The Washington times., 1903-06-28
lbSen'S Vikings
Doomed.
Ellen Terry and a Fine Com
pany. UnconaeniaIIu Cast.
Are SuboTdinated bU the
Stage Manager.
w urn DR.. P. II. wicksteed's af-

10 Set-lhe NOTWeBlan QEanatlSL VI
kings a few days before it was with
drawn. For one thing the production
was doomed at the start; IL was woefully
miscas: The most daring Imagination
cannot picture Ellen Terry as the fierce
warrior of Gunnar Headman. Once a
creature capriciously sweet tender
arch and delightfully."- arrogant. Mis-
Terry is now long past her prime. Her
pretty voice is gone. her memory a
pCrilous quicksaRd. She shows her age
mere than the hardieT-fbered Sarah
Bernha sdt, and there is listlessness in
her movements. a settling of the muscles
that proves she needs a long rest. To
play Hiordis at her time Of life was
numbering Ibsen outright.
Not Ibsen Stage Settings.
But the play had it's compensations
Miss Terry's son, Edward Gordon Craig
exercised hill sway with the stage, light
ing, costumes. He is a young man with
considerable Imagination and taste for
the poetic picturesque. He has endeav-
ored to escape the deadly monotony of
stage illumdning. London lighting. and,
unaided has worked out several inter-
esting problems.
AbolishinE foot and border lights
sending shafts OF luminosity from above.
Mr.. Craig secures unexpected and biz
ARE effects. It need be hardly added
that these same effects are suitable only
for plays into which the elements OF
romance and of the fantastic largely
enter. We see no flies, no shaky I'M
convincing side scenes, no foolish foe
nj 81
The Impression created is one OF a
real unreality. For example, when the
curtains are parted a rocky slope. Nor
dish. rugged, forbidden. is viewed, the
sea, an inky pool, mist hemmed, wash
ing at its base. From above fails a
curious, sinister light which gives pur-
fish tones to the stony surroundings
hhd masks the faces OF the players with
mysterious shadows. The entire atmos-
phere is one of awe. of dread.
Portraying Day and Night.
With his second tableau Mir. Craig is
even more successful. It is the feast
room in Gunnar's house. It is a boxed
in set, though it gives one the feeling
of spaciousness that on the very limit
ed stage of the Imperial is surprising. A
circular platform with high seat at tho
back, and long table with rough
benches. rallied in. make up an interior
far from promising A fire burns in
peculiar hearth in the center and there
are raised places for the women. out
side ii is dark.
The stage manager cOntrived to get an
extraordinary atmosphere OF gloomy
radiance in this barbaric apartment. He
sent his light shivering from on high
and Miss Terry's ysIkyr dress was a gor-
geons blue when she stood in the hub
Of the room All the light was tempered
By a'painter's perception of lovely hues
This scene has been admired very much.
For many. however, the third act bore
on the victory A simple space Of hail.
large easement, dais, the whole
dooded by daylight. Here the quality OF
light was OF the purest, withal hard
as beftted a northern latitude.
In the last scene of all Mr.. CRAIG
Wrestled with the darkness and obtained
several effects. though none startling or
novel.
Romantic Drema-Not Poetry.
The Vikings" was first planned for
versa Morse tragedy Of cate in the
Greek style But the theme demanded |
drastic, laconie prose, with nothing
Hnessential. and. as Jaeger points out. !
without mOnologues. lyric cutbursts: the
Dialogue glows with passion. but the
glow never becomes flame or gives out |
sparks; here is caustic wit and biting |
repartee. but the fighting is not carried /
On with light rapiers; We seem to be /
watching a battle for life and death /
with the short, heavy swords which tho 1
Did Vikings used-hatred and love /
friendship and vengeance. scorn and 4
Tief-al are as intense as the sagas 1
themselves.
Inc dramatic poet has been rcproach-
I'd, as his tiographer asserts. for de |
grading the demigods" Of the Volsupq \
saga into more Norwegian and IceIandic
vikings Of the age CT Erik Blodox-or
Bloody Ak. Other critics. again bavc
commended him for making Vikings
PIT Of the Nolsung Saga
Be IL as it may the result ia dram.
d an excellent sort; romantic drama ~
Fou viii, yet informed by a certain
realistic quality. Here again the wo-
nan is the wielder Of the power and
lol the man. HiOrdis Is the very in |
sarnation OF violence, OF the lust OF
conquest, OF hate, revenge. She would
overthrow kingdoms to secure the man
ihe loved and that man is only q tool
Tor her passionate ambitions.
THE Vikings az Helgeland, " then. is
lot exactly a dramatic paraphrase Of
he VOlsung Saga. Ibsen absorbed the
wisdom Of the ancients Of his race ana
made Of them an organic work full OF
he old spirit-heToic, powerful, and in,
ormed with tho harsh romance OF the
line. This play is not among his great
ist. but il IS none the lees interesting
Is connecting link Of his youth aud
iarly manhood
Miscast and Doomed.
Hutin Britton was the Dagny. she
yas TOO early English. Holman Clark
vas capital. and Hubert Garter did well ll