At the Theaters (article 31 october 1899 Post-Standard)
At the Theaters is an article published in The Post-Standard (Syracuse) on 31 october 1899.
About the play Sherlock Holmes at the New Wieting Opera House, Syracuse, NY, USA.
At the Theaters
Owing to the present craze for transferring to the stage the substance of those works of fiction which have obtained more than ordinary popularity with the reading public and which for that reason invite attack by ambitious playwrights and enterprising theatrical managers, it was not to be expected that the "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," by Dr. A. Conan Doyle, would escapes attention.
Fortunately for the enjoyment of playgoers and for the reputation of the author, Dr. Doyle when bitten by "the craze, which has affected Zangwill, Hope, Barrie, Caine, Weyman, Mrs. Voynich, MacLaren, Allen and even General Law Wallace, called to his aid in dramatizing his creation a playwright so skilled in stage craft and an actor so knowing in all that contributes to dramatic effects as is William Gillette. The result of their collaboration is a four act drama, which was witnessed at the new Wieting last evening by an audience fair in size and very emphatic in its approval of the work. If that indorsement, expressed in enthusiastic applause and repeated curtain calls, he taken as indicating the favor with which this play may be received elsewhere, there can be no question as to its value as a piece of theatrical property.
The piece is an out and out melodrama. The plot has all the exciting, stirrig qualities characteristic of the detective tales told by Dr. Doyle and the unfoldment of the dramatic scheme given evidence of the remarkable skill possessed by Mr. Gillette in arranging effective theatric situations; in investing characters with the semblance of reality by bold strokes in drawing and by use of just the color essential to the vivid depiction of their salient attributes; in disregarding all needless incident that might retard action. In compressing a wide range of human motives, emotions and passions within narrow limits and in briskly working up the natural movement of the story to a startling and impressive climax.
While the creator of Sherlock Holmes has contributed much in the way of original incident and plot to the drama, the effect it produces is largely due to the manner in which the material is handled by the actor dramatist. "The Curtain falls on several scenes whose finales are very reminiscent of Mr. Gillette's method of leaving a strong impression by a few apparently simple, but in reality very significant phrases. Every situation is clearly, sharply defined and the interest it arouses in the speculator is not weakened by any waste of words or business.
Both the author and the playwright were knowing enough to realize that a drama in which the eternal feminine did not play an important part would stand small chance of winning that popular approval aimed at. Therefore they have ingeniously introduced the love interest, lacking in life of the great defective of Dr. Doyle's Imagination, by connecting Sherlock Holmes with the strange case of Miss Faulkner, a hitherto unpublished upisode in the life of the detective.
With her in the case the plot deals with the attempt of several crooks to get possession of a valuable package of papers and jewela, bequeathed to Miss Paulkner by her dead sister, who had been wronged by the selon of a royal family. The crooks want the incriminating and precious letters for blackmailing purposes and the royal family is eager to get hold of them in order to prevent then from being used as a weapon against the faithless lover, who is contemplating matrimony, it is the business of Sherlock Holmes, who is employed by distressed royalty, to secure the documents. In his attempt to do so he meets Miss Faulkner, who is heal a prisoner In the house of Mr. and Mrs. James Larrabee. professional blackmailers, masquerading in the guise of fashion and charity, and falls in love with her. Before he accomplishes his mission he has use for all his wits in baffling Prof. Moriarity, the great spider in the web of London crime, and his lieutenants, whom the Larrabee's have engaged to further their purpose.
It is in this duel of wit, cunning and resource that Sherlock Holmes shows all the adroitness that has given him fame and made him a terror to criminals and it is in the conflict with the Larrabees and Moriarity that the originality of Dr. Doyle as a fictionist and the skill of Mr. Gillette result in a series of unusually stirring and intensely dramatic situations, that are not devoid of pathos and very human interest.
If a company less accomplished than the one now engaged in the performance was intrusted with the presentation of the work much of the effect now produced would be lost, owing to the melodramatic color of the play and the opportunities it affords for exaggeration. The cast, however, is made up of experienced players, who know the value of restraint and who seldom of fend by overacting.
Mr. Gillette is an ideal representative of the detective. In his physical appearance, lean, smooth shaven and square jawed, and in his manner imperturbable, but quick to action he realizes the author's description of Holmes and his polished but forceful acting, heightens enthusiasm. Of course no one can understand the character better than he, and by countless artistic touches he accentuates the fearless nature, the indomitable will power, the extraordinary shrewdness and the nonchalance of the man, as well as his weaker side. As a dramatic portraiture it is as vivid and notable a creation as the original by Dr. Doyle, and is much more impressive by reason of it being a thing of real flesh and blood, a very vital and fascinating figure.
His associates are worthy of him. Miss Judith Berolde as Mrs. Larrabee gave due prominence by her finesse in acting to the mercenary, selfish and repulsive traits in the character of the adventuress, and her beauty and beguiling manner added to the strength of her impersonation since they furnished excuse for the credulous succumbing to her wiles.
As James Larrabee, Ralph Delmore was a sufficiently heavy villain and was inclined to be a bit too heavy in his acting, and George Wessels in the role of Prof. Moriarity, while generally satisfying, was occasionally too strenous for a cool tender of criminals.
The performance will be repeated to-night.
