Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-16
BIJoU THEATER.
Margaret Mathel
WORLDS MUsEUM......
GnrinsitieR. Etc,

Among those who have delved IN the fasci-
mating study Of legend, especially such as adorn
German literature, many will doubtless feel in
terest in the presentation Of 'Gretchen," W. s.
Gilbert's modern paraphrase Of the mythical
story. Faust" in which Margaret Mather and
her company appear at the Bijou Monday
night The idea of modern Faust" has sug-
| gested itself to numerous writers from Moeller
to Reynolds, but none of these masters of the
| pen summoned up courage enough to make
bid for glory by breaking away from the tradi-
| uonal and immortal fame into which the genius
| Of Marlowe and Goethe had nodded the moving
old German legend, before the advent of W.
s. Gilbert Gilbert was then under 80 years Of
age. Young men with Gilbert's push are
usually innovators and Gilbert was one of the
most vehement representatives Of this class.
To mind 30 fertile in resources as his the idea
Of an adaptation of Faust" thoroughly mod
ernized and changed TO give scope to original
ity, was a matter as easy Of accomplishment as
any ordinary test of the playwright. Discard
| ing at once the clothing in which Goethe had
wrapped his characters, but yet retaining the
| central ideas and motives, he commenced skill
fully to weave a superstructure about the ele-
| mental Hres that had gwen life to the old
| story, and the recital OF which has brought
tears 20 generations Of people. The weird old
legend lent itself TO the change with grace and
with all the brilliancy characteristic Of Gil
bert
Gilbert was yet q young man when
Gretchen" was written, and the verse through
out the libretto shows rugged strength. This
play has been termed his greatest, but 1t is
doubtful if the essence OF Goethe dramatiza-
tion does not revert to the credit OF the play
| RriRhR
The new treatment brings into prominence
the church, and FGuStus is d iscovered immured
| in the solemn recesses Of m mastery, to which
q surfeit of the things of the world and the love
Of women have driven him AS a Dominican
father the apparently repentant man remains
an inmate of the cIoister; but there are indica-
| tions that the life and the man are not in SYM
pathy. FdtSttEs, in a At Of delirium, dwells on
worldly things, and his attendant fathers get
from his rawlings evidences Of discomfort.
When charged with inconstant thoughts FdiLs-
tHs denies his sccusers. but TO afrlend-G0ttffte
| who meets him IN the churchyard, he reveals
the desire to live again. GottfTIedi is warr1of,
| and loves a maiden, Gretchen, whom he de-
scribes to FdttStus. No longer welded to the
| church by thought, FduStus conceived strong
| desire to see a woman such as GottfTted paints,
| and in burst of longing for the world, invokes
| the powers of earth, heaven, hell to end his
| torment and give him the boon he asks. At
| the FIRST word of invocation, MephiSto, in
garb best calculated to deceive, confronts the
doubling father and teaches the philosophy of
| which he is the incarnation.
| BY the power of his art, AeDhGsto causes TO
| appear before FGaGStIs the image of Gretchen,
| VINO passes de ray VI d1uOuR Tue IOIuDb,
and, pausing before the trembling priest,
stretches out her arm, as though in dreamy
| supplication, then bows her head and dlsap-
pears. FdtESttS, overcome by the beauty Of the
apparition, starts forward:
| Spirit OF peace-divlne embodyment-
Henceforth be thou my faith, be thou my church.
Again, dressed in the garb of a citizen, dis
| carding entirely his priestly garments, the
misguided man finds his way, under the spell
| dwells the maid. Before he gets sight of her,
| however, Gotfrted arrives, sees FdustiI5, and
| agrees to introduce him to to the girl of whom
| he has spoken. The introduction takes place,
and Gretchen is placed under FdiESttGS' guar
dianship by Gottfried, who then leaves for the
seat of war. After this the play keeps close to
| the old lines
The talk Of new theaters was not ended by
| Mr.. Harry Williams announcement of his in
tention to build one. Mr.. Edward Jackman,
who has just returned from New York. is still
sanguine about the transformation of his build
| ing into theater. He still thinks that some
| one will be found to give Pittsburg a new thea
ter by September next.
Mr.. Harry Scott, the unmistakably enter
prising manager of the Worlds Museum in Al
legheny, said yesterday: "On Friday last I
made application to the Building Inspector and
Ordinance Officer for permission to erect on
the vacant space adjoining the end of the mu-
scum on River avenue an Eiffel Tower, which,
when completed, will be 800 feet high, with two
hydraulic elevators. Ny idea is to make it the
highest point in the center of town, where a
reasonable view of the city can be seen to ad-
| vantage and in summer an hour of pure, re-
| freshing river valley air can be obtaired and
| enjoyed. The tower will have base of rs feet
square, while the top will have 40 square feet
| Light refreshments will be served at the top
| and passengers will be charged by the hour.
| Only a limited number will be allowed on it at
| any one time"
The idea seems to be good one, and should
be profitable to Mr.. Scott.
-
The performance Of "The Henrietta at the
Grand Opera House this week has been very
acceptable to most people. 1t seems to be gen.
orally conceded, however, that Mr.. Mordaunt's
conception Of Nick VGnGLstyne is hardly SO in
harmony with the character as drawn by
Bronson Howard as was Mr.. Cranes. There is
as was pointed out in THE DISPATCH last
Tuesday, a warmheartedness about old Nick as
Mr.. Crane playshim, which Mr.. Mordaunt does
not grasp Yet Mr.. Mordaunt's was a very fine
piece of acting and Mr.. Robson is to be con-
graduated on his good fortune in securing
such . colleague. HEPBURN JOHNS.