New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-05
PLAYGOING.
MR.. BEERBOHM TREES FIRST WEEK IN
-yEW-YORK-MR IRVING'S NEW SEA-
SON AT THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
STARS AT THE ALHAMBRA-
MR. E s WILLARD.

London. July &c.
Already the season is near its end, ana one
sign of II is the closing of the theatres The
Iyceum opened its doors Saturday for the last
time this summer The Haymarket closed the
evening before with speech from Mr.. Beerbohm
Tree wherein he told his audience, among other
things more or less new 70 them. that early In
January we shall at last yield to the blandsh-
ments with which America has long dazzed us.
That is no news to you at any rate MI Tree
gave no details to his Haymarket friends con-
tenting himself with assuring them that MS ii'Sl
visit 10 the new country Will be so piiei "S
not to give them time to forge; him In EnSlahu'
Brief II will be- but also varied ana iuIl' MI
Tree seems to wish that New-fork should nave
some adequate notion OF the versatlhtE WHICH -
one OF his most marked and remarKape cna'-
acteris,ics He opens with the "Red Lamp
niece in which ne plays one OF those cha'dr'e'
narts in which he excels. On the following night
..Csptain swift" on the third. "A Bunch OF
yio,ets the success Of the present season al 'he
1Iavoarket a success for him both as actor ana
manager and a very brilliant success for MIS-
Tree who in this play has shown ior lhe H'S'
time her mastery OF one very dniicuit ana ln'e'
esting branch Of dramatic art of when she "du
before given no adequate hint. The next hIsn'
Ibsen's ENEMY Of the People and the baliao-
monger." On Friday. "Fastaff.' and on Sa'ur-
day Hamlet" Such a programme Ior Single
week is sufficient indication Of Mr. Trees con-
fdence in his own powers. by the unie II 10
completed you will to say the least De IN posi-
ton TO make up your minds Tor yourselves IL
specting his powers as an actor.
Mr. Irving's programmes are always 'i'"'''
ing and his new one is no exception 10 'Ne i''0
For one thing. no little curiosity had pee" VA
,,,ad nv the statement which was true. mat ne
had purchased the English acting rights oI W.
sardou's Madame Sans-Gene, In when Mauaie
Retane captivated London and held II cap"Ne
for so many weeks. Mr.. Irving declared o." 7''
urdav thar he is anxious to produce this play.
He has two reasons. First. because II Will
afford a delightful opportunity to Madame
Reiane's gifted fellow-worker, Ellen 1er'S'
Second. BECAUSE he means to play Napoleon MINI
,f Roth these performances of the future
ond Of the. distant future. have already become
tho subject of criticism. Perhaps you VIII re-
,nerber that MIR Clement Scott felt II his duty
70 warn Miss Ellen Terry-not privately pu'
nublicly and in prnt-that she cannot pa!
Madame Sans-Gtne. Mr.. Irving does not 'e'e'
10 Mr.. Scott. but his remark may be taken "S an
answer 10 this new form Of prophetic cf'O'is'"'
AS TO himsef-but l will quote what MT irV"s
says u,,,oo
ayr will also be interesting TO me, in ACCORDANCE
with certain kindly suggestions when nave
received to enter into the physloioslcdi O'h'
acter Of Napoleon by enlargng my s''" anu
curtailing my stature. have little ooup' '""'
q certain regimen, severely practised VIII put '''
the necessary amount Of tissue, ana get NE o'e'
,..r,, terrible difficulties Believe me. these
things shall have my most earnest d''V''
There Won have Mr. Irving in that mood 81
cells. He has too much respect for his art ana
o,so for himself 10 let these somewhat super
e,ous suggestions pass without notice. or 10
rouce them seriously. The kind OF notice ne docs
hestou on them leaves the laugh on his sloe.
Madame Sans-Gene. however, belongs, az
safd n the future. She Is not likely to be heard
In English or to be seen at the Lyceum TINS year
Hand perhaps not even next MI. CoihNhS N"i'
"txing Artbur'' is TO be the next Lyceum produf-
,,on and that will not be till December MI
Henry Abbey is to take over the Lyceum mean
time There has long been a desire 70 near MI
Carr's play which Mr.. Irving now describes d.
founded on the national legend 81 King Ar'hu'
us Ia,ce,ot and Guinevere When We think
who II was in whose hands that lesend 'ooN i''
ana, noetic shape. Mr.. Cars courage seems OF
rare kind. Hen would be the last man 10 cha'-
,o,oa q comparison with Tennyson, the poet.
u-,.h Tannvson. the dramatist he need not
x,,, fran, rivalry To the last, the secrets OF
che stage and Of purely dramatic composition
ond structure remained secrets 10 IehhNsoH' -
Mr. Carr they are familiar He Is both draIhduS1
and manager 1t is fair to expect from MN "
good acting play II IS fair 70 expect alSo
,araon of the legend Of King Arthur which Shal'
have high literary qualities. The pubic "hlc"
h,s short memory. may not remember '"''
Mr. Carr was first of all a man or letters an a.
ooun,ished writer and critic. That ne SUN -
10 is sure TO write well, and sure also mds'h''
10 annly his critical powers to his own "oih'
H. To- 70 have the best aids and coilaborators
IN, available In England Sir Arthur SULLIVAN
f. % COMPOSE the music for the piece. Sir
- p,,rne ZONES has undertaken designs for
tho scenery and costumes rather inier rom
.ho language Of Mr. Irving that the subject IS 70
~ ,reated romanticalv, and perhaps that ii VIII
10 +houpht capable Of spectacular effect 90 not
Lrouv why II should not be. legend IS ieseh'
and the hero OF romance and poetry may u"'''
N land Of romance and OF poetry Inc
sn,endors OF the stage are htunB Ha''o ''' d"
work of pure imagination. or Oh s'o'' "
aonatiyely treated The antiquary anu arC"a'-
oogist are not the highest authorizes il mater
If this kind Sir Edward Rurne Jones hiihSe"
.houph one of the most learned ana accurate %
itch artists IL also one Of the most magma
five He has proved it over ana over as4i" i'1
has proved also his courage lie does "o' req"
hefore the difficulties which confront him WHO at
tennts to fix upon canvas the delicate fahc'es
=, ~ NOE, II is. I suppose. in similar spirit
that he will now deal with the scenery ana COS
tunes Of King Arthur.
How Mr.. Irving and Miss Terry Will approach
such a task It would be rash TO preoic'' Du'
they also have past behind them bo'h nave
shown that the poetic drama Is cohee"i"i ~
them Neither has been wont TO take c"i'''''o'
place view Of the characters when 'hey e'e0'eu
10 present to the public Among the cr'i''a .,
~, have been showered upon this pair the
.h.rg. ~ mosaic treatment Of their subjects. or