stag. But even IN
the present version none but most excellent
companv could have avoided giving 20 certain
portiops an sir of caricature quite inappropriate
anywhere out OF the Comic History OF Great
Britain" For, as the Older critics would say.
there ia q woful violation OF the uniueSi tumble
! of fights massscres and MURDER and scahng oil
walls which might offer dangerous temptations
to the uncertain emotions OF the to,, 9G.
company was so good that the audi,
ence was continually beaten back from the preclpl
tous edge Of this sort Of amusement Inc actors
PLAYED with gu abandon and finish winch were
admirable. .,,o-,
The company was under the direction Of Osm ond
Tearle who Is much better known hn IN rSSS %
bot and Miss Mary Kingsley Joan la Pucelle
MIR Tearle clearly recognized bis opportunity Of
creating a part, and inspired his company %it tl
: spirit and without Interruption. The scenes de
signed and painted especially for this perform
ance, were very beautiful and the cOSSm'nS w tS
nronerties and dresses. The play Is 20 b. re-
peated on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon
IN America mST but the end Justified the expert
ment
had not seen Lord Ronald Covers msmoria
} monument until yesterday. But this was one o
the first things sought o9t IN company WIN .n
already made many In America familiar with Ger
tain characteristics of IT, AZ the monument nov
stands by the river, against the warm BACKGROUND
OF the red brick theatre, 1t is NOBLE seated gnr
of the poet placed high on simple pcdsstai sur sur
rounded by the four figures OF m T "a L3u
! impressed all aS worthy OF the place IL to ta
what one would wish TO say, but not 70 say 70
; much. There IS great depth Of Thought IN n, IN
face and fitting air Of self-sutliciency III lts r.
nose and In the penetrating gar The oharat
: terjstics OF Lord Ronalds work are not the OF
| trusiyp qualities Of ceVerneSS without serenity
. chaIncteristic of the French school There Is n
struggle for striking effect, which is surprising ),
h ,rork in parIs On the other hand, there Is grea
n frcedom and originality Of trcatme MT aud serious
nass If srnrit in tho central figure OF Shake6Rcsr
and sbundant LIE in the fOnr a. the base Ihet
four are ros oil equally successful; the best ~
Hamlet ana Lady Macbeth, the latter belng merks
{ by fine lifelikeness and nervous ioree aid ~
: | 1yaceinI lines OF IT'S drafsry. but inc genera
siTsct Of the group Is sinel and very effective
= ,As amused 20 learn that the Marquis OF born
4 had never before been in Strntford, and II was
ioke that Inc was doing the place very niue
iSSs an American on his first visit TO Englant
u Besides the other contents Of the museum an
. | Hh,ary here we saw two size Ives fnll OF books
he no,es made By Mr.. Hallwell-PhiliipS durin
70 Us ione lfc devoted IN Sbakespeoran trecafo
, rlsv were given with the injunction that the
q sho2Id not be opened until after his death; Ihs
M haye now been examined. do not think "a
~ contents have the value that was expected NJ
- Haliiwell phillips preserved everything posse ssn
" cyea the rrmotest reference to Shakespeare an
st his work; and the really important matters !
,e had already called from this mass FOR ms pl'
lithed books Yet any notes OF so palnstaking
y scholar are Of interest; and &c would probably
~ . welcome Oct for the Shakespeare Sociesy 70 q
~ print then for the sake Of student&