New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-05
HENRY IRVING AND ELLEN TERRY.
BENEDIcK AND BEATRICE


Shakespeare's buoyant and sparkling comedy o.
.Much Ado About Nothing was presented al Abb
fey's Theatre last night, with Henry irving as
Benedick and Ellen Terry rs Beatrice. and with an
efficient cast OF the auXar characters, ana IL VIII
several times be repeated. The public gain in this
revival is uncommon. and no doubt 1t will be appfe-
Gated To see a thoroughly competent mterpreta-
ZION OF Much Ado About Nothing is to see an
ideal picture OF life 10 commune with some OF the
most delightful characters in fiction ana 10 ENJOY
a feast OF luxury color. and music. Sn&kespeaIes
invention was never eXerted with more ViSor or 10
halter uYrDose than when he made BeneGlck and
Beatrice and Dogberry and Nerges, and Irving
treatment Of Bene1icks conquest and Heros VlhGl-
cation is alike potent with clear design ana pfoluse
with artistic beauty. The comedy has been In nv
tng's repertory for than thirteen years ana
he has often presented it before the American
audience The charms Of the production are widely
familiar The scene that Shakespeare designates as
the inside Of church IS a model OF perfection
in stage art and IL would. by Itself insure the sue
cess OF anything. The peculiar strain OF joyous.
careless melody that runs through the play creates
a delicious effect of romantic reverie and dream
Ike Illusion The alterations OF raillery and hu-
NOR produce and sustain p'easuraDie excitement
The pictures are lovely. And the acting is vital
with bril.lancy that captvates the senses and
sa sfes the mind.
Irvlnes fine retcence and qulzzical playfulness in
Benedick. and Miss Terry's hayward impetuosity
and arch and gleefui mischief in Beatrice, long ago
redeemed those characters from the reproach OF
metallic hardness. In the pages OF the poet Bene-
dick and Beatrice bcker and wrange with an ag-
eressive insistence that closely trenches upon as
rerty but in the performance the demure gravity
OF the one and the eXuberant mirth OF the other
turn sarcasm TO banter make r.dcule harmless, and
surfuse the whole tissue OF contention with kindness
and froi!c. The Benedick Of other days,-following
the tradition OF Elston and Charles kembe.-was
martial ostentatious, soDOrOus, demonstratNe
dashne Young fellow, al plumes and bounce nv
ing makes him self-cOn taned character, aithough
radically mlrthful and invests him with the attFl-
butes OF high breeding and fine intellectual re .ose
In the scene OF the challenge his dignity. Therefore
effect superb Miss Terry. as Beatrice, Is al heI
best OF dazzling beauty Except for one grievous
hour when the good and gentle Hero IL so bitterly
roneed by public falsehood the life OF Beatrice u
al happiness There are no shoas OF sorrow on
which that blssfu barque car strand, ana from
Nrs 10 last the performance was one long enchant1
,nent II Is great luxury that has been placed
n'thtn the public reach, by the reviva Of Much
Sdo "a love story without sophistcal sentiment or
morbid analysis: humor without coarseness; charac-
,er - some OF It's mos. piquant phases; ana me
large realities OF human experience mace romantic
an5 deljghtful with poetry and mirth 49,, -.
Among the subsidiary performances that OF
ennato nv Mr. Tyars, DogDerry, by MI Johnson,
d,e 1 I'm pedro bv Mr Cooper. were conspicuous
"a ne resonant delivery OF the friars speeches. Dg
Str Valentine gave much pleasure. MI lIVlii.s
80 Mics Terry were recalled. win enthusiast
nisudits after the church scene ana after the last
cur Tb a. c,st will be read with interest