New-York tribune., 1899-02-10
THE DRAMA.
MELODRAMA AT DALY'S THEATRE
.TuE GREAT RUBY"

pressive That form Of e.. however long ago ~.
out Of fashion. and such plays "A Tale .,
Mystery" and "The Lady OF the Rock" proh.tl
would not be accepted now. The most consulo,o,,
survivor OF tho old style OF melodrama st.l in oe
casional use Is Daniel Terry's stage version ~ g.
| Walter SCOTS novel Of Guy Mannerng" Bu, N.
old order has changed. and the meodrama o, ~
| day IS the drama OF situation and mechanto,,
| stage-effect. remarkably brilliant and poyerful
type Of this kind Of composition. bearing The fer,,
! tous title Of THE Great Ruby" lately met vlt,
! prodgious success IN London. and Alr. D4ly who
has bought not only the piece but the scenery ot,b
which 1t was originally displayed now tvorsifs.
the customary order Of his sentertaiumonts-shst.
! spoare aud old and modern comody-by preseo,
ing The Great Ruby at HIS theatre. Iu fh. oro
cceding. which. AZ the first glance seems an at-,.
change OF policy he follows the wiso sxar1uis =,
the best managers of the past sheridan. AZ Dr,,,
Lane. found his advantage I'm "Pizarro": Kemhi.
presented "LOdo h. Macroady did not dlsdal,
"Werner'indcod. that was one Of bis greatA.t
successes; Burton and Brougham revcilel IN roeo
drama ana. IN the best days OF Wallack'e Theair.
the elder Waack brought out Pauline and II.
Veteran and prospercd with both. SO apoos,
indeed. is needed. from any quarter. for tho mo
duct.on Of good melodrama acting Of the fines,
quality may be shown IN this setting AS Henry
Irving has proved. with THE Bells and rTb.
Lyons Mall but II the justification ~ aufbor,
tative precedent We're needed u could b. abundant,
ly supplied. Mr. DAILY IS taking no unusual coirss
The Great Ruby was produced last night ana
It's success was decisive.
The authors OF "The Great Ruby" are Messr,
Cecil Raleigh and Henry Hamilton. London dra.
matists Of ability. experience. and honorable reDu,.
Their play shows that thcy arc apprec.atlva re.A
crs Of Willie Collins and Of Conan Doyle. f8r Will.
IT is original and Is replete with invention II "a
vcals distinct traces OF the influence OK that fasc
mating novel, THE Moonstone." and ~ tho storiss
al
Old tried. and approved plan OF a duel OF wits he
tween ingenious roguery. upon the one hand ana
more or less expert detective skill. upon tas other
Instructive examples Of the dramatic principle IN.
voved in this kind % fabric jim the Penmap,
and "A Scrap Of Paper. two Of the best playss
modern times. In this case valuable fcvel h,
been audaciously and adroitly stolen and the "a.
covery Of it is essential TO the welfare and ham,
ness Of several persons Pursuit u il is earnest
sagacious. and incessant. Retention u il though
difficult and perous IS resolute bold and crafty
Upon side is arrayed the detective police ed bv
officer Of renown and skill: upon the other ssa
IS brilliant. unscrupulous. willy woman having
four confedeTated auxlliaries. The jewel the craa,
ruby having once been seized Is passed from, bsrd
70 hand and from place 70 place. Sometimes Z, Fl,
actually visible and almost within the grasp ~ f,s
pursuers once II IS dropped. by a somnambulis,
within easy reach OF the detective. Put a. every
crisis.-protectod partly by skill and partly by
cumstances Of 4 character ar once tragical. ap-
pslling and pathetic. II is restored 70 It's owner
Upon the surface. accordingly. the play presents
only the adventures OF \ stolen gem Those ad.
ventures strange. interesting and startling
and. in phosoph.c way. they arc fun OF sgrif.
carce as 10 the cradibiity ~ incidents IN common
life that often seem Incredible When for ex.
ample. at about the middle Of the play. the fugs.
cious ruby. inclosed in little chocoate-box cast
ally gets into housemaid's dustpan. further COZ.
cealment Of IL. necessarily. must become merely
accidental; yet, since experience affords amps
proof that human destiny IS often determined b.
the most unlikely accidents. 1t was no breach G.
possibility. at this point the trivial fra.
ton Of a couple Of servants in such a way as to
increase a complication deepen a mystery. and e1.
pedite tragic result. In all their expedents tor
keeping the jewel upon its tortuous and exciting
course Of travel. from the when Il ~
seized in a Bond-st. shop by robbers pretending 70
be policemen. till II is carried up in balloon from
Hampstead Heath. and made the prize OF conquest
in terrific and fatal fray between two rival lovers
contcndins among the clouds. the dramatists have
been fanciful. judicious, expert and singuarly
happy The somnambusm Of Lady Garnet dur
Ing which she conceals. In a new place articles
that she had previously locked into the security a
her safe, recalls that Of Admiral Bartram. IN Wilks
Collinss superb novel OF NO Name" but il j. not
the less a clever expedient from having already
been used. The means b. which The ruby is placed
in the travelling bag OF gentleman who is .nno.
cent OF all knowledge Of Il are comic IN their SIM
plicty OF natural sequence. The murderous fight
in the ascending balloon with is attendant horror
OF the falling man. Is by far the terrible and
thrilling stage-effect that mechanic ingenuity has
yet devised. These things. In their way. are vel,
and they insure the great popularity ot the drama;
but. under the surtace,-impelling The action, dis
closing itself through many manifestations Of char.
acter through expressive incidents. and through
various rapid and often spirited colloQg!es-th
play presents a sympathetic and moving picture o.
possible human experience tof love. weakness.
folly misfortune. guilt. sorrow. trial repentance.
eXpiation. and despair. that will touch many
hearts. and that the morast on human life may
well consider
The piece was made for Drury Lane. and Of
course. its environment is that OF London scenery
and London life. The action begins az the shop Of
goldsmith in Bond-st shifts a rural place IN the
Hampton region; passes to that luxurious hotel At
Oatlands. which has succeeded TO d royal palace
Is momentarily busy at OF those peacetu
houses which are the charm OF Hampstead village
proceeds for a while at Lords cricket ground; MS
10 Hampstead Heath: and ultimately closes az the
in Jermyn-st, during ID military parade
which is visible through the windows OF that hotel
The scenery. which is abundant and much divers
He'd and which was most expertly handled iAs'
llght, IS remarkable equally for It's Yer simAtlas
ind It's magriticence. and persons familiar VITA
london and its neighborhood could rot fdil 10 eh.H
sight OF The Great Ruby II only as spectacle
rhe effect OF the rising balloon is wonderful. ana
he most hardened playGoer could scarcely resist
Is influence. All persons can equally appreca"
he dramatic story. There IL. indeed. nothing aos0
utely new in the relations of the principal caA
.ctors I'm this drama. The Countess Mlriza
infu woman who. because ehe loves "a brave ana
hNalrous gentleman. the Prince kassm. and
~ him beloved would discard her evil associa'e'
md leave her bad lie. II II possible for hs'
o DO SO The Prince Kassim noble IN spirt an.
rue end honorable. will blindy brave danger sS'
sgrace. TO 40 the will Of the woman whom %
'orships. but knowing her degradation and "
nemberng his own fatal weakness and It's frsn'
ul consequences. he will seek for himself The oa'
efuge that remalns-the refuge Of death IS'
'rotched Longman. Mirtza's chief confederate AZ
er idolator. would sacrifice his sou 70 win ,"
enuine love: ana through his almost insane u