Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-02-05
A Revival OF
Peter the Great
Irving's Production In
London.
The Growing Importance Of His.
tory In Dramatic
Art.

copyright 1S9S.l
"pe,ar the Great" is the topic OF the
day. After the Lincoln, the Napoleon
the Washington cra2es and fads' there
is a strange probability that we sha.i
have Peter the Great revivalin poth
literature and dramatic art. There was
enough Of the sensational in his career
to furnish materials for dozens of books
md situations so Intensely vivid that II
score Of piaywrights' pens may be em-
ployed for years to come.
Mr.. Laurence Irving has written ana
is now playing with his father. Sir Hem
ny Irving at the Lyceum theater, In
London, sketch dealing with the side
liehts Of the progressive barbarian. AT
least the English critics declare that 1t
Is not play. but series of episodes,
dramatic enough in themselves. but not
Of sufficient Conference to be called n
drama. But Irving's representation of
the imperial character is said to be
wonderful delneation of histrlonic art.
His personifcation of Peter Is the man
as he may have been-brutal and cruel.
yet Of an unsupported kindness of
heart; fippant and careless on the sur
face. yet imbusd with a devotion to his
Russia that amounts TO fanaticism: a
man driven blindly hither and thither.
the very creature of circumstance. yet
ever dominated by an infexlble will
end the stern purpose to make all
things-nOt even excepting himself and
his Northumberland to his country,
a despot Of the fouiest type and a
patriot Of the purest fame: more than
half mailman and, Mt times, little less
than divine. This bundle of irreconeila-
Die opposites makes living, breathing
ereature-"in whom we now have faith
and for whom we have pity"
There are some anachronisms of lam
euage in the play, such as Peter talk
Ing about christmas presents" and
some very orudely outlined love making.
Inc scenario. as the dramatists would
say, Is simple. Alexis is a weak, shifty,
s'udlous visionary, a puppet in the
hands OF those who desire to have Rus
sa once more in the grasp of a bigoted
ana ignorant church. lie In taken In
oy every one about him; even his mis-
uess' Euphroslne. deceives him in the
most Migrant fashion. This weakllng
refer wishes TO make into q man fit to
pe ms successor Though he was obliged
10 declare Catherine as such and had
her publicly crowned few months be-
iule MS death), to carry on the great
WORK and fondest dream of his life-the
regeneration and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF
Russia. Thwarted by the yacillstinr
nature Of Alexis and the plans of his
suVlseTs' Peter demands that he should
make his ehoice--a monastery or work.
te chooses the monkish life, but flies 10
.N WIN Fuphrosine. Persuaded into
s'a'h'ng, Alexis is tried for treason
."u, aiter sham trial, is condemned
to forfeit his life.
IL may be well to state here that ths
accompanying illustration of Tamherlih
,nows now the famous actor made mn,
,or me tsar Tor czar) about so wear,
49, When he played the initial role If
London. 'psia ~
NOW, to review come OF In, ,zac. -.
bo-n VI the monarch's life. He wai
atss "a, nvsr MOSCOW June 10. 1872, ant
t,,t IN 81, Petersburg Feb. s. l725. HI,
,n Alexis. died in 1916 and wa,
seeeued by Feodor, who lived but 81,
,ss ns longer' dying without issue. bu
s,o,,.s refer as hts successor to III,
h,n,th OF ivan. the iat.ar's elder hal
A. VINO was an imbeeile youth.
,,,,. .hsufreetion fomented by tbei,
ir,e. sophia Immediately followed m,
m ncb Y struggle was settled afte
o, w. u'oodshed by the Joint corona Ito,
sonh,a and Peter, in May. 1852 viii
Mise N lss after marrying r,dox,. r.,
ma Lapukhin. contrsrr REDO
1 sss' wishes. Peter snrano :" cue re
srs ann Of Inactivity 10 whso, p's ., IN
sisted prirs ~ consigned him and. as
'pally by the Swiss I,efot