The Washington times., 1904-01-02
DANTE" PROVES A
SOMBER SPECTACLE

bldn genuine. Inc play lacks form De
cause it is overloaded with material.
But Dante" is essentially a fine work.
Illustrative OF a great subject. mag
niicent in spectacle, and fraught with
deep meaning I'm the unusual scenario
of tour Of hades. Always it is rever-
ent; its seriousness, both to authors
and actors. is manifest; and its didactic
value is large. In repertoire which
in one week encompasses Corporal
Gregory. Matthias. Louis XI and Shy
lock the play does not shine. OF course,
but it still remains incomparably SUI
perior to the best satirical and light
comedy produced in the past ten years.
Mr.. Irving's Great Power.
The situations Of which Dante is thus
made the focus could only be filed by
man Of great intellectual power and
personal authority To this task Irving
long ago proved his capacity. and here,
as throughout his splendid and bril-
liant career on the stage. he has under
taken the character thoroughly stepped
in study Of it.
a pronounced personal resemblance to
the accepted Dante portrait. the Rata
ellie. gave him an initial advantage.
When re-enforced by the garb Of the
poet this resemblance is striking With
all this advantage. however, the i'm
personation is chiefly to be noted for
the actors ability to acquire assimilate
and reproduce the inner qualities of the
man Voice. tone, Sion and gesture
ankle contribute 10 emphasize the high
courage. the gentle sympathy. and the
exalted ideals with Wilhelm spite OF
the material details indicated-the play
fG hoNr In.
tagonist. No one but man of the
oroadest and deepest sensibilities could.
Tor example. utter the curse with which
the eXcOmmunicant turns from pisa
a speech so ielled with fire. so intense
IN interest. and still so reflective Of the
poet side OF Dante's nature that il
overshadows the dreadful anathema of
the church and ranks with the greatest
denunciatory speeches of modern litera-
tire
Yet. there are other scenes in which
irving lifts the role into the realm 81
MS other iTDersonations-the fathers
colIoquy with the daughter. who does
not know him: the receipt of tidings
that she has been killed: the parting
win the dying mother. and the great
moment OF despair at the tomb of Bea-
trice. 1t is well said that no man who
had not fully known the sanctitv OF
tender affection and the bitterness of
hopeless grief could portray the emu
tons demanded in these scenes as they
are portrayed by Henry Irving. All vba
have seen him in Hamlet" Macbeth ,,
The Merchant OF Venice and Louis
Al can conceive with what awe. depth
Of feeling. and reverence Of attitude
these scenes in Dante are invested.
= Strong Company.
One situation. the last Of the NAV is
marked by a dramatic interest. which
does not depend on the weird personal
lty or Dante or on the actor who as
sunes that role. This is the conflict be-
tween the poet and Cardinal Colonna.
after Dante and Virgil have showed the
horrors OF hell. and the former has look
ed forward TO the death or the cardinal
Both Mr. Irving and Mr.. MoIIison vino
plays the role of the churchman arise
In this meeting TO a rare pitch of dra-
matte power. and their scene together
was undoubtedly last night the most
impressive IF the entire play.
Mr.. lrvinG's company is otherwise ac-
ceptably or more than acceptablv cast
Laurence Irving-to whom we are in
debted for a fine translation of the
rleiiCh orlSlnal-appears In the role of
Nello and acts with more force than i'm
any other Of his fathers plays. Mr.
Iyars. Mr.. Farren. Mr. Stanford. Miss
Hackney, and Miss Lancaster all con-
tribute performances OF great value TO
the play.
The drama is mounted IavishIy, the
series Of scenes in the Inferno being
vivid. awful almost beyond belief-the
entrance into hell: the drift upon the
river of pitch: the graves of fire: the
scrolls OF ice and the food of blood and
tears II IS all tremulous and over
whelming.
These are the most popular sensa-
tons of the play Of Dante. They are
perhaps, the sensations which this play
is best calculated to arouse. But those
who know good acting and their fellows
who have read the poetry OF this great
Florentine will carry away a picture
far SURPRISING any vision OF hell in its
power over the heart-a picture of Dante
Isolated and auStere, a realiza ton in
life OF those touching lines by the poet
Shelley:
The greatest poets Graded are in wrong:
They learn In suffering what they teach in song.
a. ID. A.