New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-17
LONDON REVEALS
The Repertory Theatre-Pinero
and Sheridan-Relane.

ii is one Of the most delightful works or
the greatest living English drsmaiist'
anG second. because Il is based on
ra-ain scenes % the most famous rep
srto,v theatre OF The Victorian reign.
Samuel Phelps. q rival o. Macready and
Charles Kean sn mastery OF the old
tragic style and also 2 most versatile
comedian. conducted for nearly twenty
wears 1T Sadler's Wells a playhouse de-
voted 20 Shakespearisn revivals and the
production OF new dramas which APP
Desled To- intellectual and refined audi
enccS. when the thtstre Was closed, in
5ss2. owing 20 business reNerses. he could
proudly assert in his farewell speech that
he hao presented thirty-four Of Shake
speare's plays and many works by new
men. The actor manager lived for six
teen wears after making that speech, and
- was often seen both in London and In
the provinces in his fsvorite parts, and
ne trained many players for the stage,
notab,v RIr. Forbes Robertson. II was
~ Sadler's Wells that his best work for
the stage VAS done and few actors have
eyer had larger repertory Of plays or
have established 8 better school Of act
inE
SIR Arthur Pinero's comedy is drawn
from the theatrical life Of the early 6Bs.
We could hardly have observed closely
the conditions end personnel Of Phelpss
Sadler's Wells company, for he was
Lac Of seven when the performances
were suspended: but he knew the prom
inent players by sight, and as time ran
on and he became himself an actor he
WAS intimately acquainted with them
Robertson. the playwright. he has gently
oaricstured in she play, and he has toyed
with the memories OF his youth IN re-
calling to life under new stage names
Rose Trelawny. Avonia Bum, ImOgen
Parrot, Augustus Colpoys and the
TeIfers. The oldtime stage talk at the
Wells and the Pantheon is heard anew,
and crinoline and quaint costumes are in
keeping with the pTim and formal Vic
torian manners. IslingtOn has not for
gotten the famous theatre. for Ssdler's
Wells WAS rebuilt five and thirty years
ago. and business is still done at the OLD
stand: but Bagngge Wells has gone so
completely out Of remembrance as q
mineral spring that the cocLney pronun-
citation Of the name has to be indicated
in the programme. The players in
Phelpe's school Of acting have passed
out Of sight and when the author at
temple 20 identify them the names are
without meaning except TO veterans like
Sir John Gray-Hill, who never missed an
oldtilne Shakespeare revival. The play
itself has the sparkle and freshness OF
real life. The Clerkenwell crescents, the
stately dignity OF Cavendish Square and
the breezy. vivacious Victorian stage OF
she early SOS are restored with effective
realism, and the busy. busting half CEN
tury is "a mist that rolls away"
.'Trelawnv Of the Wells" Was delight
fui when it was produced in 1898 at the
Court Theatre. and it is even more en-
ioyable now. for the staging has i'm
proved and there is 8 more brilliant cast
There is the same Rose Trelawny. but
how rich and resourceful has become the
scting OF Miss Irene Vsnbrugh during
the interval, and how she fills the stage
With her gracious presence. There is
also the same Si- William CoR1er. snd
MI Dion BoUcicsult has enriched the
tnrersonatioa with byplay until e. seen g
sir8ost like a new part Miss Hilds
Trcveivsn. breaking away for once from
Mr. Bsrrie1s characters. is Avonis Bum
and how fascinating is the charm OF her
.oguish vet demure personality! Miss
Fsv Davis Is the rival actress OF the
Olympic. IuoCen PARROT. ard her art
- ,-s-. 4 n he
she commanded an encore from the gal
icries. although she vas q strs niger and
g. Wss her first appearance on any stage
MIR. : duey Valentine and Mr.. Gerald
Lawrence are well matched in stagecrafr
as Teller and Ferdinand Gaoo: and Mr..
Dennis 1sdie suggests with subtiets
Robertson in Tom Wrench, and Mr. Ed
fnCnd Gp'enn. With his strenuous indi-
.-tduaiity. makes = fine character study
o. Colpoys. The smallest parts in the
comedy are taken b. trained artists. and
the acting on The = hole Is conspicuous
Tor Airaciiv end Sp0ntaneity This per
fect performance o. brilliant play is
Mr. F-ohlnan bcSt Vors al he Duke 81
Works since its conversion into rep
eI1cr-- -hea:~'. D. IS a proof that tnare
ran 3e school 90 acting and Stage man
cement uoW as u.erc Was al Sadlers
M slls 81 Phelps, time. ENert one Leart
- iu tho wors. "a So WAS the play
wrighls uncn De- rrote the comedy.
There b. another revival a. the Lyric
Theatre. which does not mahe any pre-
ience 81 being = repertoTN house. This
s. "The Rivals with what il known as
O. star cast Tradition has il that Sher-
idar's Tisy Uss = failure "hen r. was
FIRST presented ~ Convent Garden. in 1875.
end that fbc fault las with the indiffer-
ehs acting ~ The sir Lucius OTrigger.
That was not the weak point in The new
version. for Mr. Leonard Boyne enacted
the part with = grand air and aith rich
hulnoT. n0r Has tHe Boo Acres 81 AR.
Robert Lore ine anything but = fine per
f0ir1snce. resembling 80 ~ 90 Jeffer-
sons inln table impersonation ~ = boor-
lsll country gentleman and avoiding The
polluted strain 81 i0w COmeGy The
pooreet Performance on che frs night
W. d. I.erIs Nallers rs Captain AD-
rc!tie. fsr e WIS co'oricss and feeble
81. Somersei lct himself e. madiy - Sir
Anthony and resslHed c"ntrDI - his
snees 81 the nick ~ fi'ne. SO ~ 20 save
himself FROM the repIoacb 90 cxaggers-