New-York tribune., 1907-03-19
THE DRAMA.
,q.rraN DRAMA AT THE LYRIC.
Ermete Novelli.

:. she Lyric Theatre, end IN which, acting
hs" ..isf part and eNemplifying patience. charity
ne s'.,re commingled with mildly eccentric
arc that Tipples over latent force 0: character
huHO u-r,ete Novcln effected his entrance on
HsI. york Stage Tho play is OF French origin
iae 'Is.tsn by NJ Jean Acard. and has been
We some time on the Paris stage II is neatly
m0tes. and it IS fluent in dialogue. but II is
e0...-reeable in theme. Father Lebonnard. though
no'N ~ his own peculiar individuality. apper-
pos-',. closely but IN some degree,-to the ira
iln @ - Jesse Rural. Grandfather Whitehead. and
~"N Rnrr There are shades OF variety in the
h'D,- h'. ~ the long line OF half-humorous half
.,.,,, old men thus denoted. but. Substantially.
- they may be named. they are OF one kind
~. NOT d!flcult 10 present on tbs stage.
- ~ course they can be made the vehicles
'sns,b actiug-as they often wore. On the Eng
r+sor by such actors Benjamin Webster
"a Fre5srlck Robson. and. the American stage.
r,cb actors az William Rufus Bske, Henry
-..i5e John Gilbert, Mark Smith. and Charles w.
-rssoyl. and they usually elicit sympathy.
r.tonnard has been maker OF clocks, but.
,,Tlnr become wealthy. he has relinquished that
.-.,,oyrnent lie now dwells in a comfortable
me With his wife, son. ana daughter and he
,.ss tie time 81 the pleasant occupation Of pro-
a,i,e their happiness His taste is domestic his
,,-,nsrsneut T. gentle his manners genial: he
!, eFectionsta and kindIy-a good old man: and,
,n. many other good old men. shrewd, QuZzcal.
.rgor there IS a keen sense OF rectitude and
.,,.,tal vii Meanwhile his wife is imperial in
.tsir home. and II IS her ambition. also Il IS
,tat Of their son. 10 rise in the social scale; 20
s-the- the shining benefits seQuent on wealth, and
!. make a figure In society. Tbs son. Robert.
-lsbss 10 marry the daughter of noblenan This
s,uEh,er. On the contrary. whose temperament re-
tpmblss that Of her father. has prglted her troth
a q worthy Young man. q physician That diver
stv o. aim in the household OF Lebonnard, pres
sstiv causes dissensiOn. The father favors his
snughtsrs marriage with the doctor The mother
and the son oppose il. The doctor, II IL made
Known IS of illegitimate birth. and. on that
rround Nine. Lebonnard scorns the proposed slli-
snce I.ebonnard. at first patiently. asserts the
vnung mans virtues and the daughters rights;
but at last when his wifes opposition has become
violent and offensive. he suddenly overwhelus her
~ avoving his knowledge Of her misconduct. long
pnst and supposed 10 have been unknown by him.
The son Robert It appears is also illegitimate-
his Wifes son, but not his. The wife, therefore, Is
n 70 way entitled 10 assume n self R-Fighteous. un-
Charitable attitude. There shall be no more OF It.
TIE father viii not consent that the happiness OF
his beloved daughteur shall be sacrificed He thus
dominates the situation His victory. however.
has left him almost heartbroken He cannot part
With Robert-who at once wishes 20 leave home.
The boy shall stli be his and shall not be re-
lnquishe6 He loves his wife. and he would. IL II
we're possible, make everything tranquil again
never spoken OF H. The flaw IN the fabric is the
assumption that such a man could possess such a
knowledge without a mordant, consuming pang.
certain 10 color his thoughts. affect his conduct.
and register itself IN his dsrneanor; hut. setting
such considerations aside. the play tells a story
that necessarily evolves character and leads 10
dramatic climax. A better way could have been
found, TO accomplish the revelation OF strong
underneath a mild exterior. than the
ancient, raoss-covered. Unfragrant way OF disin-
ierring an old intrigue and exposing the domestic
skeleton IN the closet. That bony structure has
been revealed so often. IN the Continental ana. in
deed IN the later English drama. that Il grows
monotonous
No actor of experience could faI 70 give a
spectable performance Of Papa Lebonnard Signor
Hovelll showed himself TO be experienced and
proficient actoT.-an actor who !mpeTsonate.
and in so doing. can so far conceal his art rs,
measure blvsor n this he Is By means superla-
tive-to cause the effect OF nature IN 6enotement
OF character and 81 the interplay OF miad with
feeling lie had been heralded actor OF eT-
tFaordinsry powers snd vast and varied accom-
plishments; he may possess those uncommon merits.
and IL IS hoped that ne does: he did not reveal
them on this occasion. There are several sctors
stage who would give quite good 4
performance OF Papa Lebonnard given by
sgnor Novelu. and there sre some who would
give better performance OF it:-Sor instance, OF
both classes. Charles Warner. W. II. Thompson,
Louis James. Frederick Warde. Edwin Stevens.
Tyrone Power J. II. G.inour John Mason, and
George Arliss. Sgnor Sovelii however. cannot be
fully estimated until hs has been fully seen. He
made Iebonnard an image Of benign!ty. and he
was. az some moments, acute and winning I'm his
denoteInen. OF suppressed phyfuness and tolerant
good nature blended g:th meekness. The Difference
70 the irnper!ous wifs--a defeTence that IS partly
assumed and partly neglleen; snd has satire IN it
was particularly well indicated. TIE queer Ht;ls
fussy ways of an old man no las once been busy
q q na-
terIsl tenderness: The wish 20 placate Affairs; the
suddenly curbed impulses TO rage; the gradual
transition from sweetness 20 endurance and then
% righteous anger-all these were skfully dis
PLAYED, with the ease OF a old hand. The dra-
matio movement tends steadily upward 10 the Of
Tended fathers burst % wrath. where. of course
signoF Noveln. according 20 the usage of the
Continental stage. sent forth a torrent OF rat
Ting voluhility and scattered the carpet tacks
in lavish profusion. Those moments OF tempestu-
ous vociferaton have always been trusted 10 by
The foreign actors 20 stir the audtOTiaI blood and
sweep away the excited multitude: and such ex-
pedientE seldom fail. Each &c his taste. There
vas once stage actor named Charles
Dillon, who could touch the heart rouse tho
Imagination. and impress the mind with forty
thousand times the truth OF nature and felicity
Of art that any foreign actor has ever shown here
and could do that with means as delicate the
petals of a lily. 6ignor Novelh eEinced re-
sources OF that description. His style is photo
sFsDhie OF details. lis acting is absolutely art-
hcal 90 the eye Of experience, Is norid with
gesture and grimaoe, and. because OF HIS cOntlnu-
Gus repetition OF the devices. his persistent
nugging'-for there is no other word that 50
directly describes his prOcess-wearisome with
monotony. The personality that he shows Is COM
mon. Ie possesses a eopiOus voice. but there is
not single note of sympathy in -, and his demon
siFation of pathos. made with fsltering tone and
iaehFsmal touch. was completely insincere. 80
obviously mechanical. 10 be almost painful. IN
scting Lebonnard signor NoveIn had 10 do COM
mon thing. and he did IL I'm common way. A
great actor takes a different course. The perform
1nne. hnr-a,.nr rlaaead z larga amalence. chiefly