The morning times., 1896-01-16
LANCELOT and GUINEVERE
Grand Production Of King Arthur
at Aliens Opera House.
nnd Miss Terry Mirrored In Superb
Scenic Environment.

Aliens Grand Opera House was the
scene or royal gathering last evening ON
Doth sides OF the footIights, the occasion
being the production OF king Arthur
l., M dne magnet which VIII continue To draw
iarge houses 10 the performances OF king
Arthur Is not the Intrinsic merit of that
romantic tragedy, but the passion all Eng
Iisnspea King peopiehavefor rLhegrandlegends
As ideaiized by Mr.. Carr, King Arthur
Is the pivot merely on which the actIon n turns.
ne Is not the action itself. He is not what
Hamlet Is to the Prince OF DeufDa rk or
otheiio TO the Moor OF Venice. He is, If
anything, the embodiment OF the English
royal dignity aud morality.
Ihererore lie mOraiizes and breaches good
ethical sermons; aud they kill him in the
fourth act In order that beautiful aud frail
Guinevere may live ioug and be happy as
they say In the other fairy tale.
In truth, Arthur is q king, ay, every
inch a kir'g-of logic, didacticisni, ana the
ethics or royal life. The real hero of the
play is Lanceiot and the heroine is
Gulnevere. Elaine, sweet Elaine. by the
way Is also moved to commit suicide i'm
order that the chiyalrous Lanoeiot may
live ioGg and be happy, like Guinevere.
The guilty i've and the innocent die, In
which respect the romantic, realistic.
French drama may be said TO have found
Its aDotheOsis in staid. old England, away
back in the mist Of the centuries.
There is only one really great tragic,
dramatic Juxtaposition in King Arthur, that
in which Guinevere Confesses her guilt TO
the king IL the presence or Ianoeiot. 1t
IS unfortunate, but one cannot help thinking
what Sha aKespeare would have made
OtheilO DO, had The scene been DcsdenOna,
Cassie and Otheio. But the good King
Arthur makes a speech, long speech for
the benefit OF ages unborn. The situation
is terribly disappointing. The passage.
too, over the corpse OF Elaine between the
ring and Lanceiot, lacks action-indecd,
the whole play lacks action. Miss Terry,
however, acted well in her scenes with
LanceiOt.
But there is a realism and beauty in the
scenic presentation of the story which
Will always attract. The scene In, or
rather OF, the Whitethorn Wood, was all
OF perfect illusion. The passing OF
Arthur, the barge scene, was also what
most People dream it would be or was, and
the appearance or EXcaIibur i'll the Magic
Mere was also worthy or the power OF
Medea in enchantment.
All things considered. the presentment
OF the story, as IL Is written, was adj
miraDie. and the spectacular feature ample
to satisfy the most vivid Imagination. What
ever there is In liking Arthur" which
leaves the senses GnsaIisfied must be
charged TO the playwright.
MIR. Irving was the king. Miss Terry.
Guineyere, Mr. Ben Webster, Lanceiot, and
Mr.. Frank Cooper, Modred.
IL was @&p~cteu tlat there would be
very large house at Aliens Grand Opera
House to hear and see The play and the
were taken and all of the seats, with very
few exceptions. Among tie people in at
tendance were Senator German and the
Misses German. Secretary Herbert and Miss
Herbert, Postmaster General Wilson, Mrs.
Carlisle, Justice Brewer and Miss Brewer,
General and Mrs. Moore, Miss Schneider
anu Miss Minnie Bacon. Mr.. and Mrs. Legard,
Mr.. and Mrs. Dunn, Mrs. Gughcr, Captain
Ludlow and General Hazen, Mr.. and Mrs.
Crayton, Judge Wilson and Mrs. Wilson.
Mrs. Cunning ham, Miss Pauncefote and
OF the British leg alton. Mrs. Hearst
lad party.
liking Arthur will be repeated tonight
and tomorrow night. "Bcckec Will be
pla yed at a matinee today.