The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-12
!, TRAGIC LESLIE CARTER.
JILLOF SOIN iND FtRY SIGNI-
EIING NOTHING.
L, Harmonious and Splendid Production.
Most AMY stage Managed, Which
brushes the Dramatic Narrative Into
operate Pulp-Tyrone Powers Part.

brushes the Dramatic Narrative Into
operstlc Pulp-Tyrone Powers Part.
According to schedule great things we're
a. Lave COME of last night at "Adrea. y
,trs. Leslie Carter already famed all the
'rngth and breadth Of Broadway az the
american Bernhardt, was TO emerge as
.,oo'hing even moro then that. A. for
Ia,id Bel SEQ. the world was to suffer a
-bocA If ne appeared anything less than the
Shakespeare Of forty-second street
4 large and luxurious audience gathered
from ne outskirts and attitudes Of which
omp nll the familiar signs Of a typical
Eela-co success 1t is possible that by
tlss noon common report will have il that
bus. and Wagner can be seen at the Belasco
Theatre for the price of single admission.
Yct those whose names are Thomas may be
permitted 10 doubt most OF this.
Ra n said At the outset that Mr. Belasco
has again shown himself inconteetably
tHr greatest stage manager, the most potent
nagiran Of all the harmonious variety
and color. the rich depth and softnees OF
Atmosphere that the American stage has
over known Each Of the five scenes last
night was poetic creation. and they all
blended together 10 leave the visual senses
an Of q purr with their glowing fervor. Only
ir one other theatre in the world has such
vv|tchcrv Of the footlightS been witnessed
Tree IS His Majesty's Theatre in London.
This means "a great deal ON Broadway
for our playgoing public Is not yet on a
sufficient level Of cultivation and refine
mont 10 distinguish between a pretty play
ard Il good one beautiful clothes and
beautiful spirit But. for all that. the effects
IN ~hlch Mr. Bclasco eXcels arc external
never touching the heart Of the artistic
drama.
The making Of the omelet dramatic re-
quiree the breaking OF dramatic eggs and
whole Easter OF gorgeous shells viii not
furnish forth the food Of the spirit. A.
scene after scene moved across the view
in gorgeous pageant and entr acte sue
Coodcd entr acie. some oil them lasting
more than half an hour by the watch, 1t
became increasingly evident that the play
was not the thing. II was tale told by
Nr Iteasco. full of the BelarCan sound and
fury and, as usual, rignhymg nothing
be subject that ~ a soldier who, to
further his ambition marrios pathetically
lind woman whom he loves tO a loathsomo
court jester involves passions so cynically
base and fate so ptaously sordid aS To be
redcemable only by con-ummate truth
and beauty Of treatment The soul of the
greatest poet would have been IN ved to
the utmost to invest it with the least shadow
of intelligent interest Last night the
weight at that pondcrousy magnificent
production sat on it ike an incubus.
-trangl ID al possibility OF lie out Of II and
reduced II 10 the invertebrates pulp Of an
opera book hereft Of the music.
Il had not even the ii lent Mysteries. 'ln
cry Of sheer PHYSICAL agony. that made
'pu Barry vii. all its -ordid cli p rap.
sensation Of horror 10 those who tool II
seuocsv a't Of boredom 10 hose VINO
rul6 not - So Very duh and gray Is
Afr"a for al is GORGEOUS trapping-
And That is one reason why Mrs. Carter
instead NJ rising 20 height she has a. yer
not scaled, sank below her own rather iow
level In ~XaXa she showed power. great
power in the rough But there her efforts
wero backed up by what was after all
real GraUia.
IS long as Mr.. Belasco was credited with
The authorship Of il there vas hope that
he might yet furnish her with vehicle
capable Of still further developing Ter
mowers
But when Rtjane aiely produced the
French original IL was seen that instead Of
lettering his original Mr. Belascc- had /
debAsed H. Small nope l. left that this /
crudely powerful woman American this. /
that. or whatever she may be called-will I
over amount 10 anything much on her own /
account In the first act whore she APP 1
peared as young and beautiful princess (
blind almo, from birth. she made an in I
toligent effort 20 embody ingenious sweet |
ness and pathos.
The character was conceived on the plan I
Of D'Anuun2o'- Anna IN The Dead City. .
and Mr. Carter made an evident effort TO
persuade Us perhaps that she i tho Aneri-
can Du>e II Wa the most convincing .
moment 81 the play But there was a
rimiety about It ALL lack Of simplicity
and inner conviction, that 10 any one who
held ~ his eye the vision of the suprcmely (
spiritual Italian reduced 1t all to what In .
the crude slang Of the profession is known .
"a muegiug 30
Then came tho moment when she realized 7
how hdsely she bad been tricked by the
man she loved and who was alleged to
love her and launched forth on "a mission
ot revenge She mounted to the Tower
~ torgetiu.ues- and there, in the absence
"i all prejudice against SELF slaughter,
was administered extreme JUNCTION by the .
high priest IN the form Of a cup of cold .
uniHon BY all the rules Of the game she
should have been dead A. a drowned rat 4
az the end of the second act. But no /
thought Of that had Mr. Bcasco' The
Bho-t Of her father spoke mp IN the winEa. .
and SAID that II was wiled she should live /
ty Fate She lived and lived to face /
Crisis after crisis Of empty fury.
By tho MYTHICAL laws Of a mythical land |
vas -o arranged that upon tho recovery /
81 her sight she should mount the throne
p" TACT was stated in Latin Inscription /
.u the curtain, which was oblgiHgy trans
Aied on The programme for the benefit .
81 those who had left behind their Latin .
dictionaries There could be no reason /
able doubt Of It. : report lie p subway /
cNuIo.ion vas heard and thi, restored I
'rro0 vision
IN the scene Of her coronation she bched
i'r renegade lover for the first time and
Condemned him TO die In the fourth act
mo audience assisted az her struggles be-
tween love and revenge These were all
Transacted IN rather stilted monologues Of F.
something that sounded like blank verse.
lN'l Of Gems and -e'ers' and other such
figures Of speech II was not dramatic.
~ va not even melodramatic. II was
INST a plain bore
Finally the culprit was produced before
'er and her passionate struggles took a
more tangible form. First She forgave
MN aud then learning that he had been
gwen food by the jester to whom he had
married her jealous hatred came upper
most aud size decreed his death for good
va. here that Mrs. Carriers powers
la most sway. and the house rose TO her
mere was no doubt that she retained her
noln on folks who so like 20 be moved that
'tey have no scruplee about the vehicle
=" fnoil5a 1t VIA tine voice OF nerves
rpeaAng 10 nerves. % body speaking
10 body n had nothing Of the depth
O. me dignity Of emotion thai CLONE worrants