The evening world., 1893-11-09
Beckett

IlOTt IMAM an OCCASION. III Was several
Of EN-. Don't pretend to be ignorant OF
that to which / am referring; l allude
to the triple event Of yesterday, all poll
tics barred out. and that was the open
ing Of Abbey's new theatre Mt Thirty
eighth street and Broadway, the appear
arce OF Henry Irving and Ellen Terry.
and the production OF the late Lord Ten
nyson's tragedy. Beckett" II Is not
every day that a theatre in New York
is opened-though there would be a new
one twice "A day II managers kept their
promises. II has been five years since
Mr.. Irving and Miss Terry displayed
their ripe and revfrent art In this
"tuherosity Of civilized life and we
had never before seen "Becket." Tn
drrsiand. therefore. the Importance OF
all this. II YOU were not there. for good
ness sake say that you were. 1t will be
IL little white fib. but appearances must
be kept up. and really, you know, 1t
was your duty to be present.
Abbey's theatre Is a dainty affair in
cream.white and gold and sage green
the kim OF green that starts In by being
non-Drilliant. 80 hat 1t cannot fade. 1t
Is as modern as the most new-fangled
advocate could wish 1t to be. II scintil-
lates with a sort of opalcscent cleo
trlcity; 1t is archy. solid and cooling to
the eye. The carpets are sage green;
Tn" ~hangings are sage green: the chairs
ar" covered with sage green rep. Plush
the vague delight or the shoddy one
Is eschcwed. There is nothing ostenta-
tious about Ahbey's. II Is as f~ragrantly
aesthetic In Its way as the lovely little
terra-cotta Emplrc-and that IL saying
Il good deal. Some of the modern thea
tres are 80 loud with color that you can
hear their tints long before you see
them. Not so with Abbey's. one would
think that Mrs. Abbey. whose charming
appearance IL generally n lesson to the
notsiiy CARRIED folks in a New York au-
dienCe, had attended to the decorations
of the new house.
Folks got there early last night TO
look al the theatre before the play be-
gan. Huge chrysanthemums freighted
with meek little boys rushed around
looking at this and that. and silken
danes rustled-or frou-froued. II they
prefer Through the corridors. 1t was
very pleasant. You felt glad to be there.
You knew hat you were in It, and that
knowledge IL always agreeable.
irving was FIRST discovered playing
chess with King Henry II. OF England
in a Normandy castle. There he sat
severely clad in the garbs OF the prelate.
looking highly ecclesiastical, and a trifle
pleased. or course the audience, not
yet realizing the Solemnity Of the play,
and filled with thoughts of sage green
and electric light, and newness, wanted
Beckett 10 get up and perhaps make a
speech. They ]appluuded him as he sat
Guessing It, with the dawn Of a tragedy
apparent in his makeup. MIR. Irving
did not mar the beauty of his surround
ings by leaving the game and telling the
dear Americans how much he loved
them. He bowed with tenth century
statcliness, and although you detected
at the corners of his lips an expression
that seemed to say, Il like this noise,
although ! am Beckett. Don mind me-"
h" Kept to his picture. TIE same when
lovely, G~iaphanOus Ellen Terry entered
crying, Save me, father, hide me-" The
audience would have loved her to forget
RosGmund and remember them. She
declined to do It. Not a smile OF recog-
milton illumined her face. She was fair
RosamuId. and she was indeed exceed
ing fair.
Beckett" Is IN four acts and a pro-
logue. These are divided into thirteen
magnificent scenes. which seemed a trife
too much. The perpetual changes spoil
ed the MIND for the late Lord Tennyson.
and for Irving and Terry. lnstinctively
you though, of carpenters. and marvelled
at the wonderful smoothness with which
these scenic changes were managed.
I,yl 'gapryeNN'y ,1a,. to eariay 80
beautifully written episodes in the life
II the murdered Archbishop Of Cantcr-
bury. 1t speaks eloQuently OF the IA
nous struggle between the Church and
state. and teaches a lesson in history
that is Of infinite value. AS a work,
dealing with what We call human in
~terest,' and the creature emotions, 1t
is lacking in charm, and as a coherent
drama, telling a story in the way thea
tre-goers wish to hear a story told, IT
is also wanting In effect. Yet 1t gives
a superb picture of Thomas a Beckett.
1t shows US the prelate, once
a luxurious and l~ise-loving fellow.
r in the role OF the man OF re-
ligion, wrapped In the cloak OF severity,
, and zealously fighting for the rights OF
: the Church. We see the birth OF his
martyrdom, and the effort that II cost
b, aim 10 turn from Henry. whom he had
: loved In the old days. The chlvalrous
side or his character IS exquisitely
shown In his tende care for Rosamund
J., and In his very un-prelate-like efforts
= to shield her from her pursuers.
The play is mainly eccliestical. al
= though the love story OF Henry anG
l Rosamund Is very prettily told. and the
vengeance OF the naughty Eleanor
I forms a somewhat melo-dramat!c sol
: for the lovers OF the theatrical. The
episodes in Beckett" are not tightly
= drawn together. They are separate, a!
l It we're, and introduced by the scenic
4 effects. The pretty scene with fail
Rosamund and her little son charmed
the audience, and the final scene o.
' Bcckct's persecution awoke all thu
. sympathy that Lord Tennyson coulC
e have desired. The assassination or th'
q steps of the altar of Canterbury Cattle