The San Francisco call., 1899-09-24
THE GpDFLY"
SEEMS TO BE
4 WISNOMER

THE Gadfy" in dramatized form has
been tried in Providence (ere this In New
York; and apparently found wanting.
When dramatization was talked of and
Stuart Robsons name mentioned as a
possible Gadfy, failure was predicted be-
cause of Robson. An actor with half
century record as comedian was at
tempting something that could but end
in disaster for play and actor. When
Ernest Hastings, erstwhile leading man
of the Alcazar, was chosen for Monta-
nelli one could but stop and wonder what
dictated the choice No one will ever &C
cuse Hastings, pre-eminently. an actor or
repression, Of either tragic or emotional
strength-the learning of his lines seemed
always to absorb most of his dramatic
fire. What could be the outcome, then,
with the leading parts thus woefully mis-
given? The dramatist it seems has set
tied all this.
The novel, written at white heat, with
the savage (Which is the real self in any
creation) well to the front in every ag-
gressive and sinister speech, proved
most liberal minded; violent, terrific
shock to the religious. Religion, let one
be thankful, is the one thing that snail
not be seriously trified with on the stage.
In its original virility, the story would
not be tolerated by any audience, ana
in eliminating the agnosticism, the pit
terness, the irony; the religiously OMEN en-
siVe and the final crashing climax, the
motive of the book has been changed and
the Gadfy converted into a pathetic
figure, retaining the. original halt In
speech and walk. In fact, the dramatist
seems to have come to his task in a gen
tie, conventional mood, and the most de-
Vout, It is said, Will find little or moth
ing to offend him from rise to fall of
curtain Robson and Hastings seem to
have been quite equal to their tasks. The
third act was mildly applauded,, but the
rest Of the play was received almost IN
objected to the method of treatment and
threatened, so rumor has 1T, to prevent
its production in New York: AS the work
reverse the decision OF Providence, but
fly" for THE Gadfy' is not likely to be
play in our day and generation.
Local journalists who enjoy taking, q
rise out of the critics would have had
Fiske's recent performance of Becky
Sharp. Some Of the criticisms were unin-
accuse Mrs Fiske Of making Becky real
bad woman and a third darkly hints at
the same flaw. There may be others that
fshes Who ever said or thought she was
good? II Thackeray had any intentions
Of painting her in the light Of anything
but embodied and pretty successful wick
cNHSSS AA0 RNA~NS@'
And talking Of critics brings to mind the
fact that those of the East have taken to
calling the Herald's latest acquisition
"Clement Scott of England" fencing. no
doubt, to thrust the heart. Now 1t seems
to me. were 1 writing for London Jour-
nal (this Is merely an inter1ecton. not the
remotest possible contingency, | should
swell with patriotic pride were l dubbed
Susan Hasl1ins of America" But. then,
Of course, America is America
Henry Miller has made the success Of
his career as Sidney Carton In THE Only
Way" dramatization of "A Tale Of Two
Cities" by Freeman Wills, brother Of
the more famous English playwright.
New York believed In the play, for 1t came
stamped as a London success. but she
questioned the Judgment Of Mr.. Frohman
in intrusting to Mr.. Miller the role created
by Martin Harvey. Preludgment is
good thing sometimes-mark an effort for
disapproyal and the determined dog in the
man will dig to the center of things or
outwit you. New York has been slow. SO
slow, in according Mr.. Miller his place as
a star, but his performance In The Only
Way is recorded a triumph for play and
star Miller is spoken OF as the Carton
of Dickens creation, and. with Wills
ciably more" San Francisco discovered
and willingly acknowledged the artist in
Mr. Miller without being shocked into the
admission through the medium of an op
portunity like Carton. Neither Mr.. Miller
nor Mr.. Frohman has reason to regret
''-e CHKRLOTTE THOMPSON.