The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-15
ULYSSES" A FINE SUCCESS,
STEPHEN, FuILLIPSS POETIC
DRAMA ACTED HERE.


I1enaAcsmins or the Greek Here Beau.
TRULY ricturcd-Tyronc Power rs
lIySssS. Hsse ,Csghlan as Penelope.
Ulysses" poetic and spectacular play
by Stephen Phillips was produced at the
Garden Theatre last night in the presence
of considerable and interesting assem-
blage of-patrons OF the artistic drama. OF
whom, despite the dazzling appearances
Of Broadway, there are still few In
the metropolis. Matthew Arnold, in his
lecture, entitled Numbers promised
us some years ago that, although our
country harbored vast hordes Of benghted
creatures whom the sweetness and light
of Dante Gabriel Rossetti had never touched
and to whom Browning was but poppy
and mandragoru, We should find among
US residue capableof living up at least to
Christina Rossetti and Mrs. Browning and
that by that little residue we might he
vicariouslv saved from literary perdition.
In recent days Stephen Phillips has nsen
above the fog and CRIME Of the sarcastic
Shaw, the gentecl Jones and the penetrating
Pincro as the sunlight of the English poetic
drama and Charles Frohman, that aniiable
dramatic apostle, who would be all things
to all men, has imported Ulysses" that the
children of the Western Republic might be
touched by its tragic undertone. gladdened
BY its pictorial splendors and generally
refreshed by its contrast to the drama OF
commerce.
1t is wonder that some one did not
attack the wanderings of the domestic
Odysseus long ago Every student OF
Homer knows that he did not wish to play
his part in the Trojan war and that he
feigned insaniiy-there is nothing new
in order to escape.
His prctence was exposed. and he had
to 60 TO fight for Helen, whom he had vainy
.woeed, and to leave Penelope, who had
successfully consoled him. That part of
the story suggests good comedy.
But when Ulysses tried to go home after
the war his troubles began. His followers
were much too curious, and they made
him much troLb'e. Every one who has
read Homer of course every in
telligent theatregoer has-remembers how
the wanderings of Ulysses took him to the
island of Cirle, the enchantress, who tried
to turn him into an animal.
He was forewarned and did not drink
the magic drink, so that when Gree, like
the Arabian Nights enchantress, babe him
quit his natural form and take another
he laughed at her and then threatened to
kill her. After that he remained on the
island a year. and she bore him son. Tel
egonus, who was eventually the death Of
him
And there was Callp'o. He remained on
her island eight years, which is proof posi-
tive that she was very charming young
woman. Then came the island of Plea in,
where he was most kindly received by King
Alcinous, not to speak Of his daughter
Nausicaa. On but one island where female
beauty blossomed did the meandering
Ulysses refuse to lnger and that was the
unhallowed abode Of the sirens. But he
had himself tied to the mast as he sailed
by, and thus helpless he listened to the
famed and fatal song of allurement.
Oh, wise Ulysses! Well do we know
what thou wouc!st lave done hadst thou
been ireel An isle peopled with maidens
In the ample 6eshabille of the classic age!
Well didst ttou Know thou woudst have
landed there and Penelope become the
bigamous bride of Antinous or tie gentle
tongued AMI hinomus.
With such material what would a drama
fist do? How could he write in play these
scattered and disconnected episodes? 1t
seemed to be fOreordered that the play
should be one Of slightly connected pictures
with suggestive background of Penelope,
shaving at the endless loom.
Yet there WIS promise at the end of at
least one act Of sterling tragedy. when the
mighty son Of L1ertef sends the arrow sing
ing through the axeheads, throws Of the
h"fr"'t ri ii"e, proc!aims hin,fer Ulysses
OF Ithaca. AID rmites the ribad Antinous
/. ,!ic nC&th.
A vast and splendid panorama Of TIE
antique world. proplcd with those concrete
mythc types in which the poetic fances Of
primitive ra,jOns conserved their rude
religions. their rude philosophy, or their
still ICder history, aud favored with the
perfume 'vr an immortal cpic-these were
the elemerts one naturally hoped to fine
in Mr. Pii,lipa's drama.
But the realization was different from
the erp"cfit't,n, of finer CaliEre, q more
Poetic texture and better dramatic unity
the theme Of tic theatrical symphony
was the love Of Ulysses for his wife and his
tnginE 10 return to her. The secondary
there was lrc" love for him and her stead.
tastnoss N time OF trial.
The prelude il on Mount Olympus, with
Zsus hokling his nigh court. Pdlios.
.Athene interceles for Ulysses, held under
Cuiypso's love spell and Zcus DEGREES that
he shall Nce his home again when he has
hravci the horrors of Hades. The frs,
movement allegro giocoso appassionatc
sings the passion OF Cdlypso and Ulgsse.
and tine latter's awakening hunger for the
meadows and 4,iilS of Ithaca.
II i~ he beautiful classic version of the
Tannhaeuscr- Venus legend, couched in a
simpler idiom than W1gner's. A beautiful
EPISODE il il with a very womanlv CALYPSO
ard protecting AMene instead of Snrtc
Maria in the background. This scene was
most effective last night because the picture
WAS admirable and the acting Of Olive
Oliver as Calypso fell of a womanly tender.
nos-.
The second movement scher2o and furi-
ant be dies forth the clamOr Of the dsso-
eioTe's hand and shows them boldly COM
among them. Here Rose Coghlan IA Pen
eiope struck with fr1nness every note in the
lovely, gracious character of the heroine
while Ralph Delrnore and William Owen
supplied the needed contrast Of physical
force and beatiality.
Then came the third act, the slow move
ment adagio lamentOso Ulysses descends
TO Hades and faces the horrors to learr
whether his wife lives and is true to him
Several tell him she lives; only the spirit
OF his mother can comfort him with AZ
elrance that she is true. The scene ID
one Of remarkable pictorial power.
1t courts description, yet description