The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-19
THEATERS.

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n ICHELIEUi What better theme
or title for a dramatisti What a
~ name to conjure with. Who of us
has not read and dreamed OF Richelieu
and drawn some picture Of the man OF
iron. the fighting cardinal who. as
his strength fOrsook his arm. welded
the farther reaching weapons OF his
brain. and with his mental armament
did doushtier deeds than when his good
hands carved a way through his enc
mics with the flashing falchion that
his old age could hardly lift.
Richelieu. the fox. the dread and yet
the hope OF France. centering her des-
TIMES In one mighty brain. controlling
her disasters. curling her ambitions.
Richeheu. OF whom even the fearless
D'Artagnan was afraid and Aramis
acknowledged as a master. Richelieu.
who played with countries as his chess
ed the king. allowed TO move but one
square At a time. only because the
kings safety represented the safety or
his country and meant the game.
One can Imagine warde. or any OF
our great actors. born with the spirit
devouring as n boy his Three Mus
keteers" and the succeeding tales OF
their adventures. reading other stories
Of the days OF Richelieu and investing
the cardinal minister OF France with
the dread that D'Artagnan felt. the ad-
mIration for his subtletry. the recogni-
ton OF his generosity. How eagerly.
when the stage was adopted as his pro-
fsssion. must warde. or the others.
have looked forward to the opportunity
Richelieu. OF being for a while the rep
resentative OF the most picturesque.
perhaps the most powerful. man of his
torio times Greater than Wolsey. be-
cause living In a more enlightened age. |
= prelate fully co8nizant of the supreme |
power OF the supernatural and its DOM |
nation over the hardest spirits. but |
after all a man. Go. monk Leave |
patience to the saints,"
Lytton's play is eminently theatrical. |
calculated for stage presentation SeiE-
ing one of the many episodes In the /
OF the minister thought they had trap
ped the fox at last. only to account
themselves foolish geese ready for the
plucking In the hour OF their supposed
Lytton has given a chance for
the interpreter to show in skillful tech Il
nique the complexity that made the
greatness of the wearer OF the red robe II
which. while invested with terror ting III
ed with its own bloody hue. to many II
was a warm refuge to the few. With
impersonation. the first act
discloses many subtleties- First the
Did man. always the old man. through
put the play. His love OF flattery from
his associates. which he yet adjudged
At its real value. His knowledge of
humanity that gauging n man or wom-
an to the very standard was yet tinged
with the breath OF suspicion constantly
,ngendered by his office and its deal
ngs with the intrigues OF state.
The romanticism OF the man. his love
IF beauty. OF poetry. of chivalry. his
of his youth when Even
nave loved" His willy delight in see
ng his opponent make the very move
liE own step had forestalled, and then
n supreme moments the greatness OF .
he man. his majesty dwarfing the
ting by natal accident. who reigned
through him. and left Ia his own re-
ources. showed like marionette be-
lind the scenes when the strings that
make IL live have slackened-
IL has been urged that RicheIieu's
riumph In LyttOn's play was gained
lot by his efforts but by those of the
Dung Francois. who saved the day
shen the master spirit dropped baffled
ms impotent. Warde's masterful in
makes the answer clear
was the cardinal who. with his no
UGH ward as fail" the unbaring of his
4
tanhood and sent him forth mighty | b
fi,h his own magnetism. Therein lay
greatness and the secret OF
Is success. Unlike his successor. Ma q
arin. the crafty an2 penurious. Rich Il
lieu's own intense maniiness. strung
'itn the full Eamut OF the passions. u
ubdued but ready to- respond. made Z,
inn truly great. stopped the murder .,
cnt DE Maupras In the flash Of his
lade and awed the fawning courtiers o.
atchinE. hoping. intriguing for his
III.
Their. are few OF us who. when our
rfinitions OF the stage are analysed. j.
b not associate IL with sword. scarf. Ina
.athcrs. silks. satins and high boots.
hat - the real success OF the modern u
AZ. for medievaiism. Richelieu APP
.ais To- these tastes and was I'm con- -,
.quence enjoyed to- the fun last night.
rowing. perhaps. To the many, the 81
ost enjoyable bill OF the season. re
warde gave US the presentment OF
ichciieu ON Saturday. "A charactcriza-
on that satisfied all who had formed
-cconceiVed ideas OF the great cardi- -
NJ. In the curse scene. rising TO the .
lights. towering above Baradas until -
dwarfed him. he reached the heights q
dramatic force and realism. Rich n
leu ~ n living entity now TO those who -