New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-07
SIR EDWIN ARNOLUS PLA1.
PLOT OF THE STORY OF ADzUMA'.
THE AUTHORS COMMENTS on HIS WoHh iN'i
DENTS DRAMATIC AND HEARTNsT lhi'lN"'
r.LroN NH 10 rHE rRInrNE.


DENTS DRAMATIC AND HEARTsTlihiN"'
rsr ,rr THE rRrnuSEI
San Francisco, Aug. Is (specinD- Manager D'",''.''
who has charge OF Sir Edwin Arnom' "e" pi'.'
The Story OF Adzuma," has sent the mhhuso'ip. u
Washing ton 'or copy right, and tie autno' 1
vii be perfected oarly next week. >ir hu"'" wiz
arrive here next month aud. 1t Is under''oou WIZ
devote himself 10 securing theatr'a' P'
competent to bring the drama. lie h's ''"en
the creates, pains obtain correct SCENERY "''
costumes. lie has coored photographs OF al inc
scenes mentioned in the play. also OF the costumes
Of the period selected. sir bl"" IN
pressed upon Mr. Deamn the importance Vi
Withholding any extracts from the drama a. i'c hu
fresh in mind the violation OF professional ell
quette by Douglas IIaden the young 'uSua-
liam poet which gave many startling Phs>"Bes
Of the Light Of the World" To the pubic several
months before The poem ready for the press
However, Mr.. Deakin has furnished Sir Edwihs III
PRODUCTION and notes of the plot OF the pay "'non
Of much interest when his careful study oi
japanese literature Is considered OF the source OF the
play Sir Edwin says: This true, tender hoo'e
and pathetic story. BY all its Incidents III
the highest degree dramatic and hcarstirinS' mas
never yet been told In English. although "r 80 many
years popular in Japan. Those scholars VINO nave
given the Western world other famous pieces from
Japanese history have either feared to deal WITH inc
tragic particulars Of the tale have not found access
to good versions of ii. The present author has spared
pains to obtain full narratives and has written MS
PLAY with the double purpose Of composing literary
work In the dramatic form worthy. II II may be-
Of the beautiful heroine. who Is pure
and tr,c type of the b CHEST japanese womanhod,
| and also of supplying for the modern English ana
| American stage tragedy in all respects 'acape anu
Illustrating with CLOSE fidelity the manners ana motives
Of the Japanrsc people There j. deNgn"diy cr' rom
for the judcious to condcn'c portions
| Of the text. which Is not. however too long nv
single line for the poctical clucIdauon Of the story
The Mot in brief is a. follows Adzuma ived and
| died about the time 81 The great ShOsun III hloto
She was a serpent the lower life and had helped 10
Kill tie cnrle, which, born again A. a man. became
| Morto. When ~h, herself born woman their
destnics, according TO Buddhist belief became uheu
Adzuma marries knight. Wataru, although her mana
had been asked by Morltps guardian. Here enters the
villain Salcmune the friend Of MOrito, who had been
| rejected by Adzuma. lie plot, to destroy Morito
| Adzuma AID her husband MOrttO hJ, never seen
| Adzuma. AID ~akcmuue plays tho role OF Meph's'"
plelcs bringing Morlto into the company OF Adznma al
| a fair lie l. deeply cnamorcd Of her but his
virtue first rcvots from wrongng hi' friends VIE.
sakcmunc for.c- poems and letters by hd1uma which
make NUrito believe he Is In love with him. lie
| reveals this unhoy love Ia Adzumas mother and
threatens to MI her unless she forces her daughter To
,cccp, him. She summon, AdIuma. and the girl SEE
! ing no hope Of saving her mother. forms heroic
| resolution. She agrees to plan by which Noii'"
shall Kill her husband. She tells him be will know
| Wataru by hi, wcttcd hair. MOhto Al night ~
| par, to the place. cuts OF the head ana
arriving at his own home finds the ghasty trophy to
| De Ad7umas lovely head. She had induced her lord
! To sleep IN another apartment. then cut her hair
wcttcd It, aud lay down t. die the onlg mcthef y
Wing her innocence and -tyiug the i've, OF hu~
band and mother Mofiio beg, Wataru 10 LAY him.
but g." husband rcii'e-. and the t"p enter Pi'-'
| ho 4. e.ikcruuc :, hillci by retainer 81 Mori'
,dxuml'- spirit ascending to the world - tle purified
| >ir Edwin Arnold -aincd Dis idea Of hi- play one
evening AT "a reception. over two Year. ago. in con
| vcr-atYn with Ammoncrmo. ih" J1Pln",s scholar
and ltni7ii-t The latter TOLL with fine dnmnilr
effect the story u idluma. which, appealed 10 rir
| Edwin that he lad 3D." ancient JarHne-" nofl'
searched FIR the d.. u.l version Of The story. The
| inlay h. vcf~.d ON TINS t.t-lou. The time of ih'
story i. 1909. \ j.. and the seen" j. lad ~ Toxic
! III Elwin ll- -pcui much time and effort H.
getting photographs OF Adlumt~ house. iu wMtI M"
tragedy TOOK place. and IA, lad 81 ID" s''u"- eol d" L.
a. well =, the uWc- of il" charari"t, Tic pay j.
lu four acf> and hl, twelve ohef characters. h",id',
score. Of rtaiucr~ Vnfrlor~ and att'' dnnf,. Zach
n1t has from tom 10 eight change, ~ -,rne. IN ne
| third (, a laiIur.' ga parry. Ihl- h1ht- ~ N".i
picturesque treatment, a. 'ci-m. OF d"i.,lhS Si-'
and lusSer- may lie PA o.. since tht MA
Kind The play T. written iu the same hlluh N'iN" A.
The Light II The World with several .ons, IN rnym"
The ,crn,., in which M"rtu tell 81 III passion f'r
Adzuma the dc.palr OF ID" wife wh,n Nhf DECIDE on
self sacrifice aud the icinpf~c II Mou when h. sees
the head Of bis beloved before him Tie" aid -
| BE- embodied in we're - I'm" a. tnd' "mri P'tur''
| IN. 4orlow nud rl~ut,noc Of the VI lda!cnc.
Harry Deakp. wt' aa- char-" Of ne play, VIII
leave icrc for ihe "a I'm f." DAY 10 arrange ior
| sucor~- than tn, Nkadn7 because n 4. true 10
Japan~-' H. and % has inc ,p.c'acular failure o.,
| hy a.. taaad!an I.o Nt- n'A' Month, ~ Do las
nbandorcd for TIE am" Ole mp I" india