The Washington times., 1908-09-22
Translation of eel Gran
Galeoto" Loses None of
Its Interest in Change.
Star and Julie Opp Give
Excellent interpretations
Of Echegaray'S Characters.

Wnen not occupied In gardening new
eNtravagances in fashion, was pre-
scented last night at the Belasco by
William Faversham and a company OF
unusually weH-trained actors. In title,
The World and His Wife" the play is
rather a free adaptation by Charles
Frederic Nirdlinger Of Jose Echegaray' s
widely read Ell Gran Galeoto-" Yes
terday's audience passed what was sub
stantially first judgment upon this new
version, and through the earlier half
of the performance it was critical. dis
eliminating, eXacting- There lies more
than ordinary significance. therefore.
in the tense ABSORPTION wherein later
this gathering lost itself and more than
ordinary victory for playwright and
actors alike in the fervid approval with
which the last fan Of the curtain was
stormed.
Ell Gran GaIeoto." which is TO say
The Great Go-Between," is a dra-
matte poem by modern Spanish
author who has found continued favor
on the Continental stage. It IS a
metrical weave Of passion, fabric Of
perfervid and violent speeches, figured
with imagery, and not more like to
the clear and expeditions composition
rical age demands than Tennyson's
"a Beckett" or Longfenow's Spanish
Student"
The thread which makes its pattern
is the innocent regard OF a pure young
Spanish matrOn for a prctege Of her
husband whom the latter shelters as a
younger brother: and over this thread
gossip weaves the color and the con-
fusion Of suggested wrong. BY reiter-
ated whispeyings, which inevitably up
srow snto belief, outsiders warp wife,
husband and companion further and
further out of the natural lines Of their
sweet and beautiful life. Ultimately,
by she coincidence or circumstance
with the gentle force. OF, suggestion,
as the philosopher. Hume. conceived II,
the husband is persuaded against all
his better Judgment. and the two are
put .Sut Of his life. The scene Is mod
ern Madrid not the Spanish capital Of
comic opera the lite portrayed is that
OF hign-bred and ardent gentetOlk OF
our own time. and. save for the gusts
Of passiOn and the whistle OF dueung
fOils. which later sounds only from the
wings, the course Of events IS universal
and the lesson Of the poem apt for all
civilization
Mr.. NirdhngeT's Excellent Version.
A German version has been frequently
presented in this country. John Blair,
In 1888 acted an English translation
which proved the radical unsuitabiIity
Of Echegaray's Iong-lnvo!ved and ferry
speeches for an American auditory.
Now comes Mr.. NirdHnger. who brings
to the task an inclsive story Of the dra-
ma, reelected by many years Of criu-
cism for q weH-lrnown weekly. and a
deal Of literary ability He has vlrtu-
ally remade the play-shOrtening Il, in
venting new examinations for all his
three acts, introducing an English diplO-
matlst among the Spanish characters
for the sake Of light and humor. and
in lieu Of its Old character as "a library
play. giving IL bTiSkness Of action and
lrTesisUbiliJv Of sweep So muCn has he
achieved while yet he retains q full
measure Of the originals literary dis
tinctiOn.
Husband. companion. wife-these are
the three whose lives hiss in the trag-
edy Of "Othelio' and fuse into A pic
tuTe Of what has often been called 'eX-
Quisite sorrow in the story Of Paolc
and Francesca The Spanish author
gives a new aspect TO the conflict. he
emphasizes rather the outward com
pulSlOn OF the world than the yielding
TO an inward fire. His IS the more sub
tie conception. the harder 70 grasp. and
vastly the harder TO enlarge as through
q tense for the comprehension Of the
typical auditor OF Indifferent attention.
The one is largely melodramatic, the
other largely psychological.
IL rested with Mr. NlrdLnger not TO
lose this special tone of the EChegaray
composition, while yet ne cut away its
intricate adOrnment and focused its
scattered incident There was ample
testimony last night that he succeeded,
and that he succeeded also in writing
a play Of marked tragic import which
IS sill never depressing.
An ExceIlently Rounded Performance.
Plainly THE World and His Wife"
was no little dramatic undertaking. In
essaying It at all Mr.. Faversham earns
the respectful attention Of all who have
understanding Of dramatic art, or hope
for our modern stage. But the produc-
ton Of il at this time is a manifestation
Of a particular courage in him For this
is this actors first season as his own
manager, and he risks IN one Of the
most costly productions OF even this
prodigal age the savings Of years OF
Every member Of his supporting cast
Of seven contributes value TO the per
Torrance. No wOnder-wheH Lionel Bel
more, who acts the concierge Of a lOdg-
frg house. is well known as stage
manager in half a dozen companies
Of the first grade, when two OF the
others. olive Oliver and Morton Seton,
bsve earned high positions as support
ing actors of inva-iable good taste and
marked ability. when two more, r.
Cooper CIife and Charles Harbury. re
aec+ the best traditions of the Irving
comDanv. when the leading lady, Julie
CDo (NIrs FaveTsham), contributes NOT
or,lv a commanding personality ana
ind training as an actress DuJ an IN
+erest keen as that Of playwright ana
star, ...- - - a.,
liF.,-1ry the chief character IS that Of
non Julian. the husband IN every
other acting version this has been true
likewise There will be many who VIII
hold 10 the same view of MI N1rdllng-
- 9daptation- It is not to be uueS-
Toned indeed. that there are two roles
ard two impersonations in this produc-
tion of critical Importance and that
either badIv done would be rulnouS 10 II
Mr. CI5ne. as Don Julian, mas clear
title TO an the unaffected favor Whlch
last night he wrought from his wash
inrton hearers. He is an actor OF un-
1IsI,al power and gave TO the gradual
IRA nsfornation Of the husbands -rind ii
sense OF living reality.
But this is not to say that ny saver
sham is not by right che star f-lS IS IN
reality the lesser role. hut TO one who
heard last night the overwhelming.
ren1restuous crashing speech with
which Don ErneStO brings the action -
n close viii doubt that this actcr IS
leader of his cNE1U3ny by force OF su-
vcIior histrionic ability or that here IS
The largest achievement of his career