The evening world., 1893-12-05
KING HE Vlll."

Not even Henry Irving, the prince OF
illuminators. and the most pictorial ac-
tor now before the public, can make
Henry VIII an entertaining play.
This Shakesperian drama should never
be acted. 1t should be carefully read for
the sake Of its historical value and its
beauties of language. on the stage 1t is
drcary, tedious, slecp-producing and irri-
tating. Cardinal Wolsey, the central iis-
urc OF the play, Is a nuisance. lie says
many beautiful things. but, as p rule, he
Is foarfully prosy' and the same may be
said Of all his associates. You wait to
hear him daily with the famous Fare
well, a long farewell to all greatness"
but this one effort does not atone for all
Wolsey's WEAKNESS.
Mr.. Irving does his best to make
Henry VIII acceptable. AS a scenic
production Irving has never produced
anything more magnificent In this city.
II casts "Becket" far into the shade.
Such sum~ptuousrcss OF costume, such
artistic extravaganza of detail, and such
eye-delightlng pag aants are rare indeed.
There is a great deal more of picture
than there is of Shakespeare, and Mr..
Irving evidently realizes that the success
of this play must lie in it's setting. 1t is
"A VeIitable panorama OF English history,
and it will give the young idea a superb
idea of how to shoot historically. Every
detail is perfect; the illusion is seldom If
ever disturbed.
Mr.. Irving as Wolsey has the sort OF
part of which he is very fond, and he
invests 1t with that ecclesiastical eerie-
ness that he SO thoroughly understands.
His mannerisms cropped up in full force.
but they did not spoil his work. Per-
haps they added to 1t that stamp of in
dividuality which Is so necessary nova
days as a trademark. 1t was a fine
Interpretation, and there were moments
when the actor seemed to be the living
Cardinal, instead OF the red figure in a
splendid picture. ! saw the part muir
iered nLt so very long ago by an actor
in Nine. Modjeska's company, and, after
that parody, 1rving's dignity and con-
vincing work came as a revelation. The
queen Katharine of Miss Ellen Terry
was AN Uneven piece of work. Miss
Terry was jerky and declamatory. In
the Blackfrlars scene she shot out her
arms and her voice in a peculiarly un-
studied manner. and robbed the situa-
ton Of some of it's effectiveness. Miss
Terry wept. She seemed to be the
one person in the crowded theatre that
felt sorrow for the prosecuted Queen.
Her face was wet with tears t%hroughou
the play-real. Elistening tears-and the
audience, unable to do likewise. mar
vclled. Even when she died, Miss Terry
was declamatcry. Her voice was strong
and her gestures vigorous until she ut
ard hr- ,.r,. Ipa, g,.nn, n-l .-.,
would never have known that she was
expiring If it had not been for the sofa
in the centre of the stage and the loose
white garments that she wore.
William Terriss was exceedingly good
as Henry, and a ca pitTl bit of work was
done by Frank Cooper as the Duke of
buckingham. There was. in fact, no
really weak spot in the cast. The picture
was never robbed of its symmetry. AS for
the production itself, it moved upon
wheels that were absolutely noiseless.
What Il lesson in the art of stage work.
Irving teaches. The scenery was heavy
ana frequently changed. Yet there was
never II hitch. Every change was made
with easy rapllity; every curtain fell
at the proper time. You saw 10 supcrs
walking off with tables and chairs: you
detected no carpenters arranging the
stage; the sound of hammcring was un.
known. and the temporary darkness OF
the stage, when the changes were
effected, was relieved by delightful music
? There were no long waits, no awkward
supers-nothing. in fact, to mar ar
> absolutely filwless production. Henry
VIII" affords but few dramatic op
portunities. yet no lover OF stage art car
afford to miss this performance a
Abbey's Theatre ALAN Dale.