New-York tribune., 1903-04-01
LONDON DRAMA.
Court Play at the st. James's and
Od-Timer at the HayRldrket.
London. March n

London March II
Mr.. George Alexander by happE choioe Oh
-,,,. x,,o,aaas in maintaining the reputation of
hfs theatre as the fsvorite court play mousse
-~-be Prisoner of Zenda" was the first OF
xe-3ss of popuIar romantic dramas presenting
+te human side Of royalty. Whether il has been
.hs heroic adventurer or the ballad singer mas
oue-adirg as the king and Jooosely adapting
himself TO the conventional requirements OF
court etiquette and sovereignty. OF the heiT 10
a throne escaping from the sitting atmosphere
OF 6 palace and allowing himself brief period
Of relaxation as an ordinary mortal the I'M
aeination of the spectator is thrilled with the
pIessurable excitement Of spontaneous human
interest The dreamer finds himself in ii palace
surrounded with pomp and ceremony and is
dissIlusioned: or the prince takes refuge among
a company Of university students: and a man
e man for a that" Ia "old Heidelberg. pro-
duced this week as English version of Herr
Neyer- F0rster's play. there is struggle be-
tween love and the obligations Of sovereignty,
and the awakening comes when the prince. hav-
ing yielded 10 the summons OF the court func-
tionary. returns for day TO the scene OF youth
al revelry 70 discover that the touch OF COM
panionshiD and equality has gone and that al
things are changed The sense Of disiliusion-
n5eut IS as complete It is when the conditions
are reversed and the ballad singer awakes IN
marble halls and discovers that all is not gold
that glitters-'
When the play produced few months
age with the German text II comedy Of
rnenners deficient in local color. At the St
James's Theatre II Is transformed into a
mantle drama with passages OF comedy. and the
environment Of the famous university town is
reproduc by artistic scenic effects. and the
joys OF q registering student life illustrated
with effective realism. While the value OF the
piece as an agreeably sentimental form OF
tertainrnent for court theatre is not impaired,
its quaint charm q truthful denotement Of
cornradeship and social equality among Ger
nan students IS preserved. The simple story is
told with sincerity and directness The heir to
German principeIity, who has been kept out
II touch with men OF his own age, receives per
mission to spend year al Heidelberg with his
tutor and 70 1--we without restraint among the
students. The awkward and dIffdent boy, ac-
custoued 10 living among pornpous servants and
rnbending courtiers and functionaries. finds JOY
n life when he lodges at an inn opposite the
ruined castle. and speedily becomes the most
froIicsorne among the light hearted students.
who are served with beer and wine by the
bright eyed, sweet voiced innkeeper's niece He
falls IN love with the girl and is on the point Of
running away with her 10 Paris when he is
summoned 70 court TO act as regent during his
uacle's illness. Two years pass and the prince
IS transformed into a sadly bored sovereign op-
pressed with the etiquette Of a petty court and
drawn tnto q conventional royal marriage.
chance meeting With one Of his humble friends
II the university inspires him with a sudden
desire IN revisit the valley of the Nectar snd 10
renew for single day the joys Of youth; but
when be reaches the inn everything is changed
The srecriorate old tutor is in his grave; the
students are arrayed n evening dress and re-
cefve their former cornrade as sovereign WITH
formal addresses. the songs have lost thelr
epa-lzle and vivacity. and the innkeeper's niece
while she loves him dearly, IS betrothed TO one
r. her own class and IS only prepared 10 give
-e- former lover q farewell kiss. The uncon-
,-e-rionsl 10Y OF student life has passed as
dream and the prince returns 70 court with q
se7se that youthful freedom can never be re
gained
This is not great drama, but II is excellent
entertainment and clean and wholesome as Il
* refreshing It is enacted with strongly con-
tasted effects Of for1nality and etiquette IN the
ruo court scenes, and youthful ef1ervesoence
and boisterous fun in the Heidelberg passages
~ Tvs1 Svve+a as the -ceremonious valet ano
Mr. Alfred Rrydone as the solemn 0la@IS
minister were the chief figures IN the court
scenes and amply justified their training IN 'Le
raa,sor school of acting. The student scenes
we're filed with the buoyancy and hlgh splrlls
- zouth end the songs we're admirably suie'
NJ Alexander did not nave 50 sOo1 q L- -
.-Tr We're King but he played the prince
with sound judgment and hexibiLlty. aoop'lhs Z
rovish and ingenious manner at the outset,
et-g7-g aside self-restraint in the revel OF gooo
,-,--7-,s nfonstip. and displaying tenderness ana
vz+bos in the passages with the innkeepers : niece
ana the tutor and irritabiliJy eIlo oePfessoi ii-
.pa closing acts Miss Eva Moore suPpoi 'eU
-, --f+r, animation and pretty coQuetry as me
ss-a o4 the students The best impersona-
- v-ss aTr Beveridge's Dr. Juttner the
,-,os,s r7,+or companion. and It received on the
..i-- 7,igb+ from galleries and stalls alike lne
-. n y sreciaI and most enthusiastic can
- -ba curtain. odd Heidelberg. while
- ar6 ,1upretentious IN construction Is
z.7t-.-4-1 rIsv which revives memories OF
-,-,+L and sends audiences out OF the thea're 10
- --777e Life Let Is Cherish
.-o-,s- charming entertainment Win
,,,z4r- Old world environment IS Inc Nial'u
- Marriage rs revived at the f1ayIl-ai net
s-r rerfection Of detail and an artls'ie
siz174eenrh century setting Wnether Jaw
r-s--tcIz Or the elder George ColHan hao 'ie
---s- share Of the authorship ceased long ago
=. 9r-e-as+ audiences: and the play, after oeIDs
+ax7orite one in England and America for y"
-aners1ious and enlisting the services OF HIN'
eminent ecto-s. has well nigh passed out ol ie
t--,~s The performance AZ the Haymarket
< 60 excellent that the COMEDY may iee0ii
=. -.-,,,1a-+-v here II supplies Mr.. Cyril
,fau5e with one Of the most amusing ana rs
- s--,7,as Of eccentric character The
- -, To-d 0gleby. struggling to convince
- er5 women Of fashion. and even his ser
-. : -,-eu that he is still young. gallant
s-sgr-1v and irresistible in destinations Is one
Ae=+