New-York tribune., 1895-12-12
THE DRAMA.
HENRY IRVING AND ELLEN TERRY.
THREE NEW PLAYS

80, previously been shown In this capltal-Don
orixoe and Corporal Brewster The former is
,se central figure in scenes constructed by the
,.,a W. G. Wills, out OF materials drawn from the
,mu,ortal romance OF Cervantes. The latter is the
hero Of a single scene. by Conan Doyle Ellen
rsrrv also presented embodiment before un-
,rown to the local audience,-Lady Souplre in a
s,,ne adapted from a French original by Mrs
-ralsie the writer who calls herself John Oliver
uobbes entitled Journeys End In Lovers Meeting
The performance was one OF exceptional briiliancy
AMI interest and il was greatly enjoyed by one OF
the most distinguished assemblies or the season
I, Is only a glimpse of Don Qulxote that Henry
Irving has given, but It will always be remem-
bered. A complete pay upon the novel OF Ger
vantesf. indeed, il were possible to extract any
thing essentially dramatic out of the knights per-
sonal story-would necessarily be vltiated by mo-
rotony and fantasy. A sketch was practicable
and iha; has been provided Don Quixote is
shown as the half-orazed dreamer by his freslde
xrh "a world OF disorderly notions picked out
a, his books, crowded into his Imagination" and
$50 in the act of keeping his nightly vigil watch
,ns his armor. In the yard of the inn All persons
who by nature are votares OF the ideal are more
or less touched with the fine madness OF Don
ou,xote Henry Irving. whose whole lie has been
rsssed in It's service entered into that personality
With the insight OF genius and gave TO It en-
hojirnent of noble and pathetic truth. The
,al attributes OF Don Quixote sincerity dig
nity ana cniNaifN, IN Saunt ana naSgafd ola
man. ravaged with .ncip.ent madness That char
scter was perfectly expressed but more in picture
than in action. Guarding his armor in the moon
light and patiently inconsiderate Of the jeers of
the peasantry, the knight was never once lud.-
orous-never for one, instant less than pathetic
image o. ruined greatness No better eXemplhca-
,,,n could possibly be given OF the inherent au-
thorty OF character ana 'he reposei"i power u III
telectual art
The scene called Journeys End" hovers about the
coarse and hackneyed subject OF amatory intrigue.
lady Soupre being irrationally discontented, and
beinc impelled more by vanity than by principle or
H,eling. enters upon Irritation with an admrer.
Thai Irritation is the Journey" situation en-
sues in which the lady's imprudent conduct seems
likely to be observed by her husband The admirer
becomes demOnstratve. and upon the approach of
her husband the lady conceais him in a library.
The husband wishes TO obtain a certain book which
is in the ROOM and. being detained by the dis
rnaved and anxious wife, he declares that he could
find II there even though he were blindfoded. The
wife eagerly and with assumed gayety. takes him
al his word and insists that = bandage shan be
Rs scsd n, sscceeds The hooawnted busband prov
that his sense OF locality is conslderabl better than
nnseen NM The LADY has been badly fr.ghtened Bat
1t is lntimated that she has learned a salutary les
son. and that she will not again play with edged
ioos This ,rie requires but litt.e comment The
character OF Lady SOupire is ignoble and the action
ceed.ne would be contemptlbe and no self-respect-
ing woman could be capable OF IT, Deception Is not
who resorts to il is no; the less culpable be-
c.us not exposed The piece contains no'hing
aside from its eXemplircat ton Of womans adroit-
ness IA practising deceit. The lady is doing wrong
she Knows IT, anu she has the grace to be ashamed
Of L; she pereeives that exposure OF her venia
fault is imminent and in order 10 save herself
recourse to an ingenious trick She then takes her
place. inwardly contrite and Outwardly afectionate
Journeys end in lovers meeting" Ellen Terry
was beautiful TO and melodous to hear and she
fnching the severe test Of soiiloquy; but it is a
condescension for her 10 act such part at all
the maintenance Of self-command at high tension
OF nervous excitement and the display Of painful
and dread,-through the mask Of
Henry Irving has embodied far greater parts than
Corporal Brewster. but ne has never shown himself
10 be more profoundly and truly an actor than in
the survivor Of Waeroo who ' tells the story Of his
neroc exploit n that battle. and dies with valor's
nave said, is Conan Doyle's sketch called "A strag:
Sier a,r OF 10: slightly atered SO mat instead Of
domestic drama Irving added Corporal Brewster
70 hls rspertory In the autumn Of 1884 acting It
sFolncins Il In edinburgh on october q and in
bOh of of dsmae bower The peee Ss' is sher nd
the representation is brief. but the effect is ex-
Irving presents an old soldier in hts last hours
displaying simple character and picturesque
ohy sicai cor:ition Corporal Brewster has been ali
hat soldi?c should be,-s;mpe, brave, firm. cheer
he has been a strong man. and has shown his cour-
age ard prowess in moments Of deadly peril. He is
n mind and body That condition OF senllity irving
assumes The figure is attenuated, the face cadav-
feeble; yet the force of the veteran sufces
10 sustain him until. in reaction from strong excite
ment. he suddenly sinks and expires Under cir
cums'ances that are comparatively barren for the
ncident,Hthe actor fairly Wrings the hearts Of
mis- auditors, by showing the authentic tragedy OF
position Of what can be accomplished with the ac-
tor art, when the actor is man or genius. lrv-
formance. taken singiy. would be sufficient an
swer to a. those exigent censors who declare him
achievement is one Of simplicity which never be-
comes insipd, and II is remarkable equally for
great knowledge OF human nature, vivid character
zation. VARIETY OF expressive art, and splendid
icult condition and OF monoogue. that might
-eadly be made lndicrous.
Waterloo, and 1t is made known that when the
iuards, in the course Of that battle. once in
of driving n'ea hroagh tine
nemy's fire, and thus Of relieving his comrades in
Msa ET it a y afEa he sDds o
nd his exploit that the old s9ldier is thro%n into
iupor, hs momentary rally. and his death. Three
IN succession have eer sPeeech nd Win IN
I the battie-an impa ssoned Bit Of narrative ilus-
rated BY reference to the msdicine-bottlea and
ornaments in his humble lodging. In
ys ana mS0 few 19e c6ns
ears. But other touches were even finer. The sud
en- rising OF the veteran, to endeavor 10 give the
equation military salute. upon the mention of the
olonel of the Guards. the reference 10 Armaged-
on.-at which celestial conflict the Guards 10
e present and the Duke will have a word TO say"
the perception of the sunshine, which tells OF the
ories that 10 come. the inc dent OF the broken
!pe and the impetuous frenzied ecstasy OF the cry
hat precedes death.-all were wonderfully fine Only
n actor Of consummate skill and authority could
old his audience Irving did. when the poor old
reature having broken his clay pipe. suddenly
urst into tears and bewails his loss az child
night weep over crushed toy. The instant transit
ion 10 gladness at sight Of a new pipe. OF brer-
sOod the gift OF a caer-was likewise wonderful
its effect upon the feelings because or its pitable
ruth. AT the close the old man has sunk into a
iupor but from that ne awakens. ana. becoming
rect and splendid for one brief instant the spr-
'ual tion of all that once he has been,-he
ends forth the same shriil cry with which he
aved FIRE and death at Waterloo ana falls back
cad. Irving at that climax was superb. -,
The performance OF Corporal Brewster is an add-
ional revelation Of Irvings versatility, and IT is