New-York tribune., 1910-11-08
THE DRAMA
Production of 1.-The Merry Wives
of Windsor" at New Theatre

il is merely an incident Even first ner-
formance in New York (which is far from
being first night performance, has much
less significance than was the case in for
mer years. 1t will soon be the exception.
if II is not so already rather than the rule
for New York managers TO give in this
city the first American performance of a
new play. or the first presentation IF a re-
vivaL Imagine the Theatre Francajs send
ing its actors and scenery outside Of
France to perform for the first time some
play by Moliere. some fantasy by Rostand,
Imagine NJ. Antoine producing some new
piece at Lyons, Tours. Avignon or Nice
and letting Paris see it some weeks later.
Imagine Wyndham, Tree. Trench or Alex
ander placing new pieces on the stage for
the first tino at Croydon, Brighton. Leeds
or Sheffield. instead of at the Criterion.
His Majestys, the Haymarket or the ST.
James'sl Their pride in their own houses.
their regard for their own public. prevents
this kind of thing. They are not even
lured by the fact that a series Of public
dress rehearsals can be made to pay eX-
penses or even profits. instead Of being
out OF pocket exercises. as nov. The
American managers may ne shrewder earn
ere. but is that all that can he said for
them? Nowadays our plays are "originallY
produced i'm Connecticut or Atlantic city,
or in the mining regions OF Pennsylvania
or in Chicago. or Boston. or Pumpkin juno
tion. and they are even shown around the
country some weeks before New York IS
distinguished by their visits. Even Ihe
New Theatre Yields TO this spirit OF ad-
venture Ii begins its new and regular
season by sending its players and two OF
its nlavs into Canada before New York
has an opportunity to see them. for all the
I'D se # if we're conducting a syndicate
.rop Tho first Shakespearlan reN'Ndi ol
~ eaa=or The Merry Wives Of Wind
sor- and The first new play. Phero
5-.-,, The Tbunderbolt." we're eXhipiteu
on 2 provincial tour. NON IhsE
1,,o,,ght 70 New York. The Merry wives
Of windsor was performe'i here hoiiuas ,
night Pinero-s piece Will ne gwen ''sA'
SATURDAY night rho
And vet for some obscure 'sd9''''
New Theatre announced MONDAY n's'i'
rarformanCe a. a premier d
nounces the one for next SATURDAY
inr If rlans policies and annouiiceiii' !''9
are 10 have a. little meaning IN "
~,i+r The New Theatre as they have IN
! ,er,,.+,or with some older houses the
eoonar +be fact Is realized the better. One
p NJ recent
7i+-Ia cause for wonder: The Merry
v,-iree oe Windsor. will be presented as
force according tn a proclamation last
-.ea1- from central Park West Now may
q faded world prepare 70 learn tia'
.0+beIlo'' and Hamlet will sooner .
later he performed as tragedies.
V-b,fevcr New York may think OF I
s,-s+er, which gives it a secondhand pre-
,,,iar~ at this or any other theatre. there
can n.l no doubt whatever that the per
fornance of The Merry Wives Of Wind
sor'' is an excellent one. It is significant
Of something docs the management kno"
Of what0 that this house is at its best IN
its presentations of Shakespeare in ms
lighter moods: it is far from its best in its
performances of modern plays. quite as Tar
as il is in its selection OF these latter.
The acting in The Merry Wives" is, in
almost all the characters. very good in
deed. Mr.. De Cardoba' Pistol is the least
satisfactory, because the actor speaks as
if his mouth we're filed with the Garter
Inns hot pudding. The women Of the COM
pany are the best, even dear old Mrs. Sol
Smith. whose Mistress Quickly young &C
tors would do well 10 study slowly and with
care Mrs Matthison' Mrs. Ford was de-
Iightful. although her costume was most
unbecoming. She seemed somewhat con-
strained in the part. but a little more o. the
freedom Of movement and iightness of
spirit which she showed a happily re-
rnemhered moments will make her por-
travaI quite a gem. Miss Rose Coghlan 5
Mrs Page was just what YOU would eX-
pecr from that experienced actress. Both
ladies' lacked a little in spontaneous gayetl
and bubbling mischief. the traits and quail
tiles which were uppermost when Ellen
Terry and Mrs. Kendall played these char
acters TO Trees Falstaf
Charming very charming. was Miss Lear
Bateman- Hunter as Sweet Anne Page. Sh'
manages hor voice much better than she
did last season She should guard agans
exscgerating her Laughter at Slender anC
her smiles upon Fenton. so that they may
not become grimaccs. Young players are
none too apt TO think Of this.
M Calyert's FaIstaT was expected to b'
a good performance. and a good perform
ance II proved to he 1t was not a dis
tinCuished performance, but distinction is
something which the judicious do not We
expect to find at The New Theatre. Mr.
CaIvert's Falstaf was as unctuous ss coulC
be desired. as easy, as graceless, as beery
as IustfI. a. avaricious. as ready witt
humorous quip. as the Falstaf of YOU
, imagination And in all 7roba bility ther
/ is no other actor TODAY who could pla!
this part so well as he; certainly there i
) none who can play it better.
Nr. Anson's Ford is the best thing he ha.
done at this house. II is q performance o
real worth Seldom indeed does any on
hear an actor speak so we'll as M. Ansol
/ speaks in this play. and nothing that h
does in il is overdone or come tardy off
Nearly all the others who have not beel
. mentioned are worthy Of mention, but tn
list is too long Tor present detail Th
scenic effects were for the most part ap
. / propriate and attractive The interior o
p ! the Garter Inn can scarcely he included Il
this approval. It looked sdspiciously hk
, the scene in which the midnight revel va
held in Twelfth Night Scenery, lik
actors. has before this aeen known Z
double parts. In The New Theatres ar
, ranEement Of the play there IS no division
into acts There are eleven scenes. Afte
{ The seventh scene there is an intermissio
Of fifteen minutes The other intervals ar
short but as the curtain drops ten time
before the play ends the movement Of tn
play seems TO halt excessively. Perhap
this IL unavoidable. But the revival o
The Merry Wives is attractive. an
many persons win wish 10 see it throug
curiosity, If for no other reason. Their eX
pectations must bc inordinately high
they are in any way disappointed
A W.
CAST OF THE MERRY WIVES OF WIND