New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-13
ENGLISH DRAMA IN RUSSIA
PIays That Prove To Be Most
Popular.

temporary English authors have been produced on
+he Russian stage and several of these dramas
have obtained abiding place in the repositories OF
she principal theatres. Such an infusion OF new
Hood has been Of great benefit TO the dramatic life
~ Russia: the actors have had parts TO play which
oei1e5 forth new powers by their novelty, and the
interest Of the public IN English life and manners
has been aroused
7, Is not much more than year since this change
-. ,n. I'll then the English drama had been
,sg1ected crowded out. in fact, by adaptations and
.a,e,ations from the French, German Italian and
ca,a,rayian iteratures. Occasionally, II is true.
q modern English play. mostly OF the melodramatic
Kind. reached the Russian boards by the round
about way Of adaptation of French or German
,-enelation and some of these were received with
savor both in tie capital and in the provinces.
rs,er,ally successful among, them were Uncle
-,r,,s Cabin and "Richeleu," two pieces which
-a stiIl 10 be found in the repertory OF the Peo-
LES Theatre But not until last year did English
,ose-n plays. directly translated from the Ian
80. in which they were written. become regu-
r. and important part Of the entertainment Of
$50 n the playgoer by the Russian theatre
cassie English dramatic writers have never been
,-e neglected in Russia. and among these SNAKE
.ors holds naturally the tirst place. The venerav
81, and love felt for him both by the public and
ss,atc artists is so profound that it cannot fail
- crafty his fellow countrymen. Nowhere mas
greater zeal been shown in efforts to give IN d
foreign language an exact ard diSnineu version VI
his greatest works. OF theSc f1aih-el S'iAS'-O
.r5 king Lear" are the three that have most
often been seen in the theatre. But while the wor-
shin OF Shakespeare has had many beneficial re-
suits II has thrown great difficulties IN the way OF
the actor. With few exceptions the ofdiha1c
critics have come TO their task with the precon-
ceived idea that no Russian actor was capaple OF
representing worthily the great creations OF the
master and. consequence many arllsts' nilo4hs
that their long continued ana conscientious efforts
met with no word OF praise in Tecoghluoh gave
I'D the attempt in despair. One actor alone
Natchal0v. attained TenoTu IS an interpreter OF
shakespearian parts and his success in 5000 was
greatly due TO the unprejGG.ced and discriminating
criticism Of Belinsky. who formed an honorable
exception the above rule regarding Ma tchaloV'S
art with a clear eye and giving an unbiased judg-
rnent His criticisms such literary worth that
they are still read and il is difficult TO which
worthy Of adlni-auon, the acting he de-
scr.oes or the style Of the description. Matcnaloy
may be regarded the Russian Garrick, for his
choice OF parts and his manner OF Interpretation
frequently recall that great actor. The Russian
version used by MatchaloV was by Polyavol, and,
ike all the TRANSACTIONS Of the first half Of last
century. aimed at being romantic rather than
exact.
n spite OF all discouras cement. Shakespeare was.
however. never wholly driven from the Russian
stage, for every young OF talent. Undetcrred
by the fate Of those VINO had gone before, gave
part OF his strength 10 the service of the
master, and his efforts attracted least the ris
the critics. has always thrCnged The theatre when
piece by Shakespeare was announced.
Many tranSiators have tried their hand at vari-
mention he Gland Dig, Constaatjne Constantine
witch. whose version OF Hamlet IS Distinguished
by great accuracy, For a stage translation OF
ago. the celebrated musician Tschaikowsky com
posed come excellent music. which consisted of
an overture. Introduction. entractes, funeral
march and a Tiumphal march. Crhe funeral
march IS nov always played on the death deal Of
were engaged, and The play. with its accompanying
music, mel .!th great success and had long
Besides the three above mentioned tragedies.
ADO About Wotbine The Tanina Of the sbreV!'
END 'Tae sserry-E9f~es Of Fvirdsor nave also been
society. In St Pefersbure' C;nedfcR's transstion
Of the fourth act OF Henry W. and THE York
shire Tragedy some parts Of which are by many
In fact almost ali Of Shakespeares plays have.
a one time or other, been given in Russian the
verse Of Shakespeare. done direct from the Eng
lish, is that by Nekrasov and Gerhel (St. Peters
burg 800? prose translation by n. Ketzcher
The most Popular poet in Russia next to Shake
fred" has often been given in Russia in private
have appeared in the same manner in Warsaw,
but had great success in either city. The cele-
the preparation Of SManfred" as dramatic Fecta
ton to musical accompaniment
comedy. The School for Scandal has met with
great success there, and has been placed on the
THE Sign Of the cross" by Wilson Barrett un-
Der the Russian title "A New World" had such
g brilliant success a few years ago in St Peters
burg that seats had 10 be booked many days be-
forehand. and in the last year or two many other
plays by leading English authors, especially by
Pinero, have been produced. The Second Mrs.
Lanqueray. the title role played by NJ Q. Savina,
is very popular: The Gay Lord Quex-" the title
tulgarney and Mitchurina as the Duchess. had a
u general. and many attempts have been made TO
eL&n,atlze some 81 the most popular works OF
who took his plot from Little Dorrit' by Dickens,
without, however acknowledging his debt,
produced years ago, and still keeps its PLACE
IN the repeTtory. A dramatic adaptation Of 'Tril-
It IS from no dearth Of native dramatic talent
that Russians turn to foreign countries. Besides
Tureenieff Dostoyevsky and Vissemsky. and their
great poets such as Pushkin: Lermontov and A
comedies and dramas OF social life they have
eaiE H H We " rs are 9fanauc
Prince Sumbatov. Nemirovitch- Dantchenko and
OF Great wall Of China round its literature as
even republican France has done. knowing that It
vana of the Imagination. On the contrary. the
russians have always interested themselves in the
-5 F Fe I'D erv vear teir o iite rey
horizon becores broader. There is thus At the
present moment 2 great opportunity for English
cTar1atists TO become known there by means Of
It curious fact that no considerable company
single great actors have seldom 9nnea~ed there
Aldridee, the negro who played in English in the
h,S II shakespeaTian PARTS appeared in both the
cry and provincial theatres of Russia and drew
!aIee auoiehces Knowing thus 50 little about Eng
-lSf actors cnly orc among them is
flon'c, that II Sir Henry Irving. From time
,-i.e MS coming has been announced and eagerly
loeFed TOT, but IN vain for each announcement IS
'oioEed by contradiction. Actors OF other
fonaHtes have frequently visited ST. Petersburg
among whom We may mention Ristou. Salvf1
s.osfi I1sE. Maz7a. Pachd. Sarah Perrnardt
Eou0et-SuTlv and Couuelin Tho Theatre Michel
IN r imperial theatre yves almost exclusively
french plays. in the French language ard by
french ectors, ard. ontil few years ago. there