The sun., 1903-06-21
IBSEN'S VIKINGS POE TIC, BUT
ELLEN TERRY DRIVES 4, VAIL
INTO HIS ENGLISH COFFIN.
Ths.Play ~ Given Al the Imperial In Lon
don-Niss Terry Not suited 10 Her
Part--GOrtion Crais's Scenic ExIeri.
~ ents-lnte eresting Features or the Play

don-Niss Terry Not suited 10 IIel
Part--GOrdon Crais's Scenic ESI'eri
~ ents-Int erestins Features or the TIA!
With DR.. p. Fl. wicksteed's affirmation
"Ihsen is a poet" humming in my ears
went to the most beautiful theatre in Lon
DON the Imperial, TO hear, to see. above all
10 see, the Norwegian dramatist's wi.
t'n!s" few days before it was with
drawn For one thing the production
was doomed at the start: 1t was wofully
misoast The most daring imagination
cannot picture Ellen Terry as the fierce
warrior wife of Gunndr Heddmcn. Once
creature capriciously sweet, tender,
arch and delightfully."- arrognnt, Miss Terry
Is now long past her prime. Her pretty
voice is gone her. memory perilous quick
sand. She shows her age more than the
harder ibred Sarah Bernhardt and there
is a listlessness in her movements, settling
of the muscles that proves she needs long
rest. To play Hi6rdis at her time Of life
was murdering Ibsen outright.
But the play had its compensations.
Miss Terry's son, Edward Gordon Craig
exercised full sway with the stage. light
ing, costumes. He is n young man with
considerable imagination and a taste for
the poetic picturesque. He has endeav-
ored to escape the deadly monotony Of
stage illumining, London lighting. and,
unaitled. has worked out several inter-
esting problems. Abolishing foot and
border lights. sending shafts of lumi-
mostly from above. Mr.. Craig secures unex-
pected and bizarre effects. 1t need be
hardly added that these same effects are
suitable only for plays into which the ele-
ments of romance and of the fantastic
largely enter We see no flies" no shaky
unconvincing side scenes. no foolish foc-
culent borders. no staring back cloths.
The impression created is one of a real
rnIeality. For example, when the cur
tains are parted rocky slope. Nordish,
rugged. forbidden is viewed, the sea, an inly
pool, sthemmed, washing at its base.
From above fallsa a curious. sinister light
.'hich gives purplish tones to the stony sur
faces and masks the faces of the players with
mysterious shadows. The entire atmos-
p'a-e is one Of awe. Of dread.
With his second ta'.leau Mr. Craig is
even more successful 1t a the feast room
in Gunndr's house. 1t is e hoxed-in set,
though it gives one the feeling of spacious
ness that on the very limited stage of the
Imperial is surprising. A circular plat
form with high seat at the back, and
long table with rough benches rallied in,
make up an interior far from promising
A FIRE burrs in a peculiar hearth in the
centre and there are raised splaces for
the women. Outside it is dark. The
stage manager contr.ved to get an extraor-
dinary atmosphere of gloomy radiance in
this barbaric apartment He sent his light
shvering from on high and Miss Terrys
ralkyr dress was a gorgeous blue when she
stood in the bub of the room. All the light
was tempered by painters perception
of lovely hues. This scene has been admired
very much. For many, however, the third
act bore OH the victory. A simple space of
hall, a large easement. dais, the whole
flooded by daylight. Here the quality of
light was OF the purest. w'ithal hard, as be-
fitted northern latitude.
In the last scene Of all Mr.. Craig wrestled
with the darkness and obtained several
effects, though none startling or novel
The vikings" was first planned for
verse-a Morse tragedy of fate in the
Greek style. But the theme demanded
drastic. laconic prose, with nothing un-
essential. and, as Jaeger points out, without
monologues, lyric outbursts: the dialogue
glows with passion, but the glow. never be-
comes 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 battle for life and
death with the short, heavy swords which
the old Vikings used-hatred and love,
friendship and vengeance, scorn and grief
all are as intense as the sagas themselves.
The dramatic poet has been reproached,
as his biographer asserts, for "deeradinR
the demigods' of the F6sung Saga into
mere Norwegian and Icelandic Vikings of
the age of Erik Blodox-or Bloody Ak.
Other critics. again, have commended him
for making Vikings out of the yolsung
Saga
Be 1t as il may the re suit is dram, of an
excellent sort; romantic drama if YOU will.
yet informed by certain realistic quality.
Here again the woman is the wieloler of
the power. and not the man. HiJrdis
is the very incarnation of violence of the lust
of conquest, of hate, revenge. She would
overthrow kingdoms to secure the man
she loyed. and that man ia only a tool for
her passionate ambitions.
The Vikings at Helgeland," then, is not
eAdc'y' WaI1latlc parapnraSe OF the
Volsnng Saga. 1bsen absorbed the wis
dom of the ancients Of his race and made
Of them an organic work full Of the old
spirit. heroic. powerful, and informed
with the harsh romance of the time. This
play is not among his greatest, but it is
none the less interesting as a connecting
link Of his youth and early manhood
Lot US follow the piece scene by scene, |
noting the easy grasp of character, the
pithy dialogue, the atmosphere OF repressed
passion and ferocious cruelty There are
evidences OF crude power from first to last.
Upon the purple spotted rocks near the
home Of Gunndr Readman on the island of
Helgeland--in the north Of Norway
Si0prd comes up from his two war ships |
which lie down In the misty cove In the !
perton Of Oscar Aschc-- familiar 10 New !
York theatregoers as the appalling Jew |
in Pinero's Iris this Sigvrd is a formid-
able warrior,a trihe too beefy. with hair in !
tvo blond plaits, steel-spked cap, and |
fighting harness.
He resen,bled Van Dycks !Sieamund as !
TO girth. and with his big bare arms, his !