New-York tribune., 1896-10-04
LONDON DRAMA.
proDI.,oTtoN OF ..CYMBELINE" AT THE
LYCEUM-MISS ELLEN TERRY'S iMo-
CEN-THE COMING SEASON

Sir Henry Irving dedicated the Lyceum inca
ire afresh last night to poetical drama ID! '"e
production of "Cymbeline" before briliiant as
semblage proud of his honorable fame an" ',
umphs abroad, joyous and aHectiona'e !"
coming his return, and responsive " ''
exquisite sensibility with which he was trans
lating that incompatible idyli OF ShaKespea'e'
A first night at the Iyceum invariably has dls-
tinotion Of its own. other theatres nave poPuia'
fayorites whom audiences delight TO greet WIFI
loud acclaim and prolonged applause Pu' OH
Henry Irving and Miss Ellen Terry are not Only
admired and loved for their persohai quai'''es'
but they also honored as the moueih ''a"'e''
Of dramatic art. and their entrance upon the
stage Is the signal for demonstrations oeepei III
tone than are heard elsewhere. There was no
lack NJ warmth and heartiness in the welcome
which they received last night but from 'ie
oneri,p scenes until the curtain fell at half past
~ and Sir Henry Irving returned thanks IN one
~ bis graceful unaffected speeches the audience
scen,ed TO he impressed with the fact that IL WAS
dirnifying itself by expressing approNai VI
rnasterpiece Of stage management IN the P'eSo"
taiion Of poetical drama
Sir Henry Irving does not have much 10 say III
public speech or in private conVersa'io" ""ou'
the plays which he produces. He WORKS out 'he
problc,ns Of Interpretation With his company Ill
prolonged and laborious rehearsal ana ieaNes
critics and audience TO judge of the results WIFI
out providing them with CHARACTERISTIC cue ~
~, own In the course OF "a long interview in
1.-THE Chronicle" published few days ago Oh
hi. art and methods he contented himself with
making a bare reference to "Cymbelne' IN three
lines describing it as a romantic comedy full of
a youthful temperament though written toward
the end of Shakespeare career" So transpar-
he
that no commentary required upon the prin-
c,n,ex Of INTERPRETATION. "Cymbelire as ne
ro.ds the text is a poetcal romance Of early
British history with an Elizabethan setting AS
n 6rama IL lacks consistency and unity and IS
fun OF incongruities. An Italian motive taken
from Boccaccio is Enthusiastically nwrought in the
texture Of legendary English history with the
rich coloring of the imaginative period III "hich
Shakespeare lived. "Cymbene' is peauth"'
dream rather than drama. 1t is VISION lro'''
fairyland in which traditions and legends OF the
Britons and the Romans are ideal'zed WIN all
his staxecraft and marvellous technique, snake
epeare in his later years took delight in renewing
his youth and revelling in dreamland
AN IDYI.L, NOT A MELODRAMA
In the production Of this play Sir Henry Irving
has not attempted either to impart consistency
to an incongruOus plot. or to render rnpossip"'-
ties explicable, to take the characters out OF
ths wonderland Of poetical imagination where
they properly belong. He has provided the id!'
with a beautiful scenic setting which illustrates
the poetical possibilities and resources OF the
niece. but does not convert it into a meodrama.
There are eighteen scenes representing alter
nats}y British and Roman interiors of the first
century with final series of lovely pictures OF
the Welsh mountains and Milford Haven. Mr..
bnsh heen
the arrangement of costumes and interiors OF a
mythical period and the principles upon which
these details have been ordered may he easily
inferred from the methods of execution. His
torical realism could not he attempted because
the ancient BritOns could not be presented In
their nakedness: but 1t is perhaps logical de-
duction from the relics of metal work and wood
carving Of that remote period to assume that they
were not inexpert in those arts II the lavish
,rse made of brass ornaments and metallic arms
he justified as historically accurate. it has pc-
tor1al effect which heightens the beauty and
sentiment Of a poetic romance. More pctur-
esuue battle scenes than those which are flashed
into view in the closing act have rarely been
presented on the stage. They are unique In har-
mouy Of color. and are illumined with steey
e1fn,n,er; yet they are idealized combats-scenic
romances like the poems which Sir Edward
f4rrne-J Jones paints on canvas in his excursions
into wonderland.
The lovely landscape effects Of the Welsh
mountains and forests equally servceable
in Illustrating the tenderness Of Imogen's wifely
devotion the sturdy virtues of Old Belarus. the
chivalry Of Guiderius and Arviragus and the
idylNc beauties Of the romantic story. Con-
su1nmate stage manager and artist as Sir Henry
Irving is he never makes the mistake OF over
laying a play too heavily with scenic effects.
His principle is 10 give to every drama It's appro-
pirate scenic setting. and nothing more.
Sir Henry Irving's study OF lachimo was char
acterized by subtlety rather than power. He
was neither Roman lady-killer nor coarse
minded sensualist. but a mischief loving knight.
who undertook as an intellectual exercise to win
a wager by destroying pure reputation. and
then was haunted with remorse for the sorrow
and wrong which he had caused In the seduc-
ton and bedroom scenes he revealed not the
slightest trace Of passion, but only the intel
lectual pride Of a self-confident gladiator. who
had sought difficult enterprise and was deter
mined to succeed by superior craft and suDtiety
It was a weird, bloodless creature with brain
which hovered about Imogens pillow and made
an inventory of the surroundings and 1t was
yathetic penitent, bowed and broken with self
inflicted torture who made final atonement
when the pleasurable excitement Of the advent
ure had passed. Iachimo was not. perhaps. a
mart that was entirely worthy OF the resources
OF this great actors art and it was the audi
ence's quick perception Of this fact that inspired
the bravos with which the theatre rang when he
announced at the close Of the play that Richard
III would be the next work undertaken by the
Lyceun company; but it was still perform
ance Of great fexibility and intellectual acumen.
MISS TERRY's IMOGEN.
As for Miss Terrys Imogen. 1t was revela-
tion Of witchery. grace. constancy and tender
ness The part was undertaken under disad-
xanfaxes for she had not been able to use her