New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-05
MR.. IRVINGS "BECKET"
SKETCH OF LORD TENNYSON'S DRAMA.
TO BE SEEN HERE FOR THE FIRST lime '

TO BE SEEN HERE FOR THE fihSi i'
wEEK-MR ABBEYs NEW THEATRE
Harry Irvinrs temperance in New-York AT Ao-
bev's Theatre on Wednesday evening, VIII "
warmly welcomed by many OF his ADMIRERS VIZ
have long waited for opportunity to see h'ih
,, Tho NAV in which he will first appear ~
also full OF interest as 1t Is Lord ie''',' so
..,,acLo, which has not before been played mere
The subject of the play is the struggle between
Rcclet and King Henry ii. Through IL runs is ,
the story Of Rosamund The prologue oes'hS VIZ,
a scene between Eleanor. the consort OF mem -u
Sir Reginald Ftz Urse. The queen n''n' 70 49, NV,
against Rosamund de Clifford. who pehe'eS "e,
a,f married TO Henry She taunts Fitz Crse with
tine failure of his own suit to Rosamund anu "ei e'
bids hin, and his fellow-knights VINO shareu "''
i-fortune in the girls favor to pun he' uo".'
among them This colloquy is held in castle IL,
Norr,.pdv and In the succeeding scene Henry ana
Beckett are at chess on the battiements' n.,
10 having little heed to his game. His talk Is vi
the approaching death of Theobald Of Canterbury
and of the corruption and arrogance OF '"e OIe ''
which be threatens to put down by the royal Gus
toms Of the realm Henry loses the game anu
L,cks over the chessboard. He cannot play De-
cause his fancy Is with Rosamund AL TINS ''ie
pacpet &c merely a deacon Of the Church thoush
the Kings chief adviser. but Henry Is oeh' Oh
binding him to the throne by closer lie VI sfau-
,ude The King reveals to him the secret OF Rosa
munds Bower. hands him the chart win .he
blood-red line" which leads through the iao!
rjnth makes him swear to conduct the girl saieiy
to England and then offers him the Archoishoer'c
of Canterbury Beckett has at once an augury
that this preferment bodies Ill TO his attachmeft
to his sovereign. and he is seeking 10 turn iie''
from the scheme when Eleanor enters her eye
lighting on the chart Of Rosamunds hiding place
Then comes the news that Archbishop Theobald is
dead.
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE oPENINI SCENE.
&c I'm
house in London Beckett has become Archbishop
and the spirit of the Church Militant has flled MS
soul Suddenly Rosamund bursts III, pursued ny
Fitz Urse who appears just as she Slips lh'o inc
next room The knight attempts TO follow ner' pu'
is prevented by Beckett. He retires and Becket
give. Rosamund to the care OF his friend Heroer'
of BOSNIAN The second scene Of this act Is
street in Northampton in which the retainers OF
Eleanor and those of Beckett have come 10 pows'
owing to the report spread by Fltz Irse tha'
woman is secreted in the Archbishops mouse. An
angry dispute follows between BecKet anu 'he
Queen. who. however. tries little FEMININE arp
lomacy by offering to side with the Church in the
quarrel with the King If Beckett Will disclose the
secret of Rosamund's Bower. There Is a gathering
of the barons in the hall of Northampton Castle
where ISecket is required 10 subscribe TO those
royal customs of which Henry spoke on the
battlements N Normandy. and which assert the
Kings jurisdiction the clergy. Beckett Is full
of the obstinate fervor which Is hurrying MIN 10
ruin He is confronted not only by the barons but
also by his enemies among the bishops, notably
Roger of York. while his own friends dreading the
consequences of his resistance to the King, urge
him to yield. Beckett maintains a resolute front
Then he wavers and signs the customs" but re-
covering his courage. refuses to afx his SEAL and
haughtily withuraws. The King enters and breaks
into a violent passion. Canterbury and YORK en-
imminent danger that Becket's life will be sacrificed
then and there by the knights OF the royal house
hold. when a herald from Henry restores order.
HENRY AND RosAMUND IN THE BOWER.
In the second act Henry and Rosamund in
the bower. She pleads with him for Beckett, who
has been exiled to France. When Henry Is gone
she learns from her waiting-m maid that Eleanor
is Queen of England. The third act begins In
France where a partial reconciliation Is effected
between Beckett and the King. In the next scene
Eleanor finds her way with Fiz Urse into the
bower She heaps insults Rosamund. and offers
her the choice of death by poison or by the dag
ger with the alternative of giving herself to Ftz
Urse. The dagger il about to be used when
Beckett enters end stays her hand The fourth act
the Archbishop has carried Rosamund to nun
@ The s0q knights T Of nS De- MsTHa
draw their swords and set out on their GRAND of
With Hsnry for Beeke peads with Becket
Becfet iss full e Of
| The aveEgins knights enter and gaze at him. He
meets them with proud defiance. They rush out
and proceed to arm themselves in the garden. but
Beckett. needless of the rising terror of the monks
passes calmly into the cathedral to celebrate the
office Of vespers Hasty counsels OF flight rejected
by the undaunted Archbishop. and though most of
his attendants desert him. he faces his murderers
the steps of the choir. R,sainund knees beside the
body Of the prelate who amidst all the vicssi-
tudes Of his stormy life. had preserved tender
pity for unhappy woman.
The new theatre Will also form a little OF the
attraction for few nights at least There is
doubt that the house Will be of the hand
soonest In the city. though the outside gives little
promise of IT, 1t occupies lot SO by 10i feet the
northeast corner of Broadway and Thrty-eghth-
1t is SIX stories high. and the exterior is plain
| to the verge of severity. Inside II is different
The house will hold 1900 people. The arrange
ments for safety against fire complete and
perfect. There abundant exits and Microscopes
and the building is, of course, rcproof according
| it has every known modern Improvement and many
effects will be to produce it which are
impossible difficult larger stages.
| There two balconies and ten boxes five on
each side of the stage. The box and balcony fronts
Of rich and handsome hammered metal. with
the effect of bronze The ornamen ton Is I'm light
| coors and extremely handsome The lobby Is
| small. but is lavishy decorated with tapestry
| effects. over the door opening into the audi
| forum Is small balcony. A small part OF the
front OF the building Will be used for stores
FOR MAYOR or BOSTON.