The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-20
PLAYS ApDpLAYERS
JULIA MARLOWE-TABERA AND ROB-
ERT TABER AT THE METRO
POLITAN.
R0M0LA" IS DRAMATIZED.
AIRS. TABER WILL INIPERSONATE
GEORGE ELIOTS IMMORTAL
HEROINE.
"a MIDNIGHT BELL" AT THE GRAND
With Digby Bell and Laura Joyce.
Bell in the Cast-GOssip of the
Stage.

The engagement of Julia Marlowe-
Taber and Robert Taber, which begins
at the Metropolitan Monday evening,
will be notable in that it introduces
these highly esteemed artists in a
new play. 1t is a dramatization of
George Eliot's "Romola," or rather a
play founded upon that story, by Ell
Nyn A. Barron, for many years the
dramatic editor of the Chicago Inter
Ocean, and now residing in London,
engaged in newspaper and literary
work. None of Geogre EIiot's stories
has been prepared for the stage, and
the many admirers of that distin-
guished novelist will be deeply inter
asted in the dramatization of this, one
Of her most powerful and striking
novels. George Eliot's style is didac-
tic rather than dramatic, this being
especially true in her profound and
exhaustive ANALYSIS of the character
Of Savanarola, the remarkable priest
who left such a strong imprint on Ital
ian history, and who is such a proni
nent character in the novel. Much of
the book, especially that portion deal
ing with him and with Romola, is de-
scriptive of motives, thoughts, pas
B1ons, and feelings rather than an ex-
position of them in play; but still in
working out her purpose she has also
introduced a great many impressive
and vivid scenes, which may be easily
transferred to the stage. George Eliot
had equipped herself with a vast and
amazing amount of knowledge of the
history of Italy in the Middle Ages.
dealing with the subtle and compli-
Gated political movements of the time.
and in "Romola this knowledge is re-
Nealed In every chapter still it does
not obscure the clearneSS and beauty
of the story which concerns the prin-
clpal chacters evolved from her imag-
fnation, and whose history is woven in
with the characters of the great fig
ures who really existed.
The chief creations are Romola and
Tito, and in depicting them she has
furnished fascinating study of two
opposing natures, one of the type of no
biilty, the other of baseness; one pure
ana lofty and self-sacrif1cing; the other
weak, selfish and unprincipled; the one
ready to suffer to the uttermost for
the right; the other willing to do
wrong at the slightest provocation.
And subsidiary to, but scarcely less
important than these are Tessa. the
simple, trusting, happy country maid.
who lives contentedly with her babies
believing herself to be the lawful wife
OF the fine gentleman, Tito, who visits
her from time to time under another
name, and Baldassarre, the wretched.
obscure, half-crazed old man, who had
tenderly reared and educated Tito.
and then been abandoned by him.
Baldassarre has but one strong i'm
pulse left, revenge. All his love has
been turned to vindictive and lasting
hatred of the migrate he had once
loved. These are the leading person
ages in the novel, and Mr.. Barron is
said to have succeeded excellently In
presenting them in dramatic aspect.
Mr.. and Mrs. Taber have spent a
great deal of time and money in the