New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-25
PART II.
TWELVE PAGES.
LONDON NOTES.
HAMLETTA AT THE ADELPHI-A FA-
NOUS VISITOR AT THE TURNER
SHOw-DICKENS AT AUCTION.

Cor Tribune readers from Paris where II be-
longs II is neither Shakespearian nor English
and II leaves the poetry and mystery of the part
untouched: but IL is a French tour de force
which excites lively curiosity in London, and
the Adelphi Theatre is crowded with enthusi-
ssts eager for novelty whenever 1t is played
The original text is so familiar even TO the
Youngest playgoer,. and the translation is so
literal that attendance on the performances may
he regarded as an easy method OF learning
french. although one cannot help being startled
when NORWOOD is converted into "absinthe
and the funeral baked meats into "le roti des
tunerailles." Apart from this literary exercise
IN modern language there is entertainment in
this French adaptation of a famous English
mart The melancholy Dane is transformed into
a flll-blooded. intense Latin. without contem-
Native reserve and coldness, but impulsive, &C.
centric and boisterous. II is Hamlet with every
thing appealing TO the English imagination left
out but the French counterfeit has the breath
Of Partisan life and vivacity. AS soon as the
elementary question. 10 be or not TO be Hamlet
Is dismissed as a side ISIS lie. the Bernhard
masquerade piques curiosity. and has the merit
Of not being dull for a single instant.
Old playgoers who have seen Edwin Booth
and Sir Henry Irving Hamlet are justified
IN clingng 70 their "reminiscences, and In re-
tanning their preferences for the really deep
things in Shakespeares brooding Prince. This
masquerade IS not designed for their entertain
r,ent II is meant for a volatile Partisan audi
enee and for faded London public. which
lows the unexpected transformation OF the mys-
ferrous Prince into jolly. good fellow, youthful
and agile IN figure, noisy and impetuous in
manner and fiery and uncomfortable in temper
when his passions are aroused. Ghost. POonius,
King. Queen. Ophela and the grave-diggers are
hickerinc shadows against a blank curtain. TO
BE- idly watched without interest emotion.
The play is not the thtng-in the French YER
SION lie spactacle-voila la chose'-but the in
terest centres in Nine Sarah's young man with
the Haxen wig who succeeds after his advent
ures with the spectre in working himself up
into fine frenzy when he waves the torch in
his murderous uncles face. kills POonius with
his rapier and forces an angry quarrel with
Iaertes There are novelties in the stage bust
ness and there are no dull moments in the per-
fornance and when the, curtain falls the &C
tress is repeatedly recalled with every sign OF
public favor. II the play be enacted to
be essentially un- English and far removed from
Shakespeare. these are triies light air. The
audiences do not assemble TO see Hamlet, but
highly excitable French actress darting about
in mems clothes and hinging herself with excess
Of passion into everything-except Ophelia's
grave.
Nine Bernhardts Hamlet is. of course the
talk OF the town. Every seat is taken Cor every
performance. and the playgoers will see her in
this new part stay away altogether. Many
Of her finest qualities as an actress come out in
the play. and she has in London large circle
Of admirers who consider her great IN every
thing that she undertakes. II there be no IL
fusion In her Hamlet. and II she never succeeds
IN unsexfHv herself. there viii be no complaints
from her enthusiastic supporters. who prefer
her Hamletta TO Mr.. Forbes Robertson's Dane
or TO any previous impersonation. 1t is at least
picturesque, interesting and new The season
is al it's height and every one with engagements
for luncheons, dinners or dances must be able
10 say that he she has seen Nine Sarah stick
the napier through TIE curtain and haunt the
torch in the Kings face. AS for reflection upon
what Is deep. beautiful and mysterious in a
great work OF Imagination. II is only the old
literary bore that has leisure for It, and he
takes the frank view that a female Hamlet is as
undressing and out Of place as a hen that
crows As for Shakespeare, he is dead In STRAIT
ford Church. and his ghost neither frightens
nor !mpresses a faded and cynical Vanity Fair
Mr. John Ruskin has taken a warm interest
in the Turner exhibition at the GuildhaH which
is now delighting thousands of visitors every
week He placed his own Turner drawings at
the disposal Of Mr.. A. G.. Temple, the director
Of the Art Gallery. and eight Of them now
on the walls He has also expressed eager
desire 10 come up 10 London 10 the show,
and when warned by his friends Of the In
frmlties OF old age he persists in his determine
ton 20 make the Journey from the Lake Country.
There is a disposition on their part 10
humor him. and 10 give him the satisfaction Of
seeing in his old age this remarkable collection
representing every phase and period Of the art
Of the great master whom ne loved and honored.
II Is probable that ne will come to London in
The course of few weeks. and that he will
have a quiet hour in the Guildhal Gallery when
the crowd Of visitors can be shut out. He longs
TO see the collection and talks constantly about
It, Those who have been with him recently re-
port that his mind is clear and his health fairly
good. He is not allowed TO talk with visitors
more than an hour at a time. but he IL neither
50 feeble nor so inhrm as current reports rep
resent
These Guildhall exhibitions are managed by
Mr Temple with great ability and painstaking
care. All the best Turner's in the private gal
ieries have been borrowed. and they are ar
ranged with skill and judgment so as to en-
able visitors 10 study them in chronological
order and 10 comprehend the entire range OF
his art. The next seasons exhibition is planned
nearly year in advance. and negotiations are
already in progress for obtaining various i'm
portant works. The scheme is a novel one. II
is TO be a collection OF modern religious pict-
ures, and Will illustrate many diverse methods
OF dealing with devotional and Scriptural scenes.
II Will be a reflection. at the end Of the century,
OF the long cycle Of religious art opening in the
Middle Ages The material from which 1t Will
be drawn is richer and more varied than is gen
orally supposed and the contrasts in method,
treatment and technique Will be most striking.
It will attract thousands Of visitors during
year when American tourist travel is expected