The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-09-25


LONDON'S NEW CROP DRAMAS
NOTABLE AUDIENCE FOR PHIL
LIPS-OARR "FAUsT" PREMIER.
Excellent ~stagecraft shown. but the Best
OF Goethe Is Eiiminsted-'Paid In
FUN" Q SDoubtful Success ~ the
Aidwych-Triumph or Curtain Kaiser
LoNpoN. Sept. is.-The London thest,
rical panorama continues Its autumn
unfolding. Since last Saturday ive more
theatres have opened their doors, o
from all accounts box ONCE receipts a.
many playhouses are causing 20
managerial JOY.
Saturday evening Beerbohm Tree pre-
sented the long promised and eagerly
awaited version Of "Faust.' by. Stephen
Phillips and j. Comyns Carr. Numerous
runaors have been aioat for weeks re-
garding the wonders which MI. Tree was
going to accomplish In stage effects and
lighting. Coieridge- Taylor was engaged
to write special Faust music for the
production. and various well known
artists designed tho costumes and color
effects.
Al the first performance q really re-
markable audience gathered to witness
the efforts Of Messrs. Phillips and Carr
to improve upon Goethe and tho Efforts
Of the composer to Guido Gounod. It wa
an audience even more brilliant than 10
usual at His Majesty's Theatre. which d
famous for its remarkable first night
assemblages. There were royalties o
Ministers Of the Cabinet. there were
famous poets. authors and artists, singers
and actors waiting TO applaud or con-
denim That they were enthusiastic n
not be denied, but It was an enthusiasm
accorded to the most remarkable OF
spectacular productions. not to any merit
In the play itself.
On the programme MIR. Tree had mod
estly stated that this representation Of
Faust would show for the fret time
the underlying Significance Of 0oethe's
masterpiece. but the impression h play
left when the curtain fell on the last won
derfui scenic effect was that the poetry,
philosophy and imagination Of Goethe
had disappeared and O series oil mol
dents crudeiy strung together. some
few good verses and or two arrestine
thoughts by Comyns Carr and stephen
Phillips we're left =.
Mr.. Coieridge-Taylor's incidental music
was very pleasing and no doubt will be
much played. A new setting 70 the
King Of Thule some quaint and gro
tesque dance music for the witches, 2
drinking Sung and angel ohoruses are
the principal numbers.
Mr.. Trees MephistophsIes was q ine
creation, full Of subtlety and power In
the prologue. and epilogue he was q SIMS
ter and sombre spirit OF evil and ciad In
armor Of dark green scales. With 1rown-
ing brows and deep tones. But In the
earthly soenes in the traditional scarlet 10
was light and humorous, "a gallant gen
tlemans-as he proclaimed himself. Henry
Ainley was an inadequate FdtA. n
a very pretty young girl. Marie Lohr,
made an ideal Marpdrd In appearances
but In nothing else.
On Monday evening the first nighters
assembled again with unabated zeal to
see q farceby a new playwright. Frederick
Lonsdale, which was produced at Wynd-
ham's theatre. II wa q Q OF wits
a youna and pretty heirees. The early
worm. 81 course, SCORES. Weldon Gros.
snnith was at his BEST as the worm. and
the farce seemed to please . typioally
4t,ssdsy evening paid in Full made
its initial appearance at the Aldwyoh and
was we'll received and wen or1nclsed.
aotor; Louis Calvert as Capedin ,Wiiliams
and Robert Lorraine ~ the dishonest
clerk easily carried of the honors. : The
play's A~mericanisms puzzled the pit az
,,s,iai and consequently annoyed them.
INT they refrained from kissing and at
the end OF the third act there was real
Ala mot please and the final fall Of the
curtain was reoeived with little applause
and tome disapprobaton.N
: n n difaoult to prophecy the fate OF
thfs NAV n England, Notwithstanding
sonne Of the critics say that 1T II the
strongest and best play, we have had
from A%s1iC a;d fSt : sna;s1 Sms; :. paid in
riis was not as large as II would have
sSwan n The perennial and over popular
iewis waller had not been giving. an
o,eninr performance Of. The Dukes
Motto.s an adaptation Of the old play
Il m Here which Fechter produced
In London some forty-hye yeaIs ago.
TIA new version, made BY Justin Mo-
Csrthy. gives Waller q part he nils 70
n~srfection and such . part as his audi
enoes love to see him play. The theatre
~ss nscked with sWallerites' from stalls
"a esIiSry and they oheered every chance
thsv nd during the .piece. and through
~ s~ntr'actes. and still had breath enough
ieSt 10 about themselves hosrse at the end
rhsrs sfs four aots Of breathless words.
In, nossibk but strong pittations, duels
asfrre md tWenty-eight characters who
- III Sois for Waller, who rushee In and
o,,t snone them, talking. loyemaking a
kiliine with q dash, vigor n charm wnion
are really worthy Of better Things;
Martin Hsrvey. another romantic actor,
tsr6nted fortune the next evening win
sThs Corsiean Brothers' q . Q BOT
NAV sThe Conspiracy.' The Corsicnn
Sroytherss has not been played here for
msnv vears and was warmly weloomed,
mt n VA the curtain raiser. ~ Con
srIreCvs nv Robert Barr and 6idney
i<vis hanSom, which most pleased tho
A oonsudracy has been directed against
the Youthful King Konrad OF Polayia
and Ia A picturesque Polavfan hunting
cbsiet tan mobiles and d~ignltartes OF the
.l1tftnu o1ay00t t1eir KlQR,