New-York tribune., 1907-11-12
THE DRAMA.
MISS CRosMAN AS CHRISTIAN.
Liberty Theatre.

~
rErsstian Pilgrim" presented last night at the Ib
s-ty Theatre. with Miss Crosrnan IN the central
.bsracter Strict adherence TO the original was %
course impossible: but the deviations that occur
trori Bunyan's plan, although considerable while
they augment movement and heghten pictorial dis
,lsy DO not detract from either the grandeur and
vsthcs Of the theme or the soiemnty of its i'm
mort That theme is the progress OF r repentan+
sinner from condition Of remorse and misery 70
= condition cf peace and joy; from the fear of
ANIMATION OF the immortal soul 20 confident trust
n It's salvation through faith Upon the theologi-
ca aspect Of the work ii is not essential 10 linger
Few books exist into which their authors have put
50 much Of themselves as John Bunyau put into
The Pilgrims Progress" He was q believer in q
literal hell: In the Fiend the fire. and the bottom
less pit. He suffered terribly. The account that he
wrote OF his own life is tho hardest of hard read
ing; is deplorably weaTisonle.-an the more so be-
cause painfully, almost Tepusively, expressive OF
the colossal egotism Of which human being can
be capable. when concentrated on his own emotions
Bnd completely engrossed by solicitude for him
self but Il Is wonderfully tilUnlnative Of the spirIt
o. "The Pilgrims Progress. and II IS clearly ex-
ranstory OF the genius Of its writer. The agonies
through which he passed and the religious convic-
tions upon which he finally rested are all expressed
IL that book II IS an RIIegory. and allegories as
q rule, are not susceptible Of effective dramatic
treatment This one is exceptional Macaulay-a
critic who set the good example OF always Civ
ing his reasons for opinion. and who somewhere
designates the Paradise Lost and The Pilgrims
Progress as the two great imaginative works Of
English literature in the seventeenth century-has
truly said Of Bunyan that, among all the allie
rorists he IS the only one who has succeeded fr
making distractions the objects of terror. pity and
ioye The Pilgrims Progress possesses the car
dnaI virtues OF sincerity and simplicity and he
cause Of its simplicity It lends itself to dramatic
exposition
Religious thought has considerably clarified itself
since Bunyan's time. and the literal Devil. with
horns. hoots. ana tail. going about seeking whom
he may oeyour. has by most persons been rele-
gated into the limbo Of fcttor. He figures in the
auegory. however. and. together with othe- Great
of fancy. he Is conspicuous IN this play; but
happily his presence is not associated with auy
assertion of creed any fanatical exho-tation.
The purpose. obviously. was tell q story and
that purpose has been well fulfilled. At the be-
ginning Christian. bearing the name Of Graceless.
& shown as having already left the City OF De-
etruction ard set forth on HIS perIous expedition
toward Zon-the expedition that every human be-
inE must make, who would conquer evil propensi-
ties and attain TO purity and beauty in the spTr-
itgai life. The Pilgrim has fallen asleep by the
wayside. exhausted and miserable. and, IN his
dream. he beboIds BeelzebGb. throned among the
fallen angels who the iegions Of he'll. and he
hears that Fiend's commandment that he shall be
pursued and brought back 10 the dominion Of sin.
else thwarted IN his progress and either driven
O. iured TO ruin He awakens and proceeds on his
Journey resisting the persuasiOns Of the Worldly
Wise and he reaches the Wicket Gate. where
Faith receives him and where his heavy burden
ot iniquity and sorrow faIls away. 50 that he is
changed and becomes q white and radiant figure
og virtue and hope. Then. ia the House Beautiful.
Prudence. Charity, and Pity clothe him with
srnor. place upon his head the Helmet Of Saliva
ton. and giro him with the Sword OF the Spirit.
lie has now entered on the straight and narrow
path, and from that moment his conflict grows
:lore and more exacting and bitter-for. in a
world OF Wickedness il is hard for the individual
70 stand firm against the force of the vigorous and
!nyeterate multitude. IN the Valley OF the Shadow
OF Death Christian fights against Apoilyon, and,
after a terrific struggle wounds and defeats him
In the episode Of Vanity Falr.-where the play
wright has widely departed from his original.-the
Pilgrim ressts many allurenents and battles many
.nsidicus foes Here Il is Christana, the wife Of
Christian. and not Faithful. who IS subjected 70
trial, and the climax, instead Of being a martyr
com Of burning al the stake, IS Christians de-
-istion OF Hategood and his myrmidons, sue
ceedec by a terrific tempest Of thunder and light
ming. under cover OF which the Pilgrim escapes,
while the tyrant and his rabble are overwhelmed
md 6iscomated- Thereupon follows the capture
OF Christian and Faithful, who have wandered
away from the right path, and their incarceration
II Giant Despair, IN one OF the dungeons OF Doubt
ing Castle Then are shown their Wretched plight,
T-ilo have lost faith and hope, the temptation 10
suicide the revival OF belief, and the escape from
bondage. At the last Christian and Hopeful come
the River Of Death and. descending into its dark
lraters they, one by one, disappear. The closing
light, and angels placing crowns upon the
leads Of those warriors for righteousness who have
fought the good fght who have kept the faith,
and now who are come into Heaven. "unspotted
Of the world" So the curtain falls and the Ana!
Pageant disappears
sssiy. tie heavens. with apocalyptcal spen-
the city q God the vision Of John the Apostle
Hiss crosman's i:upersonauon OF Christian
evinced clear purpose, clearly pursued. TO incaf-
religious ecstasy. The spirit OF It was tender,
sympathetic sorroWful; the expression continuously
earnest, a times despairing, at other times sud
denly luminous with fiery enthusasm;--as whole,
rounded. symmetrical, distinct apd impressive The
poses, gestures and vocaiisT., indeed. evinced a
comprehension of deep, sad experience and an
authoritative command of the means OF expression
she mas not hitherto any time clearly
Egu.fed She gained hearty applause also did
SIr. Power. and likewise Mr.. Nielsen. for a per-
foTEnance Of Top, and NJ. Sullivan for his image
Of the Atheist. The audience that followed Every
man" viii probably follow THE Pilgrims Prog
ress"
Tyrone Power irnpersonsted the four characters
Q; Bee!zebuh APoliyon, Lord Hategood. and Giant
Despair. The FIRST and second are Identical. The
third and fourth require discrimination. AS
whole Mr. Powers achievement should be re-
corded aE instinct with alertness of Iurid majesty
sad bsieful maligaity His ideal Of the Fiend
eH1nces vigorous imagination. deeply moved and
thlls aroused The theory Of the play seems to
oe that the spirit Of evil is incarnated in severa!
FORMS. = certain saneness, accordingly, is ad
Missile. throughout all the personalities that
tnug assumed. Shades OF difference, however.
should be manifested, IN the tyrant and the
giant. Mr Powers presence and his acting i'm
Part ample authority and weird splendor 10 the
entire representation. lie T. actor OF whom
The stage may be proud. for he not only pos
hessss great talent and great natural adFan-
tages. but he uses them In a profoundly earnest
end devoted spirit. Among the younger actors OF