The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-01
THINGS IN RECENT PLAYS.
COMIC COMEDIANS ACTING or a
SERIOUS CHARACTER.

When Stuart Robson attempted serious role
in The Goday," at Wallack's Theatre, the au-
dience listened for the vocal peculiaries which had
been a part Of his comic acting He entered In
the sober garb OF a Roma Catholic collegian.
lie was supposed TO be 10 years old Long
curly hair was brushed back from his brow. The
eyes stared with tho ingenuousness OF youth
But Mr. Robson did not look like boy. lie re-
ssmblcd Jennie Yeamans so strongly that II was
difficult to assume for q moment that he was The
handsome, sensitive high strung, romantic young
their Of tho novels early chapters. That was the
Impression one got from a sight OF him What
remained 10 DO seen what would no do
with the vocal paraphernalia which had been
no affective in comic roles The people took
a comprehensive look at him, and then
waited to hear him speak There was
none Of the staccato squeak, and none OF the
hcsitant stutter He spoke his words with a sug-
gcston OF the old manner But the tone was
unstrnined and normal and the serious passages
OF this first did not suffer from the actors
tricks of voice lie controlled them well, and
proved his ability to make good use OF other means
nearly as limited The shock Of learning that
he was the BISHOPS illegal SON. the faithlessncss
pf his aiIianced wife suddenly revealed. and her
treatment OF him-al these episodes required talent
quite different from any that Mr. Robson possessed,
His management Of these serious scenes was q
real triumph Of authority artistic method and ex-
u.dencc As the youth he looked almost rdcu-
louq end there was no reason Tor believing that
M, would not appear equally absurd in the tragic
passages But he came through them with credit.
The interest in the play grows more Intense
a. the action proceeds The fight between the
eonspirators and the military, and the death Of
tbs tIddhv in the last act. would be strain on
the abilities OF any actor. Mr. Robson's expe-
al adj Xpr n Ot " IN to common
safe for his lack OF natural fitness But the por
travail as a whole was interesting an exhib-
ton Of the extent TO which an actor may success
fully undertake unusual tasks when he has &C
qurcd sound technical foundation
There must be play in Tho Gadhy."
although It is probably not at all the kind
which closed prematurely at Wallack's last
night. The strenuously melodramatic episodes
OF Mrs. Vovnich's novel are only Incidental.
They are not all the book. To give them value
on the stage there would have to be the ele-
ment OF contrast THE Gadfiy" as acted IL
unremittlngly intense. without tho quleter
intervals that reour from time to time
in the story. 1t becomes meodrama OF
the baldest type. Some episodes from the
story arc injudicously selected. When
the hero returns as Rirdrez. he Is
sarcastic. embittered and revengeful. Even
tho woman he has loved for years does not es-
cane his irony. or cruelty. Yet beneath this ac-
quired manner there is supposed to be warmth
and tenderness OF heart. This shows itself in
the book whom RirdreZ meets wounded child
in the street. takes it home. and treats 1t with
great gentlencss and affection. In print this
episode occupies only a few paragraphs. In
the play Mr.. Robson. to tho astonsh-
ment OF the audience. appears on the
scene carrying In his arms child
wrapped in shawl Where it comes from and
how. nobody learns. Then follows scene in
tended to show that Rrdrez can be Affection
ate when his feelings are touched. The inci-
dent is not valuable enough in any way to oc
cupy as much time AS It does. When no very
accentuated idea OF Hirdrsz'S character in
other particulars has been given. its effect Is
even less One oth.r instance OF the use Of
the novel is enough. When Burton Is i'm
rrsoned because the priest to whom he
coniesses has betrayed him. he finds
Gen,md waiting at the gates OF the prison.
She learns 1t was he who innocently betrayed
the conspirator5 by trusting in the sacredness
OF the confessional. IN her indignation she
strikes him. Soou after he finds out that he Is
the son OF a priest. Disguised with life. he
goes to Brazil. These things in the play are
treated in very different fashion. 1t is
known that secrets OF the revolutionists
have been exposed. 1T must be you or L.
the girl he loves he declares himself guilty.
She is innocent and believes that he must
really have betrayed his friends. So she
strikes him in her indignation. and Burton.
afterward to reappear "a Rirdrez, starts on his
Ions journey. This motive Is as remote from
the book as from all human reason. 1t starts
the action on basis logically false. This is a
defect fatal to plays that do not originate
in novels. In the numbers made from
such sources there seem to be few in which the
adaptors do not presuppose knowledge OF
the original on the part OF the audience.
'Tess" must have seemed a vague thing to
persons unfamiliar with Thomas Hardy's story.
Even The Little Minister" was not free from
obscurity. Paul Potters "Triby" stood on its
own legs firmly. and so did Alphonse Daudet's
adaptation OF his own 'Sappho." They did not
demand for the complete enjoyment OF them
the fuller knowledge OF the book.
The author Of The Ghetto" is a jew. and yet
he shows some OF the grasping phases Of character
commonly ascrbed to the Hebrew When
Aaron tries 10 bargain with Sdchsl for marriage
oftheir children he desires TO wed his daughter TO
man with good prospects. Sachel is rich, and is
SO diseased that he will die soon. The match
making parent considers this point and also tina,
Raphael is Sdchel'S only child and will therefore
be alone in the Inheritance lie calls on this young
mans father. but. being a good bargainer. does
not directly TO the point He pretends that his
GRAND is to sell some wool, After much talk about
this he slyly refers to his daughter Then more
talk ensues about the wool Finally, he settles
down to conversation the real cause Of his call
lie will not confess that he desires that his daugh
ter shall marry. On the contrary, he says that he
Is deluged with offers for her hand. The young
mans father then has his say. Half the unmar
ricd women in Amstcrdam's Ghetto are after him
50 the thrifty parent says Then the two men sci
In denying and asserting attractiveness or ad
vantages in each others offspring In time they
make mutual confessions that they desire 20 make
amatch, This introduces the question Of dowry,
From mere argument il becomes a quarrel
SdcheI demands almost twice "a much as Aaron
will give with his daughter This is the cue &c
begin casting slurs on each others family. They
part in rage and curses This does not settle the
matter. The next time they meet they renew the
negotiations in the friendly tones OF crafty bar
gamers, but their conversation comesto the same
unsatisfactory end