New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-02-27
THE DRAMA.

"NOTRE DAME"

] "NOTRE DAME"
Discriminative readers have long been aware
! that Victor Hugo's novel Of THE Hunchback of
, Notre Dame" is remarkable. among works of
fiction. for romantic atmosphere. abundance OF
interesting incident, great variety of contrasted
character tragicaI power and irresistible pathos;
and such readers also know that its fable moves.
with vigorous action and with frequent flashes of
fiery force through a wonderful environment Of
Iesplendent old world pictures. The magnihcent
old Partisan cathedral of NOtre Dame, around
which its movement eddes is one OF the most i'm
Iressive buildings in Europe, at the mere mention
Of which hundreds of associations arouse the
imagination and fill the mind: and the cathedral Is
but Of its many accessories of history, which
the genius of a poet has made tributary to the
purposes of romance. But neither by reason OF It's
substance its investiture does it readily lend
itself dramatic exposition. Much of its strength
IS analysis of the passions, and much OF its
glamour is in its passages of descriptions; and these
things, which great in the fancy, become
dwarfed to the vision. The subject. accordingly
whether treated drama as ballet. or as musical
burlesque (and IL has been treated in all those
forms since 1885. when Elizabeth jefferson Chap
man was beautiful as Esmeralda. and Peter Rich
ings was superb Captain Phoebus), it has not
prospered on the stage.
In the piece that was produced last night at
Days Theatre this subject has been made the
motive a spectacle. The scenery Is elaborate and
in respects magnificent pleasing the eye and
stimulating the imagination. The play is a dis
jonted fabric of cOllOqUes and apOstrOphes. the
fabric being devised without clear purpose and the
colloquies end apostrophes being set down in a
Grabbed. uncouth. rambling strain of diffuse and
tedious verbage dreadful 10 utter and dismal to
hear. No auditor unacquainted with the original
story could easily follow the thread Of narrative
in the play, and person familiar with the
original story see the play without feeling that
it is dissertation of a great and splendid book
Every important character is dsintegrated: the
basis OF a rivalry between Fleur de Lys and Esmc-
ralda Is laid by a complete sacrifice of probability
and common sense; all proportion is destroyed by
the process of overwhelming essential character
figures with mobs and tumult; and the tone Of the
theme which ought to be consistently romantic
and refined is radically vuIgarized ESmera lda-the
type Of helpless nnocence-becomes a sophisticated
schemer arrayed In the spangles OF a circus queen
Claude Froo ca tremendous creation of genius
becomes a creature Of tricks postures and ominous
behavior. culminatiye in mere brutal ruffianism
Quasimodo Is made to seem escaped freak from
Dime Museum. French gentewomen deport
themselves like barmaids and prattle in the lingo
OF tho penny dreadful story paper. The King OF
Gypsies becomes the most conspicuous parsonage Of
a motley OF essentially American mummers, and
every vcstige OF Victor Hugo's art is swamped In
racket and commonplace Some effect Of a praise
worthy character was created In the stage manage
meut OF the scene OF Quasimodo's rescue of Esme-
rada at the door Of Notre Dame and by the hunch-
backs salvation OF her from FrolIo's ravishnent
ending in his precipitation OF the priest from the
befry OF the cathedral: but both these scenes were
hampered and maTred by turSid iUx OF voclferous
vcrhiage. The rest evenly insipid Miss Hilda
Spong might. perhaps, act Esmeralda II she had
Esmoralda to act The person whom she does
represent Is an amorous young woman made up for
Mardi Gras. who makes her love ma wklsh by excess
OF ardor and her society ntoIerabe by proixity of
talk. Even 70 the deaf Quasmodo this loquacous
damsel Was pitilessy eloquent though requested 10
communicate by signs. and-what is stn more re-
markablc-she made him hear perfectly well There
Is nothing 10 be said about the acting TOR nothing
was done by anybody. above ordinary average
OF conventional execution. The house was crowded
and at several points the chief players were recalled
with hearty applause Of sympathetic friendship
W W