New-York tribune., 1908-09-27
FAUST" ON THE STAGE

The fact that Mr.. Tree Is producing new YER
sion of Faust arouses a new interest in this
five -hun6red-year-old subject Although the eonao-
oration of Messrs. Stephen Phillips and Conyns
Carr will be the thirty-second version Of Faust
seen on the English stage. while Continental var
tants Of the legend have been equally prolific ths
affection Of the public for the poetical outcoms
Of u1onkish spleen abates no jot. but grows upon
what it feeds without fear OF surfeit-
Had not Johann Faust. the printer. applied the
wonder Of movable type to the production of ths
Bible the Prayerbook and other works that de-
pended solely on the craftsmanship OF monksi
scrveners for their existence. the story OF Faust
and his compact with the evil one might have
boer, DELAYED bv centuries. But the monks retail
lated in the current Of their day, and accused
the progressive printer OF having sold his soul for
his typographical secret The imaginative minds
of sfxteenth-century scribes embeIlshed the monk
ish assertion with further strange happenings until
the dongs the apocryphaI Faust became 50 many
and entertaining that Begardt was constrainsdi
10 collect them into volume form
In 15ss the adventures OF Faust duly appeared IN
the black letter popularized by his prototype A
few years afterward the hero OF these bewilderins
flights of fancy was held up by Gastius. the theo-
Iogan as a horrible example of the power OF ths
devil.
A PUPPET FAUST
The first to see the dramatic possibilities Of az
least one Of the notorious doctors adventures was
the German proprietor of a puppet show. who
This was in the year 1885, twenty years oefore'
NarIove produced his "Tragickal History. MAJ
lowe probably obtained his inspiration from tnsT
''Puppenspie.' the Germans called IL Cer-
tainIy he spent two years. 1888 and l0si IN tah-
ing a pike" the Low Countries and one doe,i
not unduIv fret the imagination in assuming tnas
the English soIdiery were occasionally eI''erlale-'
by the itinerant 'pupUenspieler-
As far as printed data go. the palm ror tns
first serious play on the subject Of Faust nuse
- yVhO BegarQlS
legends ana the mystical works Of Cameraius andi
Wierus for his facts "A
The success OF "Dr. Faustus'' was as masica1i
az It's subject. Versions Of the story appeared IN
France. Spain. Italy. Poland and Holland "Ieaili
Ears+ DOcteur'' became popular IN France as
MarIowe's play IN England The mass OF H'e's
ture inspired by the legend IS overWhellillIls-
the British Museums Library catalogue aus
claims a bewildering number OF pages ano - -
student Of the drama pauses IN trepldaton on -
threshold of Faustian knowledge
CARLYLEss BANE
Of all dramatic versions Of the Faust legend.
that of Goethe is most holly regarded sihce -
appearance In 17sO. all good Goehteans-ana 'Hs.- %
number is 1egion-haye regarded any olaiHa, . 49,.
adaptation Of the story with uneasinesS siN
more enthusiastic souls have not scrupleu u -
denim them acts OF fragrant Vanaa-lSli -.
Caryle-rot in his dsIikes as loyal in his Io'e-"a
not above this prO-Goethean prejudice
A popular German version OF Faust was nnaus
nv the dramatiSt kltngemdnn, VINO lIlFe'ilo0-'
the CarIylean teeth on edge Ihls play I"o 90
condemns as .tawdry and hollow. suited for in1'
diate use and immediate oblivion Otner Gei.a
"Fausts'' were written by Muller and Lessins' ou-
save to the student their record IS closed
After MarIowe's masterpiece, the hrst EIIsHSA
version took the shape Of a farce-thus did tne
mighty fau!-entitled Life and Death OF L.
Faustus with the HurnOurs OF Harlequin ana 80
mouch" Its author was the unfortunate "4
Mountfort described by Cibber an eXcelenS
ha vVaG he
Of a popular actress. assassinated IN NoIIOiA
street Strand. by Captain Hill and the no'Oi'o.
dueIer Lord Mohun. 1t was acted at the queens
Theatre. Dorset Gardens, in 1895
The next Faust play was acted az the 1aii'oH'
LincoIn's Inn Theatre in 1722 1t followed tns
farcicaI lead OF its predecessor, and was ealea
THE Necromancer; or. Harlequin Dr. Faus'us
COMIC .FAUsTs."
Z The first Drury Lane ''Faustus' came two years
afterward. It's title Harlequin Dr. Faustus'
or The MasQue of the Deities' pretentious tiI'
for the work of the Drury Lane dancing HSs.sl'
Thurmond. In 1898 Drury Lane produced ano'hef
Faust paatomime. Harlequin Dr. Faus'us' OF,
The Devil VIII Have His own The au.hor ns
passed into the same oblivion as his play
The next Faust OF which we have any recoFn
was also mounted at Drury Lane. This was 0y
Soane and Terry. and first light in 1SS II vas
a romantic musical drama, and was called Ih'
Devil and DR.. Faustus"
In 1852 London stirred by version Ok
Faust" translated from the French play OF Nleh1
Carre by W. Robertson. 1t produced at ths
Princess's by Charles Kean. who played NepnlS-
topheles. and by its lavish mounting packed tno
Oxford street house for many nights.
In 1879 Sir W. S. Gilbert rang change on tns
Faust legend IN his play, Gretchen which nr's
saw light the demolished Olympic Theatre
Gounods opera still remains virile while the Gaisy
burlesques. Little DIR. Faust and Faust Up ~
Date" remain pleasant memories.
No survey OF Faust" would be cOmplets WtanO--
a reference TO the much discussed Lyceum versus
OF the latsW. q. Wills. which probably was n'eis
financially successful than all the other 'Fsns'sx
Jumped together. The original production N -
represented the last word In Lyceum mounuNs
Money spent like water 70 insure psrfeeu0
The Lyceum painters. Telbin and HaNe'
Craven. together with their chief. Sir Henry y
wing. Miss Ellen Terry and other celebrities OK -
theatre, made a tour OF Nuremberg and the Ast
Mountains IN order to insure correct local eo'1.
with the result that unprecedented seriss -
stage pictures presented. which are still ac'i
impressions In the minds OF those fortunsts sn01s
10 have witnessed the Production.-J. 1. L. IN AA-