Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-02
Nvu.nn Rnrratt,a Pharnoh.

Tonight will be seen in Richmond Tor
the first time Wilson Barretts magnltcent
production of his own play, Pharaoh
Competent critics who witnessed its pro-
duction in Philadelphia last week are
unanimous in agreeing that nothing has
ever been put upon the stage that VIII IN
any way compare with 1t in magnihcence.
The beautiful scenery of Messrs. Walter
Ham, Bruce Smith, and h. i. Ryan sur
passes anything Of the kind that has been
seen recently, and MIR. Ryan'sloyely moon
light pictures OF Thebes especially Will DO
remembered. The play is equipped with
all the semi-bar baric paraphernalia OF regal
Egyptian life. Its setting has obviously
beer matter of much cost and research,
and the result Is q great spectacular sue
cess 1t was a marked success, too, IN the
historic sense: for each member of tho
able company Mr.. Barrett has gathered
around him strove his utmost to act his very
best. Mr.. Barrett has in Arni. the amol-
tious Egyptian general, n part which suits
him perfectly. The part of Arnl bears
an easily recognized resemblance TO
those other embodiments OF the ne
roes of antiquity which Mr.. wilson
Barrett has made familiar. In external
aspect this is undoubtedly so. and IN hls
inner being the character is the same.
Like Claudlan and like Clito, Arnl Is
Kingly person, proud, imperious, gener-
Gus, aud impulsive. He poses as grace
fully and declalm5 as pas9lonately as 90
those picturesque heroes. MIR. Barrett
created new type of stage hero-a being
charged with full measure OF surging
emotion, who was always the gracetul
centre-piece Of pretty picture. The crea-
ton of such characters came a. the ma
tural DEVELOPMENT of MIR. Wilson Barrett's
peculiar genius for he has physical and
mental attributes thoroughly III accord
with the sentiments of those characters.
This new play is full Of the touches or
hand we'll experienced IN stagecratt, and
there is no scene in which the author fails
TO realize what he intended. No modern
play contains moro lovely pictures OF
bvgone civilization, and no modern author
has had his conceptions more richly real
ized than in Pharaoh" MIR. Barretts
research and enterprise have enabled him
TO do what was doubtless his deslre-to
roll aside the mists of antiquity and let us
have one long, gorgeous look at the dusky
splendors of ancient Egypt. The sur,
prise OF the production is the creation or
the part of tho Bat by Mr.. Franklin
McLeay. Physically hldeous. but mental
ly keen and pure end clear, Penn the
Bat is the most interesting and original
character in the play. liz must have ap-
peared thankless task 10 MIR. McLeay TO
ESSAY such part. but he has succeeded
beyond expectation. knowledge OF the
bare plot beforehand brought with 1t q
sense of the danger of this experiment OF
the Bat. for the fragile barrier that keeps
the sublime and the ridiculous apart might
verv easily be broken down. But the Bat
was accepted last night as personality
with a serious potent influence.
In aspect he resembled nothing more
than one Of those cathedral .Rargoyles
! evolved from the quaint fancy OF q med'@-
val architect and no one who witnessed
the play Is likely to forget the curious
bird-hke hop of his movements or the in
tense deciamatory ylgor. which marked
all his utterances. The death of the Bat
IN the last act was an incident as pathetic
as any in the play.
The pertormance will be repeated on
Saturday night for the benefit of the First
Regiment of Cavalry. No admirer of dra-
matte art can afford to miss seeing Dir.
Barrett's great production.