New-York tribune., 1893-12-29
THE DRAMA.
HENRY IRVING AND ELLEN TERRY.
TIE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD.

HENRY IRVING AND ELl-fN lEi.i'l
TIE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD.
Last night in Abbey's Theatre, Mr.. Irving ana
Miss Terry represented DR.. Primrose ana oIVIa' III
the excellent play, by Wills. upon that iaVorite
English classic Coldsmths "Nicar of Wakeileid'
Those performances have, on previous occasions
been described and considered in this place ana
therefore they do not require present celebration
on the score of novelty. Since however, they pro-
mote the happiness and welfare of the community
and in that respect eXcmpify the benehceh' n''u-
ence of pure dramatic art. their recurrence Is d"
public benefit. and is entitled to enphaVc feo's"'
! tion. ,,-,
Many ingredients compose the story of Ihe
| y-icar of Wakefield" but the particular theme
| which has been displayed by the dralha"S' - "a,
| melancholy experience of Ohvia-her pet'"sa' ''N
| abandonment by that worst OF criminals Inv
| ducer and her restoration TO peace at Ias'' III 'o
| bo,v refuge Of fathers love. II is one orac" ~
| ,bo eane subject which, in various forms ana WIN
| di0aren, nurDoses the analysts of morDiu so0l'i
| anatomy are forever striving to thrust upon 80"
stage-a woman's piteous misery III t"e H"'' ~
vironment of circumstance that Is rcSu'''i'' '
amatory error. It is one thing. however - We
cuss the ethical aspects Of sexuality' ana Pue al"
| other thing to present-with the cohVo''''"''''
| roorer,ent taste gentleness. tender human l'''-
| ing and the sacred and beautiful spirit oi c'"''
| n representative picture of woman ; IoS''''1
nerience The play Of "Olvia' implies anu 'o,''
| that IL essential TOT any o'9N'NN'
| or IN feel respecting that subJect-'ouci'''s '0
| hoar, annobnc the mind. and enforcing Win II
| ros,e,itla mower the final duty of pity ana Paruo
| tor human frailty and of practical syinpd'h! VIZ"
| human grief Such play means more, 'o' -"
| and achieves more for right. than cou'd oe 49,
| nlished by a whole library OF the 'a'"'e' 80.
| rcal co,,oouies Of Dumas 1bsen Pinero. anu oSO"'
| Wilde. -, ,or done
from the elemental springs of simplicity anu PiS,
I sion At first Olivia is buoyant anu s''.
| ideal of a happy rural beauty. Iheh p'cS,"''y
| becomes absorbed in her blind io'e 'o' '' :,
| o.,o ,ounc Squire Thornhill, and under the sieI
| Of his Observation-Disclosures with many P''N' ,ra
tears-she leaves her parents ana heI MN e.,
,,r,Ivo farewell as accomplished by MISS l'I''' -
ono of the lovelest things ever done on the s'ls'
Then follows the wreck OF happiness .t,,'r
nt oysf sf sr1 and ,he miseFy broken heart
At the climax of her despair coih@s honc1 n wide -
| receiva Inc child 1t IS a wonderful scene As H'
Terry and Mr.. Irving play H. ana II ','c"'S '' co
| ne SIMPLEST expedents Of art ana Nrt WIN @ eo,
| summatc power what divinity thcre lS III W ".''', &
affection and what grandeur alsmI IN ,i o,ry
lis selhshness and yet it, s"-sicrlu''' S'"' % - q.
| by Ellen Terry in olivia . -,
Mr. irving has not endeavored 70 present ~ y,
Primrose as a rustic parson, but has imiafi - M, t
him an aspect of great spiritual refinement. M iaa
Vicar Is quaint. and yet he - nh't.li h't = tf,
noetrv of il Now as heretofore. II delights y',
by certain trenchant strokes Of art III me t,al j.
Ing Of the letter that brings news 81 f2oi @ lo' '' I
| and in the frantic exclamation, III Sle ntI 'I
died. But the perfection # IL - th' rcr
blending swccncss dignity charity. an
image OF venerable virtue. In thG t""iSn' "aSi ~
| ture when the chimes are sounding anu u"
has occnTred the actor surpassed all that Gold
smith could have imagined for i'r. nrlimre,y, a" "
. expressed in one bright instant tle "h''' Si'' "
Mr rvings thrilling hysterical vocalsm, in th
exactng scene wherein the father recalm7., hl
daughter will long be remembered i Is a VocaIiSi
/ peculiar to hin-not mannerlsm but charac,er
ism is a personal attribute pushed 70 arilhce-an
from arce Mr. iTymg Is actSfy but thds
are never carried to excess. and hence they alway
n remain within the limit OF nature. Under great -
! citnmant his rtierance becomes intensely impas
stoned but not according 10 elocutlonary rules an
therein he shows himself, more conyincingly ma
ever 10 be an actor and not an elocuuonist. Il
acting the result should be im2ersonation not i'
truth long and Henry ryins has only ln f2
lowed in the track Of his great ar
one OF C;arricks letters there - sentence remark
r aDN ABLY, srtnr Was goycrned II am Surprised
wrote "tnat | should be thought to regard IN IN
y measure OF verse mjudciOIsly as TO dlsJolh IN
S members Of the sentence when AT my iTst scum
9 out In the business of an ac,or endravoreh , ,o
q | often accused OF neglecting the harmony of IN
versihcatlon, from TOO close rgarT o 40 'n n hr'
e compass is the law which has swayed and mould M
e unntIonai trammeis 1t has been shown In all h
!, nerformances 1t IL conspicuous In his pcriormant
- | ps Tr primrose-an assumption as trnhful an
e ovaited in ideal and natural In execution as an
n | that the stage has known, or any mat urama'
- | art could achieve ,,. . ,,.or,,, scor
- tEnainnd we're carefully and effectively set by N
l. nSndav In the auxiliary cast Mr.. Tcrriss act,
a, | hrnI,aniiv as Young Thornhlll "A part mat
,ndng 70 nerfection and one that he inpcrspha L
w r,,h unerrlne intuition as TO rs hard ana shaio
"A | mi m,nsbnese II was good 10 sec Mr.. Howe again
~ IT, r,s,ic character of Farmer Fi1inDoronSn M
he III te oozer knowing his fine talents ana his mar
~ va, {, may be long indeed before the slaSc Is %
trlye1 OF his ripe Judgment ana co"ScI'"''""' =
n. isRtu' oor,nr was esDccialy noble in deincanor
e. cir Williarn Thornhills rehuke OF the yohhii
- odrr,roW w Miss Coleridge charmingy simple "a Sophl
he aa Craig distinctly clever as the gypsy ia
n aiu u, ~ raci was PLAYED with such thoroISn .
p s ~ secure a total effect of uncommon eNc"ii'i'
I'D This Is the full cast;
Dr. Primrose. 'y,,ii, 1.rris
in ccvi,e Thornhil. Nlihh.'
purchei. -
to Farmer marlborough ~
|
ie- marlborough .''',
" Nli'i
ANY
al, Siria MISS iIl"h l'''
an |
DID DEATH OF FRANKLIN IT, DELANO
all ouncement Of the death Of Franklin