The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-09-05

Time changes and We change with
it. Therefore. after seeing him in The
Bells" last evening we are disposed
to reject the optimistic verdict in regard
to his acting, that a taste for it, like that
of olives must be acquired. The flavor of
the actors work in Matthias commends
itself at once to the intellectual palate.
What he may be in subsequent efforts re-
mains for observation and analysts.
THE BELLS"
Was adapted by the French partners in
literature, Emile Erckmann and Alex
a drama the author of which is unkD own.
This adaptation was in Its turn taken by
Mr.. leopold Lewis and converted in to the
three-act version with which Mr.. Irving
dealt last night and has dealt with since
1871. when lie suggested it to Henry l..
Bateman, manager of the Royal Lyceum
Theater, London, to lift him out of fnan-
cial hole in which the manager had fallen.
The French playwrights were natives of
AlSace and. IS in the case OF the piece un-
der notice, laid the scene of action for
most of their dramatic work in that prov
ince, which up 10 the time of the late
Franco German war, belonged, with Lor-
raine, to the French Government. 1.-The
RantZaus," remarkable play, pr oduced
Some years ago at the old California. is one
of Erckmann-Chatrain's productions, and is
pervaded with a good deal of the light and
shading of the general tone, in fact, that
belongs to their ada Dtaton of THE Bells"
The costumes are Alsatian, and the action
of the piece is confined to the home-like inn
in Alsace where the burgomast-r MA
thias) resides. The period is Decemhe
25-26. 1883.
The piece was cast as follows:
Matthias this original psrt) Mr. Irving
Christian .-....---. --''....'.Mr. william lerriss
Hans Mr. johnson
DR.. thinner. .--......Mr. Harvey
President OF the court................Mr. F. Tyars
CerS of the eourt.....-..- Mr.. Lacy
Mesmerst. Mr.. Archer
CatheTtno.-.....- --..-s-------- MISS MAUD Milton
Sozei MISS Kate Phillips
Five of the PLAYERS on the list-Messrs.
Irving. ferris, Johnson, Archer and Miss
Amy Coleridge-were in the cast Of the
same piece when produced at the Royal
Lyceum on the Goth of November, 1871
twenty-five years ago. Your English
actor is a slayer, and no mistake. Twenty
two years is, in many cases, the ultimate
of an American professionals stage ex-
perience. He is either dead by that time
or has become teacher of el0cutiOn, a
preacher or a stockDroker.
MI. Irving's treatment Of the character
OF Matthias, the prosperous burgomastpr
surrounded by all the circumstances that
make life pleasant, loving wife and
daughter and troops Of friends, while he
himself lives in a sort OF bastile with the
horror and agony of an undivided crime,
was an example of pure, legitimate acting
One could see how this menacing terror
Of discovery weighed upon his mind in the
steps he took to prevent it. There is one
of two lines on which the actor may move
in supporting this extraordinary condition
in a life which was a living lie-one to
show the mind-reading effect of remorse.
in I'd
and the punishment that would fol-
low the knowledge of his crime. Some
analytical critics profess TO find in his
treatment the subtle conditions of the
first; but the trend of the whole drama
shows, In orr opinion, that Matthias, the
murderer, was selfish and had no remOrse
for his crime. He seeks only to protect
himself against the possibilities of discov-
cry and punishment. The marriage of his
daughter Annette with Christian. the
ouartermaster, is urged with this object
Matthias confesses 10 himself that he
is dangerous man in this re-
gard, and with the pride that be-
solve the mystery that shrouds the killing
of the Jew. Therefore, he insists IN the
marriage Of the two, giving dowry of
80. 600 francs as an inducement, because he
will find in Christian a protector, and
furthermore, compels him TO swear on his
honor that he will not leave the village
while he (bis fatheT-in-law) remains alive
This fact establishes the selfishness Of
Matthias, and dismisses the idea that his
mental suffering is caused by remorse for
his crime. In his acting. Mr.. Irving
has some peculiar movements. He
is not studied in his gait; but under the
pressure of the awful strain laid UPON him,
with the jangle of the horrible sleighbells
in his ears, heard by himself alone amid a
merry company, and that tremendous
mental picture of the murdered peddler in
his sleigh amid the swiftly descending
snow at the end of the first act-with such
miseries, reconcile to all but himself. one
does not ia ke much notice of his unp ain Nv