New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-12
uANTIGONE" I'm NEW-HAVEN.
,prpARING TO PRESENT A DRAMA OF
SOPHOCLES IN ENGLISH.
.ruEARsALs THAT PROMISE AN INTERESTING
INTERPRETATION OF THE ANCIENT PLAY
rur CAST WILL BE OF WOMEN EXCLU-
s1vELY-A MODERN INNovA-
TION IN THE CHORUS.

TON IN THE CHORUS.
,.r1taven. March 1I.-Nowherc is the dramatic
.r,,ic 50 unhappy az before company OF amateurs
en- % act upon a real stage in real theatre. In
u9Ins s'on,inp with antique drama however, it may
eAp , 10 Questioned whether cultivated persons I'M
I'D In tbe technique of a nnetecnth-century play
- have not a better chance of success than pro-
..to,ol actors. 1t Is this element Of sympathetic
I,.-standing That is going to make the attempt by
~ ,odies In New-IIavcn TO revive Sophoces on the
.o an affair of much more than local importance.
ho f. no pretencc about their endcavor. Newllaven,
80 a university town. does not boast Of girls who
" suent in Greek Latin, and the score or more
u have put long winters work into studying
" ,,cone, are perfectly content to do so in plain
p,clisb Dean Pumptre's metrcal translation Is
od enough for them, and is likely abundantly to
e.,,r the audience, who, apart from the college
nun,ty are still desperately uncertain whether
wa ar,e of the unfortunate daughter of Oed!pus is
,onnced in four syllableS or three. The City OF
81 is still good way from Boston. In order 10
,irhten the understanding of its masses libretto
'. ,hs pay has been put into all the book stores, III
sion the translation is accompanied with notes ana
,narous introduction prepared by Mr.. Reynolds,
~ the Greek professors at Yale. Between this
Wv ,nrl g. when the grand event comes off on the
,r,er;onn stage. New Haveners will apply them
,s 10 the wisdom contained in this inexpensive
~unhlet. and they are not likely to regret their
labor - 49,. o.s,od orco
rbus far the rchearsals have been conducted once
rock with the strctcSt secrecy. Mr.. sargent 'ne
,n..c manager and drill-masteT, feels hmseH'
18th the rest on ground, and is not disposed 10
am,, the critical or the curious to judge MS OK
,,msntal work. With traditions or generaly
accepted theories to apply to the aeuhs' nc I'D"
h,en thrown upon his own resources and the clever
Ds.s of his actors in way which a modern dramatic
q, oneratic trainer can hardly comprehend lie
Srovs. Of course what was done by Mr. Riddle ana
aud had something
20 ID with the final touches given TO the preeenta-
zion If Antigonen by Boston ladies a year or more
.co Vet the actual work Of portrayal has thus
far been tentative rehearsal is held without some
now surrestion some change in detail, some dis
cusson on the fertile theme of the dramatlstS real
meaning. II is the details That make OF mar t"e
effect: delicate shadings in by-play and studied
GESTURE suffice by themselves to impress beholderS
with distncness incredible to ordinary theatre soers
Nearly the whole work OF Eurydicc, for example VINO
comes from the palace just in time TO learn Oh her
sons tragic end, consists I'm portrayal by ACTON ana
facial expression Miss Lilly White, who assumes TINS
rather tlankless role, comes in for genuine adhird'
lion when we remember The difficulties involved III
sustaining the expression caused first by shock OF the
terrible news and then the fitting horrors as she
receives half dead from grief, the messengers long
account of the tragedy. by one of sOphcccss I'M
pulses of divine genius when the hideous tale Is tou
the stricken mother is made to stagger up the palace
steps supported by her maidcns but without giving
vent to a syllable or even moan. The spectacle of
grief too great for words is supremacy touching ana
hardly fails even in the dry drudgery of rehearsas to
excite a gentle murmur of approval among the other
actors Miss White is not going TO blur this beautiful
creation.
such is the effect Of what might be called single
stroke of the dramatist Naturally in the longer
parts that bear the burden OF the dramatic
Mot and dramatic unity of which there is
10 Fl Intelligence
and intimate sympathy, If not more urgent
is necessarily more instant and continuous. Where
all are alike alert and striving 1t is unfair to dscrml
nate but the opportunities for the Oftest endeavor
belong undoubtedly TO the two great roles OF Creon, the
tyrant and Antigone; and Mrs. Chapman and Mrs.
