New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-27
THE DRAMA.
LITERARY CURIosrTIEs AT wALLAcK's-
MRS. LIE MoyNE AS A QUEEN.


Robert Browning's well known versined colIoGuy
entitled in a Balcony."-R composition that Is adj
mrabe for ts occasional flights OF rhetoric and de-
plorable for It's dresry artlfce.-was inflicted upon
a considerable audience. mostly OF females yester-
day afternoon. Walacks Theatre. Mrs lie
Moyne impersonating the amatOry Queen MISS
Robson assuming the absurd Constance. ana MT
Otis Skinner presenting the orotund sonorous. and
all-fascinating Norbert The effect. aside from
few moments OF polished elocuton by Mrs lie
Moyne and fine outburst OF passion by MI
Skinner. CHASTITY. The play. II play il can be
called which is merely dialogue. Is fantastic ana
ridiculous IN plot, morbid in spirit absolutely I'M
dramatic. and mostly composed of long, tangled
oratorical speeches, such human beings never
did and never could address TO one another ueast
of all when dominated by love), under any possioie
influence of feelings. sequent upon any conceivable
set Of circumstances. Blank verse 10 be sure. II
not the language of Nature: but Nature (as Shake
speare has taught usl speak, with perfect
simplicity and perfect music, through blank verse.
The defect OF Brownins's play Is that Arthce' ana
not Nature, is behind all his words. He is not
dramatic; he is representative. He conjures up a
person, situation. and mood, and then ne sup
plies that person.-placed in that situation and doni
mated by that mOOd,-with copious torrent VI
expressive words This may be literature; IL is
not drama In this Balcony piece the intention
to exhibit the hungry passion OF an elderly
woman. whose emotional nature has been starved
and whose life is barren. although she is queen.
for the love that alone could make her happy, ana
that she has missed: and this intention is accom-
plshed. first by causing her to make clumsy ana
impossible mistake. and next by rudely bringing her
20 her senses. and goadng her 10 Jealous fury.
Loving her young Prime Minister, Norbert. who
loves and Is beloved by her relative Constance.
the Queen.-an old married woman,-mistakes Nor
berts indirect method of asking her for her cousins
hand and appropriates this offer of marriage 10
herself. The indirectIon of Norbert has been in
spired-for rational purpose whatever-by Con-
stance, a lay figure n the drama. and per-
fecty preposterous person, invented solely as
feeder the Queen. Both the ladies become ex-
ceedingy garrulous. and the bewitehing Norbert
not to left in this of rhetoric,-punges
headlong into his consummate scene of loves be-
trOthal, with long address the political situa-
ton 1t may however, be assumed that Brown
ings poem is remembered by all persons who are
likely read these remarks
Mrs. LIE Moyne's production OF the piece has
served only emphasize the fact that II is insult
able for the stage. Toward its end, when the
two women confronted and the man is allowed
to perceive the full truth and meaning Of the mis-
take, this cooquy struggles YEARLY into some
thing like a dramatic situation: here Mr. Otis
Skinner, romantic actor OF genuine power. burst
the cerements of syntax and spoke in a mans
voice from a mans heart. Mrs. lie MOyne's de-
livery OF the speech in which the Queen avows to
Norbert that indeed she loves him was exceedingly
beautiful. Her voice OF hoarse passion, when the
Queen declaring to Constance her pent-up
frenzy of contempt for the hypocritical servility
life and her delirous exultatiOn in having in
spired animal love (for is what il all means),
was likewise sympathetic and potential. She was
consistently formidable and at the last, she sue
cessfully simulated aspect Of settled and dan
gerous ferocity; but her embodiment did not. at
any point in any way, suggest the exaltation of
genius, the exceptional personality-aH air and
light and fre-which alone could extricate this
character from its encircling OF turgid 1c
ton and everlasting talk, and give II dramatic life.
Miss Robson the impossible Constance. need
not detain attention. The Browning play pre-
ceded by a symbolical composition called The
Land of Hearts Desire" by w B. Yeats-a sort of
verbal picture tending show that a fancifuI
young woman. a tiresome domestic circle, may
be bored by domesticity to such an extent that
she will die This proposition is highly probable:
considering what boTes most people are. the won
der is that any imaginative, original person
mains alive. Mr.. Yeats's play. however, is a sac
charine absurdty, considered something intended
for the stage. There is singular notion among
theatrical managers that persons who dislike plays
that dirty do because they have prefer
ence for plays that dull-that persons who
condemn The Girl from Maxim's' do so because
of their mad desire for Barbara Leithwaite' and
''Mary's Little Lamb" That is an error. Both
the plays at Wallack's received with that I'M
intelligent favor and indiscriminate applause that
often makes the New-York audience so exceedingly
absurd W. w
CAST OF THE LAND OF HEARTS DESIRE"
Maurteen Bruin 'naTies STANLEY
Father Hart che priest of Kilmacowen Johr Giendnnng
Bridget Bruin tAauresn Bruins Wife Mrs Glendn1ng
mare 5 Th, SHAWN Drum Tr EIt
CAST OF IN A BALCONY"
Norbert Mr.. skinner
The queen Miss lie Moyne