The morning times., 1896-04-11
REVIVAL "HENRY ""
Splendid Production of the Historical
Play nv the Tabers.


Play ny the Tabers.
Last night the Tabers, fair Julia Marlowe
and excellent Robert, in the nightly change
Of pIay put upon the stage or the New
National TheateT Shakespeares historical
drama, King Henry w." large au-
deucc shared in the pleasures, but no larger
than the deserts or 80 compete pfoddc-
ton OF a play of such elaborate demand
deserves ana NO more reInunerdtlvc thiiIl Is
the portion in justice or the projectors or
so artisticaIly worthy an Undertaking.
BY the measure of endeayof NO praise Is
too nearly or ruIs ONE for the dramatic feast
of last evening. Had the production come
with enciIanI mcnt or distance ana the trade
mark OF fureignisn upon 1t, instead or be-
ing the offspring OF native talent, II would
doubtless receive more significant dpilrecld-
ton
King Henry W. is, as are the other his
torical plays OF Shakespeare, rarely given
Frederick Warde and Louis James, IN the
course OF their partnership, divided Hot
spurs and FaIstarf-s lfonors between them,
but Washington was not given a sight or
their production. Not IN fourteen years
before has this play been given IN the CHpI-
tai. Then George Kignold was the tat
knight. Rignold is now III Australia ana
the memory of this achievement II fauliiS-
or the drarnatic phase or last night
performance. IL is not easy to speak with
large enthusiasm, for enthusiasm Is be-
gotten or interest, ana interest iS besoIteh
of more coherent and natural scenes than
mark the acts OF Henry w. In all else
IL was a supreme satisfaction. The PIC
lures were works OF art and is correct
historically and heraldically as the eyl-
IDENTIFY long. patient, aud intelligent study
OF the producers could make them. The
same perfection or Hiinutiae that dIstln-
glIishcs the Irving productions was con
spicuous; the correctness OF sword hilt.
the emblaSGre of coat OF arms, the
architecture OF a room, the style or the
furniture, the light through an open ease,
ment. the texture of the garments Added
TO this was the artistic harmony OF color,
and the originality or color schemes, and
the lavish richness of everything tnat
might be made reasonably perfect
The stage management displayed an art
not less in the pleasing pictures the shifting
player struck with each new turn y IL In
all 1t was the right appreciation OF values
and their appiica tion artiStically that
made really memorable last nights pro-
duction. 1t is more praisewOrthy as
production than as performance. -.
Julia Mariowe-Taber submerged herself
in Prince Hal, and Prince Hal IN the as
stimiug OF him. She lacked the yirHity
even for IL boyish lord, her personality
did not at any time suggest the charst cter
the imagination takes from the text Hal
was by instinct attracted to THE vile
participa ion OF the Boar's Head" OF his
own volition lie chose his outlaw eoHl-
panious and hence must have found con
geniality with them. There was about him
Il love OF Diischief, "A scoru or etiquette, u
roughish deyiitry that found esresS in his
prankS on old FaStaff, withal noble
nedrtedneSs and submerged vlrihty which
spoke truthfu.ly when his father, the king,
called for his services and took action
when he slew HotSpaF on the field OF bait lie.
None OF these were Mrs Taber. She
did not deceive the eye or the imagiuat ion
| for moment. Always picture of grace
and beauty, she was "a maSquerader and
seemed not in fact to relish tue role.
Though in helatter scenes she took riFfneF
grasp She was IiStlesS at first, which
contrasted lily with The fine dramatic scene
between the king. Hotspur AMI the courtiers
| which preceded.
artificial. Mr. Taber acted IT and man
aged it into "a stirring bit OF actualism
| tnat is rarely given u Silakespearean scene.
His HotSpnr was little at fault and through
| out very earnest and creditable. His first
| scene was the best and the later ones
gave only the passion without the power
thereof. Credit is given him on the bill
| for stage direction, and too much cannot
| be said III praise of his admirable work.
| From first To last, in ensemble in detail
| III color, in notion, in music, in ali, he
| presented a relatively perfect work.
| But upon the crimson brow OF Jack
| Falstaff reposed the laurels of the evening.
| The nfendactous knight is Il more pleasing
| side of this character than the sensual
| yuigarian. 1t is compromising to laugh
! at the gross amour for the Windsor Wives,
| but one may smile in perfect compla cency
| and more sincerely a the sweet creature
| of bombast y Prince Hal describes him, the
! bOaster, bra gSart and perfect coward who
| preferred life and sack to honor and death.
| There Is infinite variety to the honor of
| this FalStaff, and Mr. William Owen did
| himself proud and the role justice in his
characterization. He may have seemed a
| trifie superfine, because he has heretofore
| been pictured super-gross, but in its en-
| tirety, it was splendid portraiture.
Edmund Lawrence as POinS, Mrs. Sol
| Smith as Dame Q uickly, Edwin Howard as
| Francis, aud Dodson Mitchell as Rardolph
/ were all picture Squcly -Shakespearean in
| makeup and acting. Henry Merideth was
| a distinctly aggressive King Henry Iy,
l A ~ 1aH 2fr {',lt
| and Frederic Murphy good Westmore-
| land Eugenia Woodward graced one
| short scene with her graceful manner OF
| reading the poets lines.
/ The TaberS deserve well of p1ay-gOers,
| for their Conscientious excursion into an
| unremunerativc but prohfically artistic
/ field. Such efforts as the Henry W.
| production VIII teach US confidence in our
| own actors and managers and make us
| more appreeiative and perhaps more re-
| sponsiye to their claim for substantial
recognition and no distinctions.
| This afternoon The Lady of Lyons
/ will be pla yesi and this evening the engage
| ment closes with production of Twelfth
/ Night.
'.yvtl1iam TelP' Well Sung
| at Aliens Grand Opera House last night
| the bill was changed by Herr Hinrichs' com
/ pany to ROssini's ia miiiar and pe'puIa ar opera
| of .'William Tell
| The popularity of the Work was well at
/ tested substantially by the presence of one
/ of the largest and most distinguished au-
1 dences of the Week, and the satisfa ction
] they found in the excellence Of the rendi.
! ton of the difficult work was demonstrated
| by the warm and frequent applause which
| panetuateti nearly every number. The com
! panyis proving its merits and before the end
| OF the engagement Will receive its deserts
I The William Tell of last night was Louis
/ Debacker. This is one of his fayorte TO. es
| and part be sings better. perhaps. than
! any other Of his repertoire-better ut least
4 f,nn n N v m hpp no. ri
| His fine barytone resounded finely in the
1 splendid measures or the familiar score
| Brizio Piroia was the Arnold and II may be
| said that it Was an improvement on his
| Turriiu. which he sang huskily, as If suf
{ fcring from painful hoarseness.
Little Nine. Natali, efficient I'D all she