Thompson. who represent them, must have the que
need of their greater responsibility. OF these two
ladies' the former has unselfshy devoted nearly her
whole time and energy since last october. not only
to the careful study of her part but to arranging
the conduct of the whole affair, helping and inspiring
the others and maintaining certain enthusiasm, with
out which no company of persons, however en-
thusiastic at first, can persevere to satisfactory
achievement. She has indeed, so deep sense OF her
lines as impress those vcrsed in the original
me of the university professors who heard her render
the first long speech to the Theban Elders last week
declared that Mrs. Chapman's suggestive shadlnS
WOULD convey new and valuable ideas to the most
scholarly adept in Greek literature. Here We 1hd
as in many other instances, mat WheFc woman III
sight and subtle wit applied to matters heretofore
exclusively in the hands OF men, she Is sure TO ais
cover some hidden beauty 10 suggest a fresh point
of view from which new light falls upon the we'll
worn theme CreOn she inerprets, not as simply
tyrant carried away by crude impulse, but rather
As mind of decidedly superior type whose decIeo
respecting the indgnity to the body OF his RIDICULOUS
nephew was not the result of savage hate ana INC
intoxcaon of power, but carefully planned 10 impress
the common people. This conception lihpHcs u'e
nihed if not a noble, character, which Mrs Chapman
supports admirably, and intenses the twofod horror
by which his outrage against the gods Is punished dt
the end Nemesis, feel has found a victim whose
high strunc nature suffers douby under The lash.
Mrs. Thompson's Antigone is perhaps less subtle
but her natural charms of voice and manner combine
with her splendid womanhood in taking fashion
She accentuates in the difficult opening scene Ahue
ones fiery and self-relant disposition but this IS
done without hardness it is the severity that grl
assumes who abandons herself to one supreme act
Before Creon she is defiant, but never pert OF pre-
sumntnousan error one of lesser calbre might readily
fall into Lastly on her way TO execution, the mehlaI
prostration attending her deed Of dsobcdlcnce mas
y,,bly affected her. the great soul, keyed to splendid
achievements stands face TO face with late ana Cries
for bu,nan sympathy The elders give her only good
advice and She protests in splendid burst OF anger
and sorrow
Ye mock me then: Alas why walt ye not
all fathers gods ASK Ol you,
Till have passed away,
But fout me while live
II i hardly necessary TO do more than mention the
otber characters not because they less worthy but
because 1t is nearly impossible to anayze their WORK
without dwelling more fully than time allows upon
the story and it, dramatic adjuncN Green's son ana
Antigones bctrothcd laemon, Is taken by Mis- Anna
Richards a young lady VINO J. captivating a. inc I'M
nuI.ite ind ,turGy youth Isincnc Is Miss PaIdce,
rfaccHl and necessary ioI 10 her sister ]Anilsohe.
The tnard and Messenger. both parts OF imporlanee
in A Greek play, where much That occurs dunhS inc
action Is related in long and splendid passages oi NeIe
are Mis- Leach and sir. DE Forest. Iclle>lds, the
seer will be taken by Miss Mary JOnliNtOhc. mum
Ter o yOung ldir, serve also a. mute attendants, whose
gestures and Tch costumes dnd medSui'DiJ " wv
scenic and dramatic impression. , III, , -
The chorls of twelve Theban Elders Will be re
infurced a. In the Boston performance ny iItctIi
madeus who move and posture about the altar IN the
sjcnitcant manner necessary to the licllclc drama
I'M, portion j., Of COURSE adaptation lohS way
oil from the Greek practice. Mendc,sohi' music Is