New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-27
THE PLAYGOER
4 WondrOuS Spectacle Is "The
Daughter of Heaven"

Marvellously beautiful is THE Daugh-
ter of Heaven" And no one need be
suspected of exaggeration who says
that no stage anywhere, at any time,
has shown a spectacle equalling IL in
beauty.
Since the first performance hours
have been Topped off from this elabo-
rate production. The curtain now falls
on the last scene at II p. m. 1t falls
TO sadness rather than to JOY. After
so much beauty of landscape and ar
chitecture, of costume and sky and
moonlit waters, you may expect, may
believe you have right to expect, an
ending to the play which shall fit the
sparkle and the splendor Of so many
radiant scenes. But the end is nigh as
tragic as that of Romeo and Juliet
And the lady is overlong in dying.
But as given at The Century Theatre
it is not as a play that this piece APP
peals so much as a spectacle. what
was written by Pierre Lott and judith
Gautier is shorn of much that gave 1t
poetic and dramatic beauty. George
Egerton- CMrs. Golding Bright must
have worked hard TO deprive the lines
of their poetic spirit. And then the
cutting had to be deep and broad In
order TO bring the performance within
three hours and to fit the scenery.
element dominates.
Then Judge the production as spec
tacIe rather than as a play. Any one
who wishes to see the utmost that the
modern stage can do in scenic won
ders can see it all in THE Daughter of
Heaven" The eye feasts upon ex-
traordinary beauty. No matter what
is going on you look at the pavilions
the flowers. trees and rivers. the pea
cocks and storks, the gorgeous cos
tunes. Any play" could be smothered
with such accessory wealth. But as
the chief purpose at The Century is to
exhibit the splendors Of the stage, who
shall chide the management for hay-
ing achieved its purpose with supreme
success?
There are miracles Of color. For un-
like most spectacles which have been
staged i'm this country at huge cost
The Daughter OF Heaven" is set be-
fore YOU with a fine artistic taste.
There is no riot" of cOlors. They do
not clash. Wherever you look the coll
ors are grouped in harmonies. Ehects
of this kind are usually missing from
orr stage. no matter how much money
managers spend. Mr.. Tyler had the
good Judgment to make somebody re-
sponslble for good taste. He deserves
the thanks Of theatregoers expressed
in cash.
Was China ever so beautiful, so las
cinating, as she is made to appear IN
these numerous scenes? Not In our
own time has she presented vistas so
exquisite Is not this Pierre LOFTS
dream of China, rather than the China
beheld by the conquering Manchu? AS
nobody knows, nobody can complain
because Mr.. Tyler has allowed his art
lists in paint and fabrics to go as far.
as they pleased in design.
.'The Garden Of Allah" was plain
niece by comparison. And even under
"The Daughter Of Heav-
EN-" is more interesting than the dram
atization of Hichenss story. That you
catch a reflection Of Chinese spirit in
The Century's Daughter Of Heaven
may be doubted, for, by all accounts,
Chinese spirit does not much resemble
that of Europe or America. And these
folk. in all their doings and sayings, are
as familiar to us as If they were Euro
Deans.
In the last days Of The New Theatre
there was very exquisite production
1f an Indian, red Indian. play. No
white person intruded on the scene. But
all the Indians, save for color and Co.'S
tune, we're like the folks who parade
fifth avenue or Piccadiily. Much the
same thing can be said OF the Chinese
N 1.-THE Daughter Of Heaven" II am !
1ere on parole" says Lee Baker, as
Prince Fidelity. George Egerton might !
nave given some other turn to the |
phrase with the hope Of preserving, or |
coming somewhere near. the color OF
he time and place. But there is no |
,oIor I'm Mrs. Bright's dialogue. 1t is
III 1912, Occidental and unimaginative. |
There's a head-chopping scene which !
night be left to the Imagination. 1t |
s followed by the Empress's suicide, |,
and preceded by, battle scene, or |
siege. so that there is something too |
much of dread and tremor in the three |
asst episodes Of the piece. In spectacle |
you do not clamor for so much death. |
But they manage that siege scene |
inely. Fate and gloom brood over 1t, |
md sacrlfcial fires end It. Somehow |
is dim lighting and majestic distances
deprive 1t Of horrors. and leave 1t |
dramatically impressive.
AS the historic" part Of the business /
IS Of minor Importance, a piece OF this
kind might very we'll have happy /
ending. Undoubtedly Pierre Lott would |
object But the argument Is that .