New-York tribune., 1905-02-05

iihated. street scenes and solemn ritual Money,
Is never spared at this well managed theatre
ana for this play the stage management has
oeen prodigal in its bounty Where the comedy
is so familiar, the setting wonderful as II IS
IN beauty and variety. is less interesting than
the new inventions. One Of the most striking
innovations is the change of scene after the
tragic interruption of the wedding Mr.. Tree
mas considered a comedy passage unsuitable fol,
tue church, and allows the startled spectators
TO pass out before Benedick and Beatrice take
up their wooing; and then they meet in the
cioisters. with hearts chastened by the moving
spectacle Of Heros grief, and are drawn to-
eether by sympathy Tragedy and comedy are
separated by this change of scene yet are still
50 ciose that the wooing of the cynical bachelor
ana Dear Lady Disdain" is the sequel to the
aehunciation of the bride and Beatrice's chal-
ienge to her lover. XIII Claudior' does not lose
i'S dramatic force. The ballroom scene is also
ueieFred TO later act, and when the masked
reVeilers have left Leonato's orchard the con-
Pia'ors agree upon the handling of their plot
aIter midnight. Dogberry and Verges instead
OF staggering about the street with their far
cieai guard. exchange comments from their
windows on criminal law. and finally bid each
other good night. This is change which dis
tinctiy improves the comedy of this famous
scene The Encouragement of the scenes tends
10 strengthen the dramatic interest of the play
The acting was perhaps less remarkable than
the stage management. Mr.. Tree made Bene-
olch somewhat of swaggerer at the outset with
coarse manners and rough way of speaking;
and while the cynical jests came easily, the
loyemaking which followed the tragic close
or the wedding hard and metallic
Miss Winifred Emery ought 10 have been
INSPIRED by the affectionate welcome which
she received on the opening night after her
2 he
she was charming Beatrice not, perhaps, SO
merry and blithesome as Miss Terry but still
sprightly and gay. If the Benedick lacked digni-
" IN the earlier, and nobility of purpose in the
later. scenes. so also the Beatrice. with all her
fascination and vivacity, failed to suggest depth
OF womanly character. The best impersonation.
apart from the clowning constables, was that
OF Hero, by Miss Miriam Clements who was
called in almost at the last moment to take
Miss Viola Trees place. 1t had the merit of
simplicity and naturalness in the denotement of
tenderness innocence and grief Mr. Basil Gill
was suspicious. unstable and declamatory as
Claudio: Mr.. Laurence Irving was a menacing
and rernorseless intriguer Don John; Mr. Cal
vert and Mr.. Lionel Brough were admirable I'm
the comic parts Of Dogberry and Verges; and
all the minor parts were well played While
Much Ado About Nothing was produced as
actors play, with the minor romance deep
eneo Dy the RESTORATION or the Affecting little
scene in Heros bedchamber, staged so as to
correspond with Carpaccio's picture every detail
was thought out in advance and artistically
treated. The dances were quaint measures from
Italian. Spanish and old English sources, and
were most picturesque. especially the Scilian
tarantelle and the Tudor kissing dance with the
lutte player passing in and out. The music was
attuned to the play. with romantic themes and
carnival measures contrasting with the solemn
cadences of the church services. There was an
intermezzo to illustrate the passing of sum-
mer's night: Sigh no more. ladiesr' sung
by boy as in Shakespeares time; and stanzas
from Measure for Measure were introduced in
Carpaccio's scene. The revival of the old play
was another proof of Mr.. Trees unrivalled talent
a stage manager, and lovers of Elzabethan
drama placed under fresh obligations to
him for his good taste and inventive skill. even
if they did not see either an ideal Benedick or
a perfect Beatrice / y. F.