New-York tribune., 1911-01-03
THE DRAMA
"TreIawny Of The Wells" at
the Empire Theatre.


7, is no doubt. a waste OF time 10 ask |
WHY some things are done In connection /
with some plays at some theatres in New |
York And yet minds here and there. even I
the least speculative minds, may we'll won !
der why the management responsible for
the latest revival az the Empire Theatre |
gives OUT 20 the trusting reporters OF |
theatrical news such Statement as this: |
Rose TrelaSny was the first actress OF her |
dav 10 leave the stage for society" a re- |
mark which has as little meaning as the man
that utters II must have knowledge Of the |
history of stage plays and players. But II
that statement" is not far-fetched enough. |
the one 20 the effect that the story OF Rose
Trelawny "is founded on the career OF Mrs |
Kendall may be backed to beat II by sew
eral lengths. When this kind of stuff, put
forward by the ignorant for the gullible, |
Is spread over the public prints. anything
NAV happen in the way OF stage perform
ance. Therefore, nobody need be surprised
IL such questions as these arise: Had this
weeks producer at the Empire Theatre
ever seen "Trelawny Of The Wells -? Had
he ever heard of it. or read it before he
undertook to stage 1t? Was II understood
lawny, was large and we'll mstured
woman, that Tom Wrench was a big boned, !
heavy Aeshed, deep voiced we'll fed man, !
and that. But perhaps the questioner
expects too much. II is the part Of wis |
dom TO expect little from the high gods,
oven from the high gods OF what Rose Ire
lawny calls the little world Of the thea
tre"
Trelawny in this revival. After her dis
I tnguished success in 'Md-Channel' il Is
rather saddening TO find her returning TO
her earlier and gurglIng manner In Mid
Channel she really acted; as Rose Ire
lawny she does not act at all, she merely
repeats the old form in which she has for
many years cast her sweet young things"
This is easily done, but It pals. and it III
becomes Rose Trelawny the charming lit
tie actress, sparkling girl. who fell in love
with "a swell" a year older than herself, /
left the stage, but returned TO IT after a
month with the chill and formal artistic
Gratis Of Cavendish Square. and is, at the
end OF the piece, Joined by her lover, who
becomes an actor.
Even New York's memory will last
twelve years. and IT would be stretching
courtesy too EAR 10 pretend that "Trelawny
OF The Wells " Is as well performed at
the Empire as IL was at the old Lyceum
Theatre in 1895 or as it in London in
the same year. In this revival OF 1911 the
principal characters - and the principal
characters surely are Rose Trelawny and
Tom Wrench-are scarcely seen. As fig
ures they are substantial enough, but as
characters only the faintest suggestions.
Some Of the minor parts are much better
done than these two because they resemble
closely the persons they are supposed 70
be-James Teller for one; Mrs. Teller, for
another. and even Colpoys and Ferdinand
Gadd. All the people in the cast are clever
enough in their respective lines, no doubt,
but their respective lines are not those
which fate, inCarnate in the mana agement,
has reserved for them I'm this play. Miss
/ Constance Collier, as ImOgen Parrott. is
not happily placed, but is there any good
reason why capable players should be cast
! for the parts they can play best when the
rule OF the hour is 10 assign them for duty
i'm roles which have but distant relation 10
their abilities? In short, "Trelawny OF
The Wells at tho Empire Theatre,
shows the clothes OF It's period, and speaks
.
the period and the atmosphere" Of the
period are absent Mr. Charles Walcott.
who was IN the original New York pro-
duction. at the Lyceum, Is the Sir Will
lam Cover, and is fairly good in the third
and fourth acts, but not so good in ,he
second. Mr.. Charles Dalton, by the way.
is the only one In the cast who pro-
uounces the family name Cover in the
Drew. as Avouia Bum. was warmly ap-
pIauded. but the general public may not
be so easily pleased as was a frst-night
audience highly disposed to friendly
demonstrations.
The play Is far from being one Of
Pineros best, but 1T is interesting still. III
demands, though a treatment which ~
does not now receive. The production
needs pulling together. As it stands Pinero
does nearly everything for it, the actors
very little The story and its situations
/ carry the players. The latter. capable
persons. lack the direction Of a master
mind a masters informing touch. But
this ie the era Of producers, not OF
masters Of stagecraft. And so II hap
pens that this production which would
rank very well indeed as stock enter
priye. does not take high place even IN
Broadway at one Of the leading theatres
and with a popular star at the head OF
the bill II was not az stars play thdt
Mr Charles Frohman presented this piece
I'm London last spring. Cannot something
I NOR. suitable than this be found for Miss
t,,rr,,,,,rao A W
CAST OF "TRELAwNY OF THE WELLS
James Telf.-. ........--. George g bonitare