The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-30
FAIRY PLAY SET IN
FRAME OF BEAUTY
"Thc Garden Of Paradise" Gives
Thrills Of Delight at
Park Theatre.
JOSEPH URBAN TRIUMPHS

Theatre on Saturday, when the Liebler
Company produced Edward sheldon
rnectaclc '0rhe Garden OF Paradise"
There were some more or less noted
actors in the cast and Edward sheldon
Is one OF the best known OF the young
American playwrights. Then there was
nusc-such music too, and how much
II added to the spectacle. hut in reality
4, was only Urban that counted. Every
other feature OF the production had been
subordinated TO the effects of the stage
manager who comes to New York from
Vienna by way of Boston He won his
New York triumph on Saturday night.
Merely pictorial beauty never went so far
as il did in "The Garden Of Paradise"
1t predominated to such an extent that
the audience OF the usual first night quail
lily felt everything else that might have
been in the performance sacrificed to
make a feast for the eyes
Mr. sheldon has amplihed the Hans
Christian Andersen story Thee Little
Mermaid" into a spectacle divided into
nine scenes Repeated postponements of
the performance resulted in comparative
smoothness when the piece was finally
put before the public. The length of
the spectacle is not inordinate. Probably
tonight Its representation will not en-
~
ire evening. The author has placed the
FIRST act in the kingdom OF the sea The
palace OF tho Norman Emperor. the open
tea and the cave of the Sea witch all are
under the water, and the character
all rsh OF one species or another-fioai
through the air they might be ex-
pec,ed to in their own medium. These
episodes expand TO the nth the Rhine
Daughter scenes In "Das Rheingold.'
Only the crab and the turtle walk as
they might be expected TO in life.
These views under the water We're ac-
complished with wonderful illusion.
NJ. Urbans theory emphasizes the i'm
portance OF concentration, but II can
not he denied that sense OF greater
distance would have heightened the effec
OF the first act But the beauty OF the
views here could scarcely have beer
greater The first sight of the othe,
world came when the ship bearing tn,
King Of the BIuo Mountains came into
view. This was a picturesque vision end
irg with the storm. the shpwreck and
the rescue OF the beautiful young kinl
by the mermaid who was now more thar
ever resolved not to marry the Emperor
Of the crabs. to whom her father had
h,'rothed her, Then the convent II
which the girl Queen Of the Southland
Vas with her maids OF honor at schoo
was ia springllke view OF spot OF thS
world .u which nature was not AYERS,
to following art. All Mr.. Urbans ma
tJre is highly conventlonallzed.
The second act left the sea people be
hind The final tab.eau OF this first d
vision Of the play had brought the cav
~! he sea Wifch-declamed with sple1
did futhority and clearness by Blanch,
Nals1-whtch was another impressive
glimpse OF the water world in its din
lights aud shifting shadows. the dull tig
ures moving vaguely behind the trans
lucent element.
Two views of the kings palace formed
the backgrounds here. Each opened
against the Nat blue sky and each was
brilliant picture suggesting the Orienta
scenes Of Maxfield Parish. Now the mrr
maid is human being struggling L
speak her love 10 the king in whose ret
inue she has taken service as a page
Like Viola, she goes to the Queen OF IN
Southland TO tell her that the king love
another, although II happens to be h
Who was thrown on the shores of the ho
island to be discovered by her and ne
suite, and later TO kneel with her be
fore the shrine OF Cupid. This scene
framed in more color than Mr.. Urban ha
elsewhere allowed himself and throug
the circular window the audience sees IN
roofs OF the brown city against the blu
SKY. The queens garden, in which IN
white towers rise TO the sky with myriad
~ white blossoms falling from some poin
above. made another of Mr.. Urban
scenes triumphant
Nothing in all that he accompllshe,
however, was so artistic and novel and :
without the affectation and effort dis
oernihle IN certain OF his other effects a
TIE wedding feast High UP on a terrac
sat the guests bathed In golden ligh
Lower ana in shadow the white walls c
t.e palace We're varied by the gowns o
me groups Of the guests. This was
Beautiful and striking scene Mr.. Urban
.f...,. d. 4. "a. l.,
come wonderful results on Saturday nigh
One Is not IN the least sure that II Is
FORM Of stage art that would always
accepted with enthus assn. 1t Is now new
however, and IL application 10 THE Ca
den Of Paradise" wrought some OF m
most imaginative ana beautiful stage pix
lures that the local theatre has ever seen
u seem, as II Mr. Sheldon ought
- mo this chronicle sOmewhcrc. b,
e place docs not readily suggest itsel
T." play Is not distinguished from an
'7"p int. IN the first place. there mui
"''" existed In the mind OF the p.a1
virgin. some uncertainty as TO the inter
'. lie work Was Il meant for romant
O. poetic drama, or Is II In the first a
a' attempt 10 produce laughter by maxim
N" fishes In the sea talk and act as huma
heiHgS do Why does some occasional 81
ample OF fine writing of rather unde
y 'II1ir quality alternate with some bad
'o.'pu!tl phrase which brings the aud
"'." with lghtninglike rapidity from ar
sphere In which the Imagination may hay
g'"n roaming 10 the very heart OF Colun
DIS HIr'ie' These are the qualities hov
eyer, = Mr.. Sheldon's text as Il escape
from the mass Of scenic decoration wi
winch Mr.. Urban has adorned II.
Emily stevens denoted prettily the d
spelr Of the little mermaid who sees h
'ove ignored by one whose life she say,
and Or whom she has sacrificed the 20.
OF her own existence. Miss Stevens
however, an actress who is seen to q
pest advan'age in roles demanding Il
uNp'av ~ ,trurg dramatic power TIT
Wy was she selected TO play part whit
consists chiefly in eelf-clfacement Al
euN.pu' That abe was able to re
r'N'' these traits Is not 10 be question:
i. 'Ir.r are other things IN which a
~ b indeed almost incomparai
"'H'f 10" actresses of the stage. Geor
''. was a handsome ngure but lack
''5'-. II, nee Kelly rs the eprngtlr
"i". WAS exquisite The dresses We
d. g0al and striking IA the scent
49, ni mat VAS said about Mi Urbar
'r '7' AIDES them
\"W riny for Harris Theatre.