New-York tribune., 1901-04-29
LONDON DRAMA.
SIR HENRY IRVING AS CORTOI,ASI-s-
PLUTARCHS MAN AND
DRAMATIC MOB.
London. April 16.

is4oA INC pdtTlcldn trdQitioQaly s.
sociated with Kemble. the elder Kean, Macreadv
and Phelps. His appeal was made to students
Of classical literature rather than tn tbe eo6s of
the gallery. Shakespeare may have seen the
outline Of the story of Coriolanus in Painters
palace or Pleasure" but he drew his material
for the play mainly from North's translation of
Plutarch' aoherlng so closely to the text that
portions OF the speeches of Coriolanus in offer
ing his services to AufiGius, and of Voumna. in
pleading for the delverance of Rome are literal
translations- There was indeed only one devia-
ton from Plutarch's narrative and this in a
matter Of minor detail. In North's translation
seeking access to Aufdius is met with fouts
and jeers from the attendants and remains
silent and disdainful. In the play he answers
them with scornful sarcasm. and after
wrangle falls upon them and beats them until
the uproar brings Aufidius upon the scene. That
is the only departure from the classic story
Shakespeares Coriolanus otherwise is Plutarch's
man, and Sir Henry Irving reproduces him as
he was in North's translation. The lines are
spoken quietly in cold, measured tones. Pride
in the superiority of privileged class
tempt for the unreasonng mob and resentment
for public ingratitude are denoted not by violent
outbreaks of passion and noisy defamation
but by chilling manner. scornful glance and
silent disdain.
The great actor in this deliberate suppression
of the stage traditions of this Roman part dis
Germs the truth that Shakespeare is the master
Of the art of contrast. The mob, under the in
stigation of envious dema gogues is exctable.
capricous. passionate, noisy and unreasoning.
Coriolanus is a stern. unbending patrician cold
and impassive in his naughty reserve. defiant in
his scornful detestation Of the rabble and self
restrained when his anger is lighted up
with intensity Of disdain for public clamor and
national injustice. Coriolanus and the populace
are contrasted with each other for dramatic ef-
feet, just the strong, seif-reliant resource
full volumnia has an artistic foil in the weak.
clinging, timorous Virgilia; and it is Plutarchs
man, rather than the declamatory Roman OF
the stage traditions. that really belongs in the
picture especially when the humorous passages
of mob action, which were purely OF Shake
speare's invention. are brought out with pict-
uresque realism in this production on the
Lyceu1n stage. 1t is the mob the spoilt child
Of political license, that RACES and roars. 1t is
Coriolanus, the spoilt child Of patrician PRIDE
that scorches the populace with arrogant glance
and freezes the tribunes with scornful taunts,
but neither RACES nor roars
EFFECTS OF CONTRAST.
Other effects Of contrast not missed in
this artistic performance. The proud spirited
tnhexible warrior. who has fierce glances Of con-
tempt for tribunes and rabble, and asks for suf-
frages with studied insolence smiles tendeTly
when he sees his wife and boy. and cannot re-
fuse his mothers pleading in the Folscian camp
when mercy is a forecast Of his own doom. Inc
undiscipned mob swayed by every breath Of
prejudice and fear. is contrasted with the order
w. well trained army accustomed to leadership
and glorying in danger. Sir Henry Irving has.
moreover, rearranged the neglected play so as
10 provide contrasted situations for the fall OF
each curtain At the close of the first act Corio-
lanus returning in triumph from battle. has
been nominated by the Senators for Consul
When the second act ends the enmity Of the
demagogues has prevailed the populace has
turned against him. and he has been banshed
from Rome. The final fall of the curtain wit
nesses his assassination by the Volscians after
he has listened to the sorrowful plea for mercy
and renounced his vengeance. The dramatic
movement has been intensified by this rear
rangennent Of scenes and capricious mob, in
flexible patrician and treacherous Volscians help
10 explain another. Possibly the political
philosophy Of the drama-and there is much
Of it's also accentuated by the changes. AT
any rate, "Coriolanus" is converted into good
acting play. with many fine moments for the
greatest living actor.
Miss Ellen Terry also has in Volumnia
strong part and plays 1t well. In the opening
daughter-in-law with keen sarcasms. and dis
plays a Roman natron's pride in the valor Of
her son. If she does not initiate Mrs. Siddons
by staggering behind the golden car Of triumph
when Coriolanus returns from battle, she Nils
the stage with her gracious presence and acts
with naturalness and charm. In the scene
where a final effort is made to convert the self
wiIled warrior into time serving politician she
displays dexterity and animation; and in the
final plea for mercy in the Volscian camp she is
as eloquent as her own Portia. This is deeply
moving scene in which the company Of Roman
matrons in black with the family of Coriolanus
kneel before him ard entreat him to spare his
country: and with the uniforms and arnlor of
the Volscian warriors there beautiful effects
of color In costume and metal. Miss Terry is
the central figure in this pathetic spectacle, and
plavs with earnestness grace and intensity Of
feeling.
GOOD WORK BY THE MOB.
The action OF the mob saved Julius Cesar
when the play was produced at Her Majesty's
Theatre, and it is an important element in the
success of "Coriolanus." 1t is wonderfully
trained mob which displays the patience and
resources of the stage management. Not only
is il collectively dramatic. but every moving and
gesticulating figure seems to have character
and individuality of its own. Not one or these
'supers" is a mechanical puppet, but each plays
his part with an intensity of realism and dra-
matte fervor only Witnessed until recently on the
Partisan stage 1t is the action and reaction
Of unreasoning mob and infexible patrician each
upon the other that makes this play convincing;
for otherwise both the ingratitude or the popu-
lace and the betrayal by Corioianus OF his coun-