New-York tribune., 1900-04-09

,-ue chaperon OF the Mrs. Nickleby type. a
commentary bore who addresses a drawing
-, group with the terrible earnestness OF the
land Old Man. man about town with a
.-s,zv for golf and a distaste for everything
=. 3 society woman of the smart set with
resentful and unwholesome talent for in
.-se,,e and q private secretary rescued from
--,h Street These are good character sketches.
- q dranaatist capable OF drawing them with
,-e and decisive strokes cannot be said to have
-,sse failure OF his play. even if his plot be
,-.;6caI and his melodrama conventional. with
snal scene Of balancing to partners. Mr..
r-.,h ewes much. however TO the intelligence
"a brfuiancy OF the acting Mr.. Alexander
~.s seldom been more flexible in method and
ere buoyant in sentiment than he is in this
sv and Mr Irving is his best as an artist
!, bringing together and also separating the
.-si,s Of the two brothers. Miss Davis is
..s-rningIy girlish and innocent as the mill
.onsire's daughter; Miss Granville acts with
- IN the best scene of the play. when the
.s.io,,s erabittsred woman lets loose her tongue
.vainst her rival. and Mr. Aubrey Smith and
~ Ponntn are most amusing the golfer and
ne Parliamentary bore.
The Benson Company has continued its
-,.t,esnes-iau season with marked success at
.be I.vceurn Theatre. and the critics are begin
.,r n rid their minds of can't and 10 admit
- dramatic talent and work OF a high order
-, cor,e out Of the provinces. Hypercriticism
= :. eseur,ption Of metropolitan superiority
- - he expected for a brief period. but the
--..,ical evidence Of intelligence. painstaking
s.-a and sympathy with Shakespearian motives
.,tcb these performances have offered has
- g,onressed even the most censorious
..,.s There has been an appreciative public
= .,A NAV A large subscription list for the
-.-s season has more than covered the ex-
-s,ses II the company. and the attendance has
basr good the applause hearty and the graft
IL - rhoughtful students Of Shakespeare TO
~, Renson sincere Mr.. Benson is not a great
o-.,s+ ike Sir Henry Irving. but he is actor
nth many talents and manager who tmparts
.husiasrn and unity Of effort TO the members
= his company. The audience retires with
.,-assiou Of the truth and symmetry of the
,e-sormauce as a whole. and is not concerned
with the merits or the shortcomings Of indi-
ridual actors
Among the six plays already produced-the
seventh The Tempest comes on next week
.7ichard II and Twelfth Night have been
-he most satisfactory performances. Mr.. Ben
sor himself is al his best in these two works.
The part OF Richard suits his temperament, and
as an actor he makes in 1t his closest approach
70 greatness As Malvolio he plays with fine
variety. and while the humor is almost too Bit
fer and the style hard and metallic. the work
is good The acting throughout these TWO per-
fornances was excellent, with a single excep-
ton Mrs. Benson. who was graceful and charm
,ng as Titania in Midsummer Nights Dream
was TOO hysterical as Viola in Twelfth Night"
and in her tantrums forgot the poetry and
beauty Of the part. AS Cleopatra she was
also unequal 70 the requirements Of the splen-
dors OF the text. and even the fine scenic set
ting with It's contrasts of Roman and Egyptian
civilization. offered inadequate compensation
for the actresses lack OF imagination and power.
NJ Weir has displayed remarkable versatility
and e unique talent for comic byplay in Henry
Y" The Rivals" Hamlet Richard II"
Twelfth Night and Antony and Cleopatra"
He is the best artist in the company, and has
mastered the art Of concealing his art. His
Fluellen, Bob Acres. Gravedigger Sir Toby
Belch and Clown are inpersonations TO be re-
nembered-
Through all the drama. whether damned or
not love gilds the scene and woman guides the
plot" says the prologue Of The Rivals So in
the latest Of the Haynarket productions the
t-uity old wine has been once more brought up
from the cellar and the critic is in mood TO
damn what so charms the taste. We are taken
70 old Bath with its sunlit streets. where dain-
1rv dressed ladies glide out Of the quaint houses
70 their chairs. and the lampman comes at
rightfsu 70 trim his wicks while in white pan
eIed parlors and chintz hung boudoirs we are
let into other gOings on Of these old tangled
folk Mr Cyril Maude, though pleasant enough
as Bob Acres in his opening scene, slid unblush-
ingiy into farce later on. and fun thus pursued
forsook him and fed. Mr.. Valentine was a
roaring Sir Anthony, who for q moment stood
IN danger-ir lies in wait for every Sir An
thony-of becoming e high tragedian, but was
saved in the nick OF time by the skin OF his
teeth and the CLINT OF his eyes. His robust sense
Of pleasure preserved him for ahectionate toll
Grafton. as Sheridan intended
Miss Emery was the delightful embodiment in
looks, aided and sbetted by costumes Of great
loveliness. Of Lydia Languish, one imagines
Sheridan would have been pleased TO see her.
with al her pretty affectations. She was full
ct good sense, and sincere, with all her whirnsi-
cslities. Mr.. Paul Arthur played Captain Abb
soiute with e denure sense Of hunlor. Perhaps
because OF the peculiar difficulties the highest
praise should be given 10 MI Frederick Harri-
sons work as the morbidly sensitive Falkland,
who is generally considered 4 bore. He con-
trtvec, with reserve and perfect distinction. TO
point the satire so deicately that smiled
the perversity OF such nature, yet in a way
came under the influence Of his fine feeling. In
short, this Haymarket production has caught
That rare spirit OF enjoyment which belongs TO
Old comedies and the wine that needs
bush" INF
TO pPFACE m TOpRFTT CEApET