New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-19

ote. rave way to the comic. Perhaps II In not In
mortal man to enact the combat with the rustics
and the assault upon the pump without being
vanouished BY the absurdties Of the situation
Mr.. Irvings struggle was gallant one. The re-
sources Of a great actor were invoked. but invoked
IN vain. The spectators laughed when they
should have wept. The immense pathos OF the
scenes was buried under the strange exterior ana
lost In the hustle Of Incidents which, though not
meant to be treated In the spirit OF the grotesque
ended by being grotesque. To the iast Mr.
Irving had fine moments. But the auo'-
ence grew tired OF the aimless gymnastics
OF his associates long before the end ana the
,umb,,ne and the shouting Of the mob about him
had 40 distracted their attention that his authori-
~ was lost. and the effect was lost and the cur
tain went down upon perplexed and weary COM
many of people who had a real desire to be Inter-
ested but could not find their way 10 the ''e"'"s
of either author or actor.
r,,s 10 one of those rare cases where a dramatic
,mnersonaton Of very high quality falls OF Its due
enfect. partly because the author has given the
actor no fair chance: partly because the actor has
attempted what is after all. beyond the range
Of dramatic art save under conditions wnich ala
not exist for Mr. Irving. Yet imagine none OF
lie would have been content to miss H. ana none
Of MS will ever forget the Knight OF the Sorrowrui
Countenance as he trod the Lyceum stage.
Very different is the account to be given OF MT
Irvlng's Corporal Brewster In Or. conan Doyie
STORY Of Waterloo" There the author has pro-
yded the actor with precisely what ne wants LOT
representation 1t might be said that the part
has been written to Mr.. 1rvngs measure. were IL
not 81 unlike what he has done before. The "wf''-
,o, 90 measure" is an afterthought. sprngng
from the perfection of the embodiment 1t has
been called a study OF senility. 1t Is that ana
,o, moro The straggler as Brewster patheti-
callv calls himself is ninety years old or there
ohort He was in the Third Guards. now the
Scots Guards. and at Waterloo; and distinguished
himself by bringing powder wagons to his hard
besct comrades at Hougoumont through a hedge
of blazing fire.
The merit Of Mr.. Irving's representation-what
senarates IL from other like efforts. is that ne II
not merely an old man. but the old soldier NOT
, noint Is missed not mistake Is made never
false note struck. There Is no anectation OF the
heroic: Brewster was just common soldier VINO
had II in him to do a great deed. and Is proud OF
d, Inn, never poses Irving makes him perfectly
slmnle and natural He DISCUSSES none OF his
weaknesses. His mind is on his tobacco. his soup.
his pareroric his basin of tea. and other such
creature comforts. His make up Is a study moth
inc exaggerated there either. and no erect lost
To 70 through the performance In detail. to de-
scribe MIR 1rvlngs method and procedure In TINS
single part would be to deliver lesson on the
art OF acting You will see him In 1t next autumn
and refrain Each of you can then do h's lesson
for himself
rut the three great effects TO note. the "clous
Of the fact are all finely military; the old soldier
coming out through the disguise and weakness
of age When he marks time to the music OF the
parsng rcgimental band. his sudden salute. erect
when his visitor tells him he II Colonel OF tho
Scots Guards: his final death cry AZ he dreams Tor
tho last time that he liz again with the GUARDS
nj Uougoumont-thcge are examples OF the fnest
art known to the modern English stage the
pathos OF the whole is beyond description. IL IL
literally true that men and women wept M the
play went on and that many who had held them
selves together while II lasted burst into tears NJ
the end or course the acting IL realistic. but II
IL a piece Of imaginative realism. Of restraint. or
purity Of style Of perfect distinction. fuch AZ make
Il altogether slight as the sketch IL In Itself. one
OF the most admirable Of Mr.. Irv!ngs many crea-
lions. " W. D.