The sun., 1908-01-16
NAUDE ADAMS DOES MOTLEY
THE TESTERS" PRODUCED AT
THE EMPIRE THEATRE.

English version I'm WFctched Verse OF
French Original. a Mixture Of n0stand
and ROsewAter, Doesn't TAX Niss
Adams's POwers-FrlendIy Applause.
Mas Maude Adams, though shs has con-
sented to grow up, refuses to become lady.
She appeared last night at the Empire
Theatre in an English version OF "Les
Bouhons." by Miguel Zamacois, and once
more in a male role. this time that OF
young nObleman who impersonates hump
backed jester to win a fair ladys hand.
There was a large and excessively demon
strative audience on hand, who applanded
her to the echo and appeared 10 And much
enjoyment not only in the display OF her
pretty graces but in the play itself. So
much for the record.
The commentary must begin with the
statement that "The TESTERS II 10 said at
the express stipulation Of the French
author. is a translation by John Raphael
into English hexameters, rhymed in
cQRplets. Evidently NJ Zamacof has a
very elementary idea Of English versi-
fication or he would never have insisted
on such an absurd proceeding.
The rhymed hexameters Of the French
verse drama may be all very well, especially
as they are spoken by the French actors
trippingly on the tongue. gracefully,
rapidly, like a scherzo. now-anh then varied
with a minuet. But turned into the corre-
spending meter in English the most poetic
idea in the world would seem, save for the
rhyme. Just to descend to simple prose.
sing song mOnotony is the nearest APP
proach to poetic speech possible in this
metriCal form.
II has neither hghtness. grace nor power,
and though on the whole Miss Adams and
her company handled the clumsily rhymed
lines and painfully inverted constructions
with surprising ease. nothing could redeem
the mould into which the speech OF the
testers" is cast-no, not II Alexander Pope
had been the translator, who came nearest
to approximating this poem in English.
Robbed, then, of what charm OF language
il possessed in French and, with Sarah
Bernhardt playing the leading Fart, as she
did just a year ago when the piece Was
first presented this charm must have fold
70 the full--"The testers" in English is more
easily seen for what it is. a highly artificial
affair, a mixture of Rostand and rose-wAtR
a rseudO-romantic comedy without deEth.
novelty. passion or genuine charm. The
personal popularity of Miss Adams, which
is tremendous and well earned, may carry
il through to a sort Of success. But this
success will not be significant and the play
will not be remembered
It's story is slight, merely that of an impov
erished nobleman and his daughter in the
year 1857 in France, who call in candidates
for the post Of jester, among the applicants
being two noble youths in disguise, lovers
of the daughter. One hopes to win by his
beauty, the other (played by Miss Adams)
by his wit. He calls himself Chicot CMme.
Bernhardt was Jdcdsse. but OF course that
would never do for Miss Adams) and dons
a hump. The comedy OF the impoverished
household, it's efforts to make state figures
out Of servants, to shine with empty purse,
and the contests between the testers, al.
ways ending, of course. in the triumph Of
ChicOt, and finally in the revelation be-
meath the hump Of a conQuering Prince
Charming, constitutes the play, simple
fabric, childshly romantic. obvious. trite
To Miss Adams fell nothing that she
could not do prettily and effectively, ex-
cept make love- and that no woman can
do in mans attire in this day and genera
ton, not even Sarah herself. She had to
state her assumed name. Chicot in a rapid
lyAiCt ObNlOu5iy HukkNob"N Wy SWNftC Q
in the first act Of RostAnd's play. and she
had to improvise a speech about the wind,
two and a half pages long in the French
text, again evidently inspired by Rostand.
She accomplished both gracefully. even
eloquently, in spite of her unpleasant breath
manipulation which seriously mars her
elocution. She was delightfully."- romantic
to look upon. though one speculated on
Bernhardts disguise as Jocosse, wonder
ing il il were not far less attractive. and
40 far more effective in contrast. She
had humor and neatly conveyed to the
full what PASSES for wit in this play. But
when all is said there is little enough here
to engage her powers, that are, IL somewhat
limited at least, capable Of conveying truer
and fresher things across the footlights
By far the most picturesque and striking
character in the play is that Of V1Iedno, a
clustering bluffing, drunken Dumas sort
! Of retainer at the castle. This part was
PLAYED by Gustav Won Seyffertitz. and the
| same power Of vivid character portrayal
| that used 10 delight on Irving place de-
| lighted the English speaking audience at
! the Empire last evening. His speech is not
/ free from accent. but his acting in fluent
! and authoritative. Edwin Holt and Fred
| erick Eric contributed the pleasure, far too
| rare on our stage. Of clean cut enunciation
! and skilful elooution, and William Levers
| contributed two graceful legs
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