The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-15
SULLIVAN MAKES A HIT.
"fHf cHTEtyaTNv ADDS fNOTHER
LAUREL ToHIs WREATH or FAME.
what Sothcrn Says About "rhc Prisoner
OF zenda" sir Henry Irving Ar
riNeS In This Sounsr, Notes.


limo on Monday night. at Abhcy's The
atre. by Mr.. Francis Wilson and ms
most excellent company. New York, the
critical, has said 10 was success and
has received the piece warmly. even. /
may say, generously. consequently two
THINKS have been developed. nemoly. that
Sir Arthur. despite the fact that Ny. Gill
bert did not have his finger I'm the pie.
IS by Ions odds tho leading composer OF
icht opera music. The other fact set
Ties forever the moctel question as TO
Mr.. WILSON'S ability TO please IN comic
opera OF English production
The herald. m commenting on the
opera, Says.
"A trillc light as air. but a very de-
liehum comic opera Tor all that. IS "rhc
entertain IN which AIR. Francis Wilson
ana ms company we're seen at Abbeys
Theatre Monday evening
Musieally. indeed. the new work Was
so Tar above anything that has recently
been heard here I'm tho same genre That
the clacque stood anashed and didn't
know when 10 applaud.
'~ Inc text book. too. seemed TO puzzle
re ciamorous fraternity. At times. IN
uect- b. quite disconnected them. There
were no Amazonian marches, no vocifer-
Gus ensembles. no local illusions, no fine
scenery. no topical song". no gags of any
dnd-barrng those which the star apol-
ogeucally pr0vilod-in short. none of the
conventional features which give TO the
professional noise maker the cue Tor
applause
More numbers than ! can Well rencm-
Der had TO hc repcated-hut il was the
man who liked the music for its own
ssae who insisted ON the repetition, not
The person who wanted 10 make Alr. VII
sons new venture "a CO.,
All this Is as remarkable as il Is salts
lying and promising. For just think
.ow long 81 is since wc have had comic
opera that is really "clean"-a word
that Is constantly used by people when
speaking or writing Of comedy or drama,
i'Ut which seems never TO occur 10 them
In conjunction with comic opera. Yet
there is such a thing as cleanliness in
comic opera score and IL is this quality
above all others that distinguishes Sir
Arthur's work from the nat1e article
We have not only tolerated, but admired
here the last few years.
The music throughout is what the mu-
sic Of comic opera should be-. IL IS dainty
melodious vivacious. humorous. and al
ways we'll scored. The writer initiates
in a eatircal manner the composers or
grand opera, but he never emulates them
as do our own compilcrs of light opera.
Aud the subject being a Spanish one.
just think what temptations there were
10 out-Bizct. sullivan. however, IS guided
always by an erring taste and tact, and
only now and again do his measures
remotely suggest TO YOU the music of
the composer of Carmen"
As for Mr.. Bunand's librctto. 1t would
be idle 10 maintain that 10 is strikingly
original or tina, il narrates a tale OF un-
usual interest Yet the story is not with
out humor and some of the lyrics are
more than mere jingle having, indeed,
the genuine ring Of song.
For the first time in his career Mr..
Wilson attempted TO get away from him.
self and 10 branch out as a character
actor. IL was not a great characterize
ton, but IL was at least an artistic ci-
fort. His Peter Adolphus Grigg was.
10 be sure a trifie more suggestive OF
Petucoat lane than OF Plcadilly. Let us
be thankful for small mercics, however.
This tourist Is an Engishman. and Mt
Wilson. merging his identity. tried AT
times 10 portray an Englishman. This
IS much from an actor whose humor has
hitherto displayed itself solely through
The medium of acrODatics.
OF course Mr.. Wilson did not enter
upon the scene; he again fell upon the
audience. as he usually does. Nor could
DE repress that familiar hyena laugh
which was always considered delicious.
As whole. however. he is a much bet
ter actor I'm "The Chioftain" than in any
thing l have seen him attempt
Just nj present the "Prisonei Of Zen
da" Is the talk of the metropolis, and Mr..
Rose. its dramatizer, is coming in for
his share Of praise. The Herald gives
the following very concise criticism on
Mr. Roses work;
For the next few years Mr.. Edward
Rose will be something Of power III Tue
dramatic world his drap atzation OF
"rhe Prisoner of Zenda" is clearly DEM
onstratng that he IS as familiar with
the requirements Of the stage as he IS
with the tastes Of he public.
such a combination of talent and sa-
racity no manager can resist and, as
every sensational novel IS ntw likely 10
md its way TO the stage sooner or later
% is more than probable that Mr.. Rose
will, 10y common consent be appointed
dramatist laureate 90 America.
Whether Nr. Rose will achieve the same
success with other works OF fiction re-
mains 20 be seen. for / am inclined 10
think that Mr.. Anthony Hope is at least
g. much responsible Tor this dramatic
version Of 1.-THE Prisoner of Zena' as
Mr.. Rose himself
| wonder who it was suggested. for in
stance the tragic prologue which
strengthened the whole play I'll IL took
on the dignity OF a drama Of heredity.
II IL was Mr.. Roses idea then we
might as well admit at once that he Is
born playwright
But you win find IN the opening chap
ter OF Hopes romance so many sly al
lusi0us 10 that Lady Rasseudyl, who IN
the dim past had loved. not wisely, but
too wen. an heir apparent 10 the throne
II Rurtania. that 1 should not be at
an surprised N the authors original
heme had embraced an Introductory
napier resembling in NEST points the
Prologue that was followed with such
lose interest at the Lyccum Theatre
ile ether night.
For the rest 1t may be said that no
look has been so deXterously transplant
cd 10 the stage as this OF The Prisoner
On. Icnda."
- ~ YOU admire the book you VIII surely
Lte the play, and vice versa.
Not everybody feels at home in Mr.
Hopes Ruritania. / know, for IL Is a
land Of the widest adventure. OF blood
shed without end and OF love and chiv-
olfy such as belong TO the medieval
period. not our own.
fortunately. Mr.. Roses work Is as re-
i-iafkeole for taste as IL IS for ingenuity.
The duels. the gore the clashing OF
arms. The drawbridgcs. the natatorial
miracles. the flghtful leaps into the
mOdt the hairhlsadth cscapes-uearly