New-York tribune., 1912-02-27
my pArKICIA
OLIVER TWIST
Splendid Performance OF the
Dickens Play at the New
Amsterdam.


and women the world over read the Christ
mas Carol, and once again marvel at the
tenderness and insight into human nature
of Charles Dickens. Last night at tne
New Amsterdam Theatre, a most capaole
company of players interpreted the sloIS
Of Oliver Twist. which shows this power TO
perhaps an even greater degree.
In "Oliver Twist" which was written "
mart simultaneously with "Pickwick there
is little of the broad comedy that perne-
ates the latter. Rather does the former
live upon it's horrors. 1t is a drah picture
of squalid cheerless streets, OF dens OF
thieves. of haunts OF disease; tragedy oil
rags and vice. Dickens did not wish to
make his thieves attractive, as were the
Dick Turpins and Jack Sheppards OF heath
and high road romances. His aim WAS 10
display the real psychology of the criminal
TO show crime In its most unattracuNe anu
repulsive truth. In depicting his thieNes'
chosen from the most degraded OF Lon
don's under world, as they really did exist
in their defornity. wretchedness and skulk-
ing unrest. with the shadow OF the gallows
aver over them. Dickens offended many or
his oversensitive admirers. but as he so
aptly put # in the preface 10 "Oliver
twist: 1T Is wonderful how Virtue turns
from dirty stockings. and how Vice. mar
ried to ribbons and a little gay ature'
changes her name. as welded Iadles 40
and becomes Romance"
The version which the Lebler company
selected for presentation was that MADE by
J. Comyns Carr It began with the IN
PRODUCTION of Oliver to Mr.. Brownlow's
home then carried the action TO Faglns
den. where that master Of cunning and ms
"dears." the Artful Dodger, Charlie Bates,
Barney and Nancy, were seen in the schoOl
of thievery. The attempted burglary at
Chertsey, when Oliver was again restored
10 his friends, was followed by the return
of Bill Skies TO Fagin's den and the in
stilling into his slow working brain by
Fagin of the doing away with Oliver
Nancys betrayal of her lover and Fagln
because of her affection for Oliver a. the
hotel I'm HYDE Park, and the discovery by
Fagin and Barney of her act as they hide
under the arches of London Bridge pre-
ceded the murder OF Nancy in Bilrs room.
In the Comyns Carr version the blows that
end the girls life are struck In an adjoin-
ing room. The lawn at Chertsey. where
oliver finds home and love and where Bits
death is described. is followed by the
dramatic climax in Fagins cell.
Even in a production Sch as that Of last
night, where every character was intelli-
gently portrayed. where uureserved praise
is due 10 each player. the Fagin of Nat
Goodwin, the Bill Skies of Lyn Harding
and the Nancy of Constance Collier stood
out as embodiments of the types Dickens
drew Mr. Goodwin, as the leering, cum
ming Jew. came into his own again as the
best character actor on our stage to-day
He carried the action along with irresist-
ibIe power: he cajoed bullied, entreated
and grovelled and in his frenzied despair
When he realized that his doom was at
hand he rose TO heights of dramatic ex-
preston seldom equalled. Lyn Harding
gave to Bill Skies the primal passions OF
the brute; he was a living part Of the
sordid, vicious underworld. The Nancy of
Constance Collier was a sympathetic char
acterization Marie Doro played Oliver
with a skilful appreciation of the part,
Fuller Mellish was capital as Nlr. Grimwig
and Olive Wyndham was charming as
Rose, suggesting frequent memories of
Rosemary
In making this centenary production the
IdebIer company is to be congratulated on
the company IL has assembled and for the
scenic effects It has provided. The scene
showing the arches Of London Bridge was
particularly striking.