The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-07
CHARLES DICKENS
IND The STAGE
Different Forms in Which Pick
wick Has Appeared
ONCE AS AN OPERA
Great Novelist Could Have
Been a Great OramatiSt.

De Wolf Hopper's success in a musical
comedy based upon the ~PiclzwicA Pa
pers serves to recall Dickens close asso-
citation with the stage and the keen inter
est always manifested by him in every
thing connected with the actors profes-
sion. 1t has often been said that. in
gaining a great novelist, the English
speaking world lost an almost unequaled
actor, and powerful dramatist-in other
words that il Charles Dickens had iden-
tifed himself with the stage instead Of
devoting himself TO action he would have
made upon it. both as performer and as
writer. a name second to none in theatri-
cal history BY the Interpretation Of
parts undertaken in amateur perform
ances. and stiH more notably By the ex-
traordinary dramatic power which he
evinced al the reading desk Dickens
proved that as an actor he was possess
Cd of absolute genius.
The published letters. as well as the
novels. of Dickens are full of references
10 actors and the stage. and it was TO
Macready las slight token OF admira-
ton and regard" that he inscribed Mich
olas Nickleby, wherein that famous
group of theatrical characters gathered
around the standard of Vincent Crum-
niles were introduced to the world. 1t was
in the pages of this book that the hero
encountered the literary gentleman
who draratized in his time pa novels
as fast as they came out and was liter
airy gentleman in consequence. But the
harsh language put into the mouth of
Nicholas. addressed to the literary gen
tlemen cannot be accepted as Dickens
fianal attitude toward the question of
adaptations Years afterward he told
Toole, when that comedian came to ask
m to write a play. 1T viii interest you
to know that when | was writing Great
Expectations, with a view to possible
dramatic version of the story. 1 had you
in mind all the time for Joe Gargery, and
Ben Webster for the convict" He also
sent the proof sheets of a Tale of Two
Cities" to Regnier of the Theatre Fran
Gals and wrote Il should like very much
TO know what you think of its being dra-
matized for a French theatre.
Nearly all Dickens important novels
have at one time or another been drama
of his fictions to be transferred to the
stage. and if any proof were needed of
the marvellous vitality of his books. one
need only to point to the fact that al
though sixty-five years have elapsed since
this vehicle OF mirth first saw the light,
one of the foremost actors of America
today has chosen to star IN the character
of Mr.. Pickwick.
The theatrical history OF the Pickwick
ians commenced Immediately upon the
serial conclusion of the work on April
p. 1887 at the City OF London Theatre
Edward Stirling was responsible for the
play and afterward dranatized nearly
all Dickens novels as they appeared An
other version was made simultaneously
BIZ William Moncreiff entitled Sam Wei
Ter, Of the Pickwicl1ans- Still lanother
concurrent version was designated The
Pickwickians. or the Peregrinations of
Sam Weller" 1t was in three acts and
twelve scenes. in almost the exact dia-
Iogue Of the original text. These plays
did not prove very successful. and the
only permanent memory that clings to the
stage career of the Pickwickians came
to them in 1871, when Henry Irving ap-
peared in his celebrated characterization
OF Alfred Jingle. IN America. the first
presentation of "Pickwick Papers took
place at the Franklin Theatre. New York
on July q. 1881 4 more notable presen-
tation was made the following spring by
an excellent company al the Park The.
atre. Not the least interesting feature
of Pickwick's theatrical career was his
appearance in opera in 1879, when the
London Comedy Company presented
one-act operetta the text by F. 6 Bur
nand. editor. of Punch. The scene was
the famous apartment in Gosweil street
and the action embraced the incident on
which Ms Barden founded her ceiebrat-
ed action for breach Of promise