New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-27
Il HECTOR TURNBULL.

- CrBp. NJ De.ne
By HECTOR TURNBULL.
.hs light OF recent experiments 4
ANA 70 be considered less OF a
..I,iaty snd more Of a brave adj
~. Tor a producer to embark upon
=. generalization Of novel that has
=, vide popularity. In these days
20 the sixth best seller requires a
-.,.,r craftsman labor and the diree-
=, a & judieious management before
~ Suplicste upon the stage the
.s,s~ AZ the book stalls. With a
49, Tork. such as David Copper
80 however. the adventure is doubly
s.,.,Sous. ANY stage presentation OF
s..S,rs's Sfavorite child" and his IA
-, ADVENTURES which dimmed or
E s,.'s in the slightest degree the
-srtsl pictures each one OF US mas
s.,me5 and guarded since childhood
V,rl5 be likely TO meet with 3 very
- reception indeed. We gladly
~ 4 sight OF our Dsvids and
nm, orr Betsys and Tommys in the
a. INT woe 70 him who harms q hair
= tstir heads. Happily. there is am
i, svi5enee IN the production of The
Eiebvsy OF Life presented last night
:, Wsliacks. that Mr.. Louis y. Par
-, felt & similar Jealous regard Tor
a. novel and it's characters, and used
N. talents. Which are many, to such
mod purpose that We find our friends
,nrsplapted not only quite unhurt,
%. invested with a wholly new and de-
Rrhtful interest by the process.
Just what measure OF success the
,,E PRODUCTION will receive from tut-
~, audiences Is. of course, impossible
"a predict during q first night perform
,nts. when unexpected mechanical dit
5rvltiss must necessarily delay the
npa succession of the many scenes.
4 beesne evident, however, with the
~ss Of the curtain that the adapter
ss6 rrodueer had done their work
. palnstakngIy and with rare feeling
and ROOD taste. Each one of the char
seten trznspanted from this the best
and dearest OF Dickens's novels APP
pears for the most part as your Dick
srs lover would have him be, and lives
and moves in scenes FAR more beautiful
and striking than could be pictured by
he Imagination. The dramatic value
q the episodes chosen gain somewhat,
TO, b. the staging. AND that streak
u msvkish sentimentality which crops
ut in Dickens every time he writes &
eene containing a woman only adds TO
he dramatic, or melodrametic, effect IN
bte Of lis obsolete mannerisms or It's
5sysusly artificial point Of view.
Beginning with q procession Of sill
stesttes passing before white
sGeen, which serves TO whet the appe-
tie for a fuller and rounder view Of
es easily recognized characters, the
Jag opens in the garden Of Miss
Betsy Trotwood. In this green and
'ssssnt spot, near the chalk cliffs, We
re introduced 70 Miss Betsy, well
psiured by Eva Vincent, but not so
ard lady as we have imagined her
Be; TO Mr.. Dick, smiling and as
g5te as his great kite; TO our old
mend the Donkey boy; to David, him
eli splenddly played by J. Y. Bry-
~. and 70 his good angel, Agnes.
In the dining room Of the Golden
.lo;s We meet Traddles and the per-
'aens Steerforth Az Danls boathouse,
Yarmouth Sands. we see Emily. Peg
goily and Mrs Gummidge. Here Steer
iNih meets Emily a the very moment
ias has promised 20 marry Ham livery
SiJ, and the tragedy Of poor Emily
| Fglns with one telling glance from
e handsome James.
10 David's lodgings, IN Buckingham
'ss'eomes UrIah Heep like a harblnger
NsyiL rubbing his great red hands and
'ssklng MS coffee from the saucer &C
shpanled by horrible noises. Mr.. and
ttA Alcswber turn up IN time TO save
le roast and the evil Lattimer appears
Tine 70 serve IL. Once more al
v.nVs boathouse we see Emily tear
,Aiy supply Martha with funds for her
ght TO London. and become sorrowful
Nsesses to Emiiy's fatal acquiescence
@eerforth's lightly given promises
ls leaves = note OF farewell to poor
shIui Ham aud goes into the night
.a Punishment with her handsome
ohsi follows IN the boathouse wher
ssnb Ham and David return TO dis
sords.
following this tragedy there are five
" scenes, and the play, as the book
s IN Dickens's best manner. Every
faole person is either shipped of
lorelgn cline, there TO fail or pros
20 NE, or else he is killed quietly
nome SO that nothing impairs the
Thess OF the deserving few.
ss players have been chosen well
ll such cases as the David of Mr.
4 ssnrI the Lattimer Of Tracey Barrow
.Ilah heep Of Mr. Heggie and the
v,Tsuer Of Mr.. Pawle they appear
4 rIlPh perfect Characterization as
nave pictured them. Eva Vincent
not so acid and hard as we felt
Il BETSY to be, and Vernon Steele
4 Ne misfortune 10 possess q face
. s,,s Hhlle good looking, does not sug-
i,,, sglneient wickedness 70 meet the
i p,,'n James Of our childhood fancy
al" Aller makes Mr.. Dick quite
Il D'ss and Emmett Corrigan presents
ass so bluff, so hearty and so kind
mat ones sympathies 20 out IA
4 De- Gnee-Just as they should do.
4 ssv Parker plays Emily, a girl
3eHNW Us had but scant patience with
oook, and makes her very sweet
d sasgealing indeed. Maggie Fisher i ,
II 49, as Mrs. Micawber that YOU are
as 70 whether you would like
arSsen al her Cr wish her well out OF
N Louie Emery is equally good
4 In Ssally obnoxious as the poor. lone
a. 1eetur. Mrs. Gummidge. Edwin
Ats,.' p'sys Agnes, who is so good. S,
Il q, S. Sao tne very embodiment OF all
4 Ma ipesttsble Victorian virtues with
4 stl, o.eksns invested his women She
E vel and makes Agnes almost
an Philip Tonge has plenty of
4 nss.,, pull and all the mannerisms
sks'9 70 80 with Tommy Traddles
ads,s whether you are a keen Dickens
3 eaS,,T confess TO just a casual ac-
~ ,aase with his novels, you cannot
hsr.l' unlre the fitness Of the cast in
As well as the costumes and