The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-23
AT THE THEATERS.
Lnfaycttr--necsy sbor,.r

/
I i osDothe .......--....-.. Stanley Risnold
Joseph Sedley ....-............. William r. owen
| Lord Barcarrrs ~ / u,,,s,,,,,i !,
/ Lord Tarquiu r.,,L 49,.
| The Duke Of brunswick nm. James uor,or
rtlhce frttrwaradiu ...............- Paul WcigeI
ror'liiy naiSeS ................... Walter Plough
'tntrai Iuito .s.......,............... Neil Grey
bechl ShaIp ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Mr. Fiskr
Nheia seuiey .---------.-...... Ienaide Williams
Mhss 'dWie! .'...-...........-.... Ida Waterman
MarchionoS> OF sterne .......... Jean Chamblin
Lady Rlrc1cres ............... Fraucesra Lincoln
| Lady Blanche Thistiewood ......... Olive una
| Lady Jane Crswiey .............-. Ethclwyn Hoyt
| Duchess OF Richmond ......,.. Josephine Roberts
Duchess Of Bucc.eugh .............. Agnes Bruce
Briggs ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Mary Madden
Fiine C.et trudc Norman
When. last September in New York. the
adaptation of Vanity Fair" shown here
initially yester-evening at the Lafayette
| Square was successfully produced. Lang
don Mitchell. the arranger. must have
become conscious of having done that
which, TO men more skillful and better
known than himself had seemed less rOs-
sible than improbable. Almost since the
date of its publication, the Thackeray
novel has been the ignis fatuns-thc objccs
| Of unrequited attention from dramatists.
Attempts at epitomizing the characters
quent. but never resultant in anything
except failure. Minnie Madden Fiske's
association with Mr.. Mitchell has brought
forth presentation at which the memory
u the literary spectator often has 20 play
the part of the old Greek chorus. which
used to chant explanations OF the scenes
enacted before il. but still 4 presentation
full OF stirring interest and quite ade-
quatc as vehicle for the talents of the
! IL Ia
depreciation. What doubt Of this may have
existed in Washington was forced into
Punishment last night by the incessant
watchfulness and significant applause of
the brilliant audience in attendance.
That the young son OF a gifted sire--Dr.
S. Weir Mitchell is the father of Langdon
Mitchell-has been able TO evolve from
the work OF Eugland's great satirist
piece notable for the perfect sequence OF
its events and for its congruous power
proves, not that his predecessors in the
effort were without discernment or eff
cheney, but that the final conquerer IT rn-
doubted obstacles is especially discerning
and efficient. Save to a mind pregnant
with a genius for theatrical mechanics.
vanity Fair is. as 1t was declared to be.
quite unsusceptible OF such curtailment
and vivifying as might fit 1t for stage Use.
The very wealth and variance Of the ma
terial 1t contains serves TO render terri
fc the task of selection. while the narra-
tive style OF the composition makes du-
bicus the idea OF putting 1t into intelli-
gibe action. The sardOnic wit. inter-
spersed with sadness; the just judgment.
tempered with occasional hints of pity.
the marvelOusly explicit depletion Of char
acter and manners; the merciless arraign-
ment Of hypocrisy and OF kindred evils
the Iower OF unifying though alternately
suhiugating dozen devious themes-all
these dominant features of the masters
second finest book are impotent and in
sufficient as factors in the construction of
a worthy play. That Mr. Mitchell. squeez-
Ing reality from suggestion and movement
from portraiture, has contrived to produce
a drama artfully devised, symmetrically
builded. and teTsely explained is as much
a matter at which TO wonder as is the
felicity with which Mrs. Fiske has adapted
herself 70 its limits and expanded with
its broadening until the whole Offering
has become subject for congratulation
and delight
OF course. SO gigantic an achievement
has not been accomplished without the
commission OF such biunders and the
omission OF such desirable personages ard
episodes as are observed Immediately BY
the intelligent spectat0r-by the reader
of Thackeray in particular. There are GER
tain crudenesses and inconsistencies. both
genuine and fancied, that have called forth
the csBsgre of critics. and deservedly
There is frequent dizziness of dialogue OBJ
yious embarrassment concerning the dis
posal Of superfluties. lapses into tawdry
sentiment or farcical humor, and even rad
ical departure from the spirit Of the box
that might cause and is likely to cause re-
sentiment. The majority OF complaints ut
tered on these scores have been justified.
But. as is usual in such cases. the hear,y
lover OF Vanity Fair" is apt to be dis
pleased at missing much or at finding much
with or without which Becky Sharp must
have proved an unqualified failure. While
a number OF Thackeray's speeches have
been deity woven into the dramatic fabric.
the greater part OF the conversation is from
the brain Of the arranger; while the situa-
tions of the author have been utilized when
utilization was possible, many Of the origi-
nal occurrences have been passed over and
few that might be claimed by Mr. Mitch
ell have been substituted. Such of the
noyelists creations as old Osborne and his
daughters. old Sedley and his wife. the ga
liant o Dowd. and the admirable Peggy the
eccentric Rev. Butte Crawley. the plotting
Mrs. Crawley, the brave Captain McMurdo.
and the unfortunate James. though deeply
ersconced in the hearts of the literary
could have added nothing to the force or
direetness of Mrs. Fishes presentation.
Universally as they may be regretted. in
cidents like that in which the Osborne
aforesaid grasses from the family Bible the
name OF his boy and that in which D3bbin
and Amelia are united on the weather.
swept wharf at Ostend are not sufficiently
consequential 10 warrant deviation in a
piece Of the order Of "Bccky sharp"
Briefly. Vanity Fair has but one char
acter which. logically Mr.. Mitchell could
have chosen for the central figure OF his !
play, and but one theme which he could
have elected TO run through that play-the |
character of the adventures. Rebecca /
Sharp. and the theme Of her intrigue with /
Lord Steyne. These are precisely what he
has taken. The curtain rises on the Lon |
don home OF Lady Jane Crawley where the !
Ihackeray heroine" Is shown as the com |
Danion of that maiden diEuitary aud the |
hour-old bride Of her nephew. Col. Raw +
don Crawley. Almost Immediately Sir |
Pitt with the CoarseneSs and vulgarity |
that was TO be expected Of him proposes to /
Miss Sharp. whose yiciousness quite be- |
gins in her chagrin at realizing the fact !
that she has lost the father for his i'm |
poyerished son. Not much later the wis |
dom of this chagrin is made apparent The |
pair are deeply in debt and Mrs Crawley-
a fast deteriOrating Becky Sharp-is |
sought by George Osborne. These affairs |
are revealed at the ball OF the Duchess of |
Richmond. in Brussels-a magnificent and |
splendid function, during which the SIRENS |
with the husband of her |
friend reaches an advanced stage |
and the siren herself is acquaint-
ed with the profigate, Lord Steyhe |
there is heard the roar
If tie battle of Waterloo. commenced in
he distance. and amid the excitement OF
A call to arms the portion, ends. Next |
Becky, more than ever pressed for funds. |
Lakes to gaming with loaded dice. and