Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-11-19

A century ago the Sea Green Mon
ster," Robespierre had practically cap
fured France To-day this same Robe
sphere in the person Of Henry Irving
appears to have captured New York,
and 1t will surprise every one connected
with theatricals If he does not also cap
ture each CITY visited by him during his
present tour OF this country. Robe
sphere" is not, strictly speaking, a
great play, but it has the effect of i'm
pressing one with belief in it's great
ness, and it is only when you get home
and try to think out the various points
of this Sardou drama that you are
forced to admit that you were mistaken
in your first estimate and that the piece
is, after all, nothing more than an
exceptionally well constructed melo-
drama presented on large scale by a
magnificent company and staged with al
lavish yet skillful hand. And that is
what '1Robespierre" really is. AS an
example OF playwriting it can no more
compare with Sardou's Diplomacy
than Henry Irving can compare as an
artist with Edwin Booth. But Robe
sphere" pleases because it has pretty
story which is never obscured, no mat
ter how many side issues may be intro
duced, and because it is the first play
this country has seen which deals in a
masterful and at the same time inter
esting manner with that period in the
history of France known as the reign
of terror.
Mr.. Irving is now better actor. or
at any rate he appears to better adj
vantage, than when he visited US
couple of years ago. 1t may be that he
is in better health, but, whatever the
cause, the fact is patent to the most
casual observer. His annoying man.
nerisms are less pronounced than for
merly, and even when they do crop out
. in "Robespierre" they are SO little for
eign to the popular conception of the
character portrayed that they contain
little of offensiveness, especially td
those persons who have never before
seen Mr.. Irving. Like the play,
''Robespierre,' Mr.. Irving's perfor-
nance is in no sense great, although,
also like the play, it will please ninety
nine out of every hundred auditors. 1t
is catchy irresistible almost, and it has
been made SO alike by author and actor,
who both seem to have proceeded upon
the theory that it is far better, at least
from the pecuniary standpoint, to APP
pear great than to be great and not ap-
pear so. That, to my mind, is the key
note of the undeniably enormous sue
cess which has attended the production
of "Robespierre" in this city.
/ do not for a moment mean to imply
that Mr.. Irving would lend himself TO
anything unworthy, for nothing could
be further from the truth. Yet it is
not at all improbable that Mr.. Sardou
and Mr. Irving were both fully cogni-
zant of the advantage to be derived
from keeping the play from working
itself on to so high level as to be be-
yond the comprehension and apprecia-
tion of any but the most thoughtful of
theatre goers, who are not nearly so
numerous as those who prefer just
such play as the present Robes
pierre" In view Of the fact that Mr.
1rving's fortunes were not at their
highest flood at the time the commits
sion was given to Sardou, the wisdom
Of this course was manifest. At any
rxte, Mr.. Irving has a success, and a
big one, in "Robespierre," and there is
no lover of what is worthy in the
drama who will not be gratified to
know that this is SO The English ac-
tor has done much for the stage, so
much indeed that, Notwithstanding the
fact that he Is afflicted with manner
isms which would have effectually
blighted the career of an ordinary man,
he has forced the English speaking
world to recognize that he is no ordin-
airy man and to accept him as the
greatest living English speaking actor.
This he has done by his sturdy devotion
to art and often at the expense of his
bank account. Anything that was
good enough for Irving to put upon the
stage was always good enough for him
to put ON in the best possible manner,
without regard to the expenditure in
viewed.
1t cannot, Of course, be admitted that
Irving is by any means the greatest
living English speaking actor, In al
most any role with which his name is
identified l firmly believe that Richard
Mansfield is his superior. This, of
course, is intended to except those char
acters for which Mr. Irving's personal
lty and otherwise Objectionable man
nerisms peculiarly fit him. Such part
for instance, is the dual role in THE
Bells AS for Robespierre, if Mr.
Mansfield could be made up to look it
he would be able to play it much better
than does Mr.. Irving. 1t will be found
Ar, 4n hot Mr. Trxripr
will be remembered principally as an
actor of much ability who simply hew-
ed a place for himself in the temple CT
fame through his marvellous ability as
a producer and his persistence in con-