New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-19

caste" AT THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
THEATRE.
MR.. HARE AS EcCLEs.

Il is a privilege to see the play Of Caste, wn"n
we'll acted because. within it's provln'e.-'he drIhea
ton OF manners, for the purpose or pie1S"taDN "'-
fusing wisdom. charity. and rehnement.-it SATISFIES
every need equally OF the stage ana tne 'ia"'a"c
auditor 1t possesses story. characters. Incidents. ac-
ton. hmor. sentiment. Intellectual design bright
dialogue. and excellen; style: and iis significance
l. 30 valuable that every mind j. better for the com
prehen-on Of il. Last night at the knck"rDo'ker
Theatre Mr. Hare produced this deNghtful coihe"y'
and embodied the character OF Eccir-'-pfese"''"s
that garrulous humbug and tipsy losfer, not ~
predesiinate drone and confirmed got. but as NJ
most hroken-down gentleman. certainly az th-
wreck Of once respectable person. People VINO hKr
the study OF human nature. and who are alde' III
their pursuit by prospect Of acting, VIII ma '"'N
impersonation exceedingly interesting and excrp-
tionally Instructive Ii duplicates. OF course the an-
thentic doctrine OF heredity. Robertson was a as
cple OF Thackeray. lie looked upon the lnex0ihpr
facts of life and he clearly saw the linhl'taDIe
Of it and Its profound and everlasting patnps.
His plays employ ny means OF action, precisely th'
eXpedients that Thackeray employed by means y.
narratvemlan ~ contrast ana a9ans
weakness: hope against memory; the ardent ahtc',
patton OF youth against the mourntni az.
silent patience of age HIS mind was conte'pIatt ,
and his temperament. though kindly. Was sns"tiy
Snnd and i W se bs wsT Of Thackeray in
iiuenceprobably the strongest as wei a. IN. or =,
intellectual influence of our century, with men Of
In Caste" which is the best OF his plays and the
Of "Pendennis' ana Vanity Fair r" are clearly su-
dble The piece IS not initiative. Its orlshaii,y
would be Iestioned but there can he no douo.
as to It's school Esther. trying TO fasten d Alroys
sword to his side is Amelia over again with Us
to Ecces. refine that old reprobate as you may
he is only modification OF Costgah me a uit o
followed The truth that he enforced Is not starting
cipie Of csse Il existent in Nature. and
situations that ever could be framed and all the laws
modify II. The silk purse" and the "sow's ear.
have always existed. and they always will exist ana
Gus and pathetic which diversity the me!an-
choy pageant of human NE Robertsons beautiui
The dramatist had eye for those contrasts ne
them with unerring constructive skill. In this play,
in actual life. the elements of nature are mixed
plain grocers grandson proves TO be a naturai
arlstocrat The daughter or drunken ai pieneiaa
princess and becomes the wife OF a noble while at
the same time. her sister comicaly displays a Inc
mated with a kindly codpole
Throughout the entire fabric OF humanity is seen
renresn9tafIve pebean: and Mr.. Hare 30 portrayed
hm-with denotement almost too subtle TO be
defined of a former probity and worth. now despoed
and far rsmoe IN its practical effect h mat Csw Is
IT IL interesting to a student. Both Thackeray and
dsrful picture Of human nature and social manners,
the novel of Mansfield Park" by Jane Austen. and
trace Eccles back to his prototype. but "'twere to
although his treatment of the matter Is amazingly
clever Mr.. Hare has considered too curiously in put
ting this new gloss upon the gross dirty. drunken
pothouse orator. Students may discern processes;
the audience In theatre usually sees Only results
comic of ygaE az ga
Ecces are not Uncommon They exist in ali coun-
tries-easy selfndulgent. garrulous. conceied. with
stncts OF their relatives and to extract precarious
sustenance out OF the industry OF others. and with
I'M IN frlm
demagogues and silly newspapers. TO be fired with
that peculiar amnesty 80 wen described by B9wer
Mr.. Hares acting showed that he has studied
n na as ne qqeT n nnss say w ne a n
Condition OF abiect slavery diseased appetite
that vanity should be Included among the pas
sions II is vanity that has made Eccles a wreck.
Mr.. Hare plays, him. and he even makes the
ravaged figure of the old sot pathetic and ecits
be a better man i he could only resist the pro,
disturbed by Mr.. IIares impersonation. 1t is
of those fine comedians; it is likewise moro deli
cately artistic-with carving Ike that OF Il cameo
real and less humorous. Perhaps it is highsr. for
il prompts the tear as well as the smile Every,
will lose a rare opportunity. Caste Is not de-
upon any D one of Its on iS but PHn
due in part 10 Mr. Hare's remarkable performance.
was gained by the concurrent endeavors OF a good
Miss Dram, as Esther. gave an intelligent. earn
est performance, susceptible of Improvement TO
eocution, particularly IN the last act. Mr.. Gill
bert Hare reflected the London artisan faith
fully and with touches OF crisp humor Miss iiar-
Vey was the incarnation OF gleo Polly Eccles.
and her incessant and various sprightiiness de-
lighted every observer. Mr.. Kerr lIawtree.
far less artificial than actors usually are in this
character. seemed the vertable man himself. with
all the cool ease and wel-bred reticence Of the Lon
don arstocrat The comedy received with
deep sympathy and frequent laughter. and the
actors repea teddy recalled after each curtain
CAST OF CASTE"
Hon George d Alroy.. Frank Gilmore
Marqusc de st. Malr. Susie Vaughan
lnlV My Harvey