New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-06
THE LONDON STAGE.
or THE CHRISTMAS PANro-
,.,xr-A MIRACLE PLAY-sIR HENRY
IRVING AS GLosTER.


..,,h the usual Christmas pam
the year ''o.s S,rn.n and provincial theatres;
tom'"'es =. Z ondon there is only one exnioi-
but IN Ce"' go This Is at Drury Lane, where
ton Oh 'n's .,.,us Harriss final programme
the 'a'e :" orsst,on is to be introduced on BOX
OF nohoas :. :. entitled aladdin" and Is COM
ing N's"' ,..v show with gymnasts' paie'-
binauon s,oxns as the conspicuous actors
dancers s "S stage effects and trans
and VIII" The suburban theatres now
forma''o" .,-..t,v with Drury Lane IN Christmas
compe and rival the attractions OF 'ha'
pa" n,evhouse At the new briN'o"
oo-'. Cinderella drives TO the ball In an eiec-
Ine""e :. ,rset the magnificent Prince; other
"'0 .,..o.ae her In motor-cars to the eiec,r'c
tho palace: and the ballroom IS i''u-
Nth q marvellous display OF eiec'r'c
dozen other suburban theatres pre-
~ .s,nahad." or Little Red Riding HOOD, vi
~ o,nsr classic tale OF Mother Goose OF ra"S
Land ~. n,ece mr. the
80, ,,.re Of the entertainment. II Is not
las, the Christmas pantomime OF 'ne past ,"e
aias - .w.o,s ~. more scientific the ballet
conn. and choruses are larger anu '''e 'pe
..cular splendors are more dazznns' ""' ."e
.,-,,. features of the Christmas play
..,,cb Thackeray and Dickens ioVed-'he haiie-
~.rrnerv and holiday humor-have
',r,uallv disappeared Science ana stage enter
.r,.s IN undermining the pantomime nave co"
.-,sd II into variety show thar Is not essen
daily different from the entertainments 10 De
,,rsssed every night of the week at the Al
,rnra the Empire and other concert nails.
r,.re is a little Of everything-negro minstreisy'
.,ordancing ballad-singing tight-rope WAKING
.,,,s,ic feats rough and-tumble tricks anu
,,orns.shouting: and there is great deal OF
.,sc,r,c light and ballet dancing; but the veteran
,,,vroer. TO whom the memory OF the Christmas
.,,on,in,e comes like mellow light from the
rss, NJ eventide misses the comic bu1oonery OF
,,s harleouinade and the simplicity Of the old
.,.,. chow The beautiful Princess may drive to
the nalace in a motor-car and the demons MA.
h-sa,he electric fire: vet It is no longer the real
CHRISTMAS pantomime but a spurious imitation
,.ssd On the prevailing humors of the popular
music hail
po,sblv II is the decadence of the old-fash-
...., rsr,oriros that has inspired the dramat
-,,;on Of The Pilgrims Progress and the pro-
suc,on Of the work as one of the novelties Of
ch,;stnas week | have not yet seen 1t, for the
onenlnc night has been postponed until to-mor-
rou owing to rnisrlana cement Of the costumers.
uho have taken the contract of clothing sinners
and saints angels and devils: but aprrehend
tia. /, will bear the same ambiguous relation 10
the legitimate Christmas drama that The sign
~ the Cross sustans to the interests or the
Christian religion. II has been preceded ny
serious discussion respecting the category Oh re-
lirious play to which it belongs II mas oeen oe
scrihed as a medieval mystery play put 'n"'
cannot he correct for il is not series OF reig'ous
tableaus It has also been heralded as moran
~ play That phrase is not favored py the man
.ean,ent which naturally shrinks from adver-
Using highly moral show. The autnorlzeo
DESIGNATION is miracle play illustrating the life.
formations struggles and triumphs Of Chris
t,an with scenes from Vanity Fair and the c.
lestial City presented with the adventurous ala
of a ballet troupe and electric light. me III
grim's Progress" whether moral exnpition Oh
materialized virtues and vices or variety sho"
like Aladdin or cinderella" Will propaory al
,rac. for q season the new class of playgoers
which patronizes Mr.. Wilson Barretts so-caheo
r.,r,ous plays. 1t is not. however in accord
NTH tho traditions Of an English Christmas. and
js a poor substitute for the old-fashioned panto-
mime
The stage pictures seen at the Lyceum Theatre
on the first night Of Richard III deserve more
explicit comments than was able TO make IN
cable letter on that splendid triumph Oh OH
Henry 1rvine's genius The first scene disclosed
a London street with row of picturesque houses
~ pIantarenet times with red roofs and high
gables-a brilliant yet sombre background LOT
the wooing Of Lady Anne. When the funeral
,rocsss,on anneared. the spectators were remind
Cd Of Mr. Abbeys fine study in black and req
81 the Same scene with its spendors OF color ana
its dramatic action This was followed by gor-
geo,is stage picture OF a court chamber. with
gold blue and scarlet effects Of furnishing. and
with courtiers and cavaliers Of the troublous
times Of the hostile Roses: a gloomy. caVernous
prison scene with melodramatic pair or muir
dsrers; glorious night glimpse OF the rover OF
London. and realistic reproduction or the clois-
tiers OF Westminster Abbey. Spirited as was the
action Of the stage supers in the morning process
sion IL was even more effective in the march or
the soldiers on Tower Hill. disclosing as 1t did
perfection Of drill and unremitting pains In re-
hearsal. Finally. after the ghost scene, with Its
litany OF maledictions. came as stirring and
beautiful a battle picture is ever witnessed by
playgoers. Better staging has never been seen
q, the Lyceum than the scenes revealing the pa
eeantry OF court ceremonial and wars alarms In
this meodramatic play.
These brilliant. picturesque stage effects served
to emphasize the main motives of Sir Henry
Irvings mastery performance. His Gloster Is
a Plantagent Of imperious pride and arrogant
self will: and stately ceremonial. rich costumes
end splendid pageantry deepen and intensity
the denoten1ent of these princely qualities His
Gos,er is also pre-eminently man Of action.
marching from crime to crime to the summit Of
earthly ambition and falling. wild-eyed and
desperate under repeated thrusts Of Richmonds
evenging sword after defying every law
Of Heaven. The battle scenes In the closing act
reveal the energy and courage Of the royal strain.
The visions which he has seen in his tent have
affected his nerves but his pride is invincible
and his courage flames up anew in his last bat
tie with fate and retributive justice. In the
storm and stress Of the final despairing rally Of
the doomed army, he rushes hither and thither.
fights frantically without helmet or horse. and