The times., 1897-06-13

On human interests The ques ton mas
frequently been mooted as to why ths.
great novelist did not write for the stage
and many satisfactory reasons have been
offered
An English authority in considering this
question says: Those that pressed most
with him being the risk OF failure. which
would have affected his position and waste
of power. Again it would have paid him
to have written plays. The time and
thought necessary for drama must have
been distracted from novel, which would
have produced three times the return. We
recollect his lame nting In one of his
Christmas numbers. Mrs. Lirriper,' he
had wasted much that would have been
valuable for novel" That he might have
succeeded in stage writing there is little
doubt, for in the elements OF presenting
character, and damatic construction. al
though the method of the novelist is
different from that of the dramatist. the
basis is the same ID both; but Dickens was
thoroughly vefsed in the art OF the stage
and its demands, which gives him advan-
tapes over some OF the modern romantics
that have essa yed stage writing.
In an English edition of dIanlatc authors
opera aud farce and collaboIator in t.elo
drama and farce. These pieces ale THE
Village Coquette'' (comic opera), "The
Strange Gentleman from the '.Dngle-
bury Duei'o, mo Thoroughfare" and MIR.
Nightngale's parry" The first two we've
written in sS5, when he had Just attained
his maJoiity, and the opera is pleasing In
sentiment, but in parts quite Juvenescent
Mark Lemon assisted in the third, and 40
Thoroughfare" was written in collaboration
with Wiikie Collins.
All OF the Dickens stoIies In certain
sense lend themselves TO the stage, but all
the dramatiZations of them have feen de-
vitalIzed and clumpcd together in broad,
fragnentary and unfurnished style, without
regard for dramatic development or con
sistenc y-gen orally speaking, merely
series OF character sketches.
Some interesting but fugitive memoirs of
the OLD stock company days cluster about
American dramatizations of Dickens II
the story Of the old timer as TO oliver
Twist" Lolds good, Charlotte CGshman was
one OF the first to assume the role of
Nancy Skies, T.. l. Davenport PLAYING the
redouhtahle Bill Sykes and j. w. Waliack.
Jr., as Fagin Mrs. Wallack after ward
PLAYED Nancy, and then Matilda HelCn re-
created it.. Lucille Western made lei Cwn
dfamatiZatiGn of the role, the ere recently
utilized by Mr.. Mestayer and Eleta Proctor
Otis, and maGe a powerfully realistic pre-
sentatiOn of the daughter OF the London
sluIus.
In 1859 G., W Couidock appeared In o
decentralization OF Cricket ON the Hearth. I"
and subsequently John E. Owens utilized
the same version Burton was the creator
OF Capt Cutie. The late j. W. Florence
used his version OF Doinbey and Son." also
his dress. There was no part for Mrs. Flor
ence, and this led him TO abandon the play.
score or years ago at Lila Edwards thea
ter In New York there was a pretentious at
tempt at a dramat,zation of ''Pickwick,
in which Charles Parsloe was the Sam Wei
ler. For long time Nine. Janauschek was
successful in the dual role of Hortense and
Lady Dedlock in BLEAK House" Jonn
Broughann' revision OF "oid Curiosity
Shop also served tine eveT-sprigluy Lolita
well fer 'lual impersonation of Little Nell
and the Marcnioness. "A Tale of Two
Cities has been variously dramatfZcd- One
Of the most successful dramatizations Of
Cricket nn the Hearth was Dot" from
the pen OF the late Dion Boucicault,
notwithstanding many efforts have been
II ade 20 catch the mighty magic Of Dickens
and give it TO the stage, very few have been
successful, and all have had a more or less
ephen,eral existence. These precedents 10
not reveal much promise for the future.
and the genius OF Dickens win stili perina
nently preserve its integrity in the library
rather than in stage representation.