New-York tribune., 1908-12-28
MIlTON'S samson :"
Autobiography in Drama-A Note.
zoorthy Celebration. =
London. December fa.

may not have been either EiizaDethah" OF F1eiiento
drama, but it was an epic Of autobiography -
the ornate sonorous lines were Teeited tne idsn-
,iAcation of the blind poet with the blind Samson
,.oor,s ir,pressive The DANTE chorus Ia
wanting the humiliation and wees OF a national
hero stood for political and religious freedom
and enlightenrnent under the Commonwealth;
L1aranha and the Philistine warriors sym6ohzed
The reactfouarv forces Of a serviie age; Dslila
was the thoughtless Royalist WIFE, coidy indiI-
ferent to the high minded champions sacred
mission; and Samson. blind, MANAGED ana
Knocked at was Milton himself scnooisd N
natience and crowned with halo Of spiritual
o~o,tation warning dishonored people and
.,,,,r,ne I'm the experiences Of life consecrated
"a ,-inctn1e The survival OF the poets fame IN
.be majestic verse Of Paradise Lost may have
been rnirrored only dirnly In the triumph OF
samson over the enemies who we're making
snort Of his blindness and bondage; but the
tr.gsdv itself was an utterance. eloquent and
prophetic Of what the Bishop Of Ripon has aptly
described as the sanctity Of personality
Mr. William Poel. who conducted this unique
entertainment, provided transition stage De-
tween the Greek theatre. with its long reaots
rIatfornn and the modern theatre, Win US
pictures and illusions. The amphitheatre OF ths
lecture room enabled him 70 reproduce with an
snproach to accuracy the conditions Of the Eliz-
abAthan stage There were courses OF steps N
the centre Of the audience. with a background
draped in purple under the full glare 81 thres
1ir7eIshts Danftes and Phistines descended
long alley Of steps from the outer rim OF tns
sernfcircLe. and what action there vas-and X
us. uttIe-nAssed in little clearing in ths
centre of the audience Samson. IN slaFes
costume during the greater part OF the perform
arce was a statuesque figure on the upperruost
tier NJ the stage with his attendant in Greek
arasz AT the side little lower down: and below
them were the Danites. mainly women in ths
Eebraic zarb Of EIizabethan stage conventions,
chanting their lItanies OF lanentatiou. shrink
ing from Dalila in her splendid attire. and re-
strainIng their anger when the Philistine ~ar-
rfors I'm Roman uniform made holiday Of ths
fallen enemy u effective tablesu. with
something of an effect Of altarpiecs. and Il
was where every was in touch with L.
Hanzinzs. stage, costumes and groupings Uers
in accord. not with the Restoration theatre out
with the earlier Elizabethan conventions and
Jacobean n1asques. which Milton must have kspt
in mind in the composition Of his tragedy
The five scenes Of the play we're run together
in a continuous performance without break
There is the opening passage. in which Samson.
released from prison. is conducted in chains oy
g boy TO a retired spot. where he IS visited -
members OF his tribe and soiaced by their sym
pathy This is followed by dialogue with hts
PhiIIstnes in proclaiming holiday for their
deIiverance from their once fnvinCible foe and
his own despairing efforts 10 obtain by ransom
the slaves restoration To liberty The third
scene is perhaps the most modern in feeling for
in it DaIna with fascination and coquetry. seeks
to Justify her treachery with clsverness and
winsome charm. and when she fails 10 deceive
Samson turns upon him with petuIant vindic-
tfveness and retires from the stage with the
Of Ma Tf7e fourth
passage records the exchange Of defiance with
the moczing Harapha of Cath who is attended
by his armed warriors. and in the final scene.
when the summons to the feast has been re-
peated by the public officer. and Samson. con-
WINGED that it is divine call has staggered out
with his guide. the chorus listens in turn 70
Manoa's tubiIant hopes OF his sons deltverance
and the messengers breathless tale Of the de-
structfon of the temple. With this moving re-
citaI and the final lamentations Of the chorus
the play ends with distinct impression Of
classic tragedy.
II is the second production OF Millions piay
by Mr.. Poel during recent years, and superior n
every respect to the former one. in which ANA
teurs of the Elizabethan Stage Society were the
actors The rhythm and cadence of the spleu-
did text were not sacrificed in recitation, and
the representations Of character were diguihsd
and admirable Mr.. Ian Maclareu- favored with
q fine presence and a flexible melodious voice.
played Samson with dignity and pathos- impart-
ing definite sense of character to the per
forrnance and proving BY unaffected Yet moving
defamation that the art Of reCitfng blank vers7
has not been lost in modern England with tts
picture stage and costume plays Mr. Charles A
Doran was equally good IN voice as the patri-
archaI Manoa and acted with genuine force and
fine variety Mr.. BrahaTn as Harapha. vas St-
gantic in stature and had voice big enough
for an open air theatre among resounding hills
Mr. Give Currie was the public officer, arbitrary
and unfeeing in manner and with a trained
voice equal to the subteties Of metre. and Mr.
Percy Anstey. with tears in his voice and breath
less excitement in his manner. vas almost as
good messenger as Mr.. Barker has been In
the reproduction of Greek plays. The Dalls q
Miss Evelyn weeden was not modern in appear
ance. for Mr.. Poei insisted upon dressing her
UP Elizabethan princess; but she was
closer TO the manners Of the day than her asso-
ciates. Hers was the most picturesque and
dramatic performance of the evening. and It's
quality was enhanced by beauty OF voice, face
and figure.
Perhaps the least effective feature OF the pro-
duction was the work of the chorus which
hovered about Samson and seemed incapable OF
translating sympathy into action. Yet Mr.. Peel
is good driIlmaster and had trained the sing
ers carefully. and Miss Edith Rhys had ar
ranged chants from ancient Hebrew and Greek
melodies and adapted passages from Purcell and
Lawes. II there was any marked defect IN tha
production it was IN the movement OF the
choruses; and this was not due TO bad manage
ment so much as to the structural form or the
lyrics themselves which while Hellenic IN