New-York tribune., 1910-11-29
THE DRAMA
"Henry OF Navarro" at the
KnIckerboCker Theatre.

Mr.. FISu Terry and Miss Julia Nelson
and their London company appeared last
night IN romantic drama by William
Devereux called Henry of Navarro.
This is better play for the Terry Nelson
forces thah Was its predecessor, The
Scarlet Plmpernel' better. that is, for
American audiences. II is better acted too
and 1t mad need tc be. In England Henry
of Navarro has been one OF the chief
Terry-N ellison successes. 1t is likely TO
serve TINS we'll known pair of players to
more advantage in New York than the
piece which was even more popular in Eng
land II Is more interesting. and it gives
Mr. Ierry more opportunity to display his
qualities as an actor. For Miss Nelson,
perhaps, II does not do so much. She, at
any rate, makes Marguerite de Valois so
like the French actress who in The
Scarlet Ptmpernel' became the wife of the
adventurous Englishman that no way oc-
ours 10 the spectator for telling the two
ladies' apart, But Mr.. Terry catches and
depicts certain traits of the Protestant
King as history and anecdote have reported
them. and he depicts them with much force
and insight. The Catholic King. Charles
X. is 50 well played by Mr.. Malcolm
Cherry that the work Of this actor in this
play is easily the second in merit.
The incidents chosen by the dramatist
are in the main OF course Henrys odd
wooing of Marguerite and the plots which
eliminated in the ST. Bartholomew Mas
sacre: the several attempts of Catherine de
Medici upon Henrys life; the efforts of
the Due de Guise TO obtain the love Of
Henry's Queen; and the superstitious he
lief Of Catherine and Charles in the for
tune-telling of the adroit Italian poisoner-
astrologer-Cosmo Ruggieri. Many of the
characters in the play are but shadows
Some little history. or legend which has
the effect Of history. is twisted and sup
pressed for stage purposes. Marguerite
alleged relations with sundry persons Of the
court are not even suggested nor are her
abundant learning and her many-sided
character. D'Anjou is nothing but a
pale fool, and Navarro merely kisses the
hand of Nine. de Sauve. However. the
dramatist has made an interesting COS
tune play of the romantic order, filed It
with movement and effective situations.
and the audiences cordial reception OF the
result seems to show that the public has
a hearty appetite for this kind Of thing
even al this day.
Mr.. Terry's acting carries the play. But
admirable as his work is here it would be
still more effective were he. in or before
the moments of combat. to indicate what
is believed 10 have been one of the curious
traits of Navarre's s character his physical
fear and moral courage. But the dranatist
does not give a hint of this. and the actor
may not see his way to suggest it. Mr..
Terry makes a strong point OF Henrys
laughter in the face Of difficulties and dan
gers. but somehow his laughter is too
bucolic for q King, even for a Gascon King.
Il is too much like the laughter of Sir
Percy BIakeney when he is passing himself
off as d stupid Briton II is not unlike the
laughter of one of Albert Chevaliers
yokeIs Nevertheless. Mr.. Terry's Henry
of Navarro is a performance SO good that
one would willingly see him again in this
character. And the play and its presenta-
ton make, on the whole, good entertain
ment. A W.
CAST OF HENRY OF NAvARRE."
Charles IX. King of France. Malcolm Cherry
Henry de Bourbon, King Of NavarTe FREQ Terry
Henry, Due de CiUise. Philip MeTlya!s
Henry Due q 'AnfoU. ....... FTunlberstone Wright
Arthur de Mouhy. Huguenot 4eader
Cosmo Ruggieri. an astrologer. Horace Hodges
Marshal Tavannes- ! Carter Ed" aIds
Due de Biragues- s-.-.--.--.-..... George I1udley
Due de la RochesoucauId d-..-..........J. l. Dale
n des Wales. es..........-......... Maurice Elvey
NJ de Pesrne o.. Leslie Gordon
Nancy. Captain OF the Kings Guard. -,
Guy Cunningham
Catherine de Medici the queen Mother;
Miss Phyllis Manners
Marie Belleforet .......... Miss Eileen Beatrice
Charlotte de Sauve ...--... Miss GLADYS Gardner
la Belle DavoIe ...........- Miss Doris Marshal,
Nile de Monrnorenci La Belle Fosseuse.
Mile de Torigni ..--... Miss Beatrice Manning
Marguerite de Valos ----.-.-. Miss Julia Nelson