The Washington times., 1903-08-23
London Critics on Emily. "
Warren & Landeck's Dramatization of
David Copperield."

There seems to be general approval
among the London critics of the drama
tization Of David Copperfeld' under
the title of Emily" which was pro-
duced a fortnight ago at the Adelphi
Theater. One says: ''It would, of
course, be shockingly revolutionary and
contrary to the great traditions of the
house If piece presented at the Adel-
phi was not embellished pretty lavish
ly with appeals to the emotions of a
vigorous and uneQuivocal nature In
this respect Emily" keeps strictly to
tradition. But none the less, although
set tableaux. garrulous pathos. and all
the other resources of gallery play are
candidly laid under contribution, there
IS sound basis of genuinely capable
writing and acting.
''The first act went heavily, but as
its lack of crisDness did not seem to
be wholly due to the adapter's difficult
ties in getting the two separate threads
of the plot well under way, an improve
ment may be looked for in future per
formances. 1t would be an undeniable
Improvement if Uriah Heep could always
learn to remember whom he is address
ing by name, and if sundry members of
the company could get out of the over
shadowing influence of the novel and
put more independent vitality into their
renderings of the parts at present adapt
ed for them. But taken all in all, EN-
ly," as played by the present COM
pany, is a piece which has plenty of
merit, and attractiveness. and is quite
deserving of the holiday popularity
which seems assured to it. to Judge by
its first reception from a well-fiIled and
enthusiastic house."
Another says: 'In constructing their
new version of the old story, T. Gideon
Warren and Ben Landeck have followed
the easy method OF dividing each act
into two scenes, each of which boasts
its own particular set of characters.
The device possesses, at any rate, the
merit of simplicity, albeit it cannot be
said to make for unity of purpose. Ger
tain it is that without some previous
knowledge of the story it would be no
easy matter to come TO clear under
standing of much that takes place in
view OF the audience. Here, however,
the adapters of so well-known a novel
have a very decided advantage. for al
though on Saturday night one gentleman
in the stalls was, audibly and much TO
the discomfort of his neighbors. in
structed IN the intricacies of the plot by
his companion, his case was, we take 1T,
exceptional and wholly apart.
Nevertheless. it is TO be regretted
that Messrs. Warren and Landeck had
not labored 10 give 10 their piece a
more apparent air OF uniformity and
consistency. The comic scenes are, IN
particular, undeniably disjointed. al
though their effect will probably be
greater when they are handled more
spiritedly and firmly by the performers.
And even in the more serious moments
of the play events are constantly hap
pening for which no adequate explana-
tion can be discovered in its earlier
portions. Saturdays audience, notwith-
standing. took very kindly to the new
piece, receiving both 1t and its inter
prefers with every indication of salts
faction. So profoundly human. so pow
erfully emotional is the tale imagined
by Dickens that. whatever the medium
it's appeal is assured OF success. To IL
We come again and again. with an ever
increasing sense of pleasure. And If at
the Adelphi some expected incident
some desired detail, be missing, imagi-
nation quickly repairs the omission"