New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-02
IRVING'S PETER THE GREAT
A SPLENDID TRIUMPH FOR BOTH "a
THEIR AND SON.
PLAYWRIGHT AND ACTOR WORK TOGETHER no
ACHIEVE A FINE sCCCEss-A BRILLIANT Ar.
DfENcE DEEPLY TOUCHED ny THE
PATHOs OF THE FINAL SCENE
MISS TERRYs PART
SMALL.
fBY CABLE TO THE rnrnryr.I

FL
London. Jan. IA brilliant frst-nieb, .,.,
encc welcomed Peter the Great" at the r.vcou..
Theatre tonight. and goried in the tr.ur,s
OF the two Irvings. which was shared on aln,...
equal terms by father and son. Unlike pat.
and Alexis who played at cross purpose, NJ.
ministered to each others misery, the actorsra
the playwright worked together IN generou. !,
VARY to crown each other with honor r.r-
renee lrving's play gave the actor great mar,
with dramatic situations genuine power ara
awful pathos. The great actor staged the n,.u
with spendor and panstaking care. and ac,.,
the title role with a fine variety unwonted fer.
vor ana all the resources OF his unrivalled ar,
me nfst act was remarkable for the clearnee.
with which the characters OF Peter and Gather
Inc, Alexis and his mistress and the relations
OF the conspirators to the Emperor and Regent
were revealed. 1t fairly puIsated with thu
breath Of old Moscow. and was filed with IN.
trigus. counterpart and with stirring movement
and ingenious byplay.
The character Of tho irresolute crAdulous
Alexis with subtle hints Of power in reserve
Tor supreme moment, was finely portrayed by
Robert Taber. In the scenes with his mother
his mistress and the conspirators IT was an
artistic foil for Peter. returning to Moscow lyld
with rage on account OF his defeat by tina
unexpected triumph in the capture Of Riga.
forOciOus and brutal In his contempt for his d,
vorced wife and his ange- over the discovery q,
the conspiracy; merry and uxorious with Cath.
crime, the wife after his heart. self-wilei and
imperious in ordering the creation Of new
capital; magnanimous in pardoning the In.
triguers. and revealing his ruling passion IN his
sudden resolve to transform Alexis into sue
cessor worthy to carry on his work The whole
gamut Of Peters character was sounded with
every note clear and distinct.
The second act revealed with picturesque real.
Ism the building Of ST. Petersburg in storm and
flood. There was q fine scene In which Cath
crime and Euphrosine hercely quarrelled. and
this opened the way for the final breach be-
tween Peter and Alexis Miss Barrymore az
Euphrosne, had chance for fine acting in
the third act. while in hiding with Alexis in
Naples, and made fair use OF hcr opportunity.
The fourth act with the trial Of Alexis for
treason the two wives pleading FOR mercy and
Euphrosine treacherously turning against her
paramour. was intensely dramatic and after
sudden outbreak OF defiance and scOrn from the
son, 1t closed with an impressive sOliOquy by ths
imperious but heartbroken father, who was left
alone to sign the death warrant
The fifth act brought the play 10 n tragic
climax In the last scene between Peter ard
Alexis at the moment when Alexis was dragged
In on his bier, Tolstoi announced the sudden
death of GATHERINGS child, and the curtain fell
upon the Emperor in his awful desoation his
infexible will unconquered, glorying to the asst
In his dream OF Russian greatness
The audience was powerfully impressed with
the robust strength Of the play. the brilllaaey Of
the acting and the profound pathos OF the anal
situation.
Miss Terry, as Catherine. had a small part,
but what there Of II was extremely good
Mr.. lrvings performance was mastery through
out. marvellous in variety and style alike, splen.
did In intellectual force and passion and deeply
moving In the final passage. l. N
SIR HENRY HAS GOOD WORD FOR HIS SON