Punch (93.1887)

124

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [September 17, 1887.

fi'if

probable, that the hypercritical might suggest that the accessories
A VERY PRETTY TALE BY ANDERSON are sightly suggestive of a kitchen, on the score that the altar is

" something like a silver grill, and the Court Herald appears, during
Mr Deae Mb. Times, a portion of the action of the piece, to be cooking chops. Personally,

In producing The Winter's Tale at the Lyceum, that most I think this idea rather far-fetched, although, of course, there is some
charming young actress, Miss Maej Andebson, deserves well, not resemblance (no doubt purely accidental) between the helmets of the

only of her country (if she soldiers and the brass coal-scuttle of a modern drawing-room. And I
insists upon calling Eng-
land " abroad," like some
of her compatriots), but
also of our country, which,
I presume, was furthermore
the country of her ances-
tors. If the shade of Master
"William Shakspeaee will
pardon the liberty, the play
is a very good one. It has
an interesting plot, with
plenty of scope for good
acting, good music, and
last, and not least, good
scenery. "Why it should
not have been revived be-
fore I cannot imagine, un-
less it be that London
theatres have men and not
ladies to manage them.
Had it been produced in
the Ievhto regime, Miss
Ellen Terey could have
played—and played well—
the parts of Hermione and
Perdita; but I fail to see
where, the name of the
lessee would have come in.
a Picture from the Stone. Leontes is not a very pro-

minent personage, and even
had it been coupled with Autolycus, still the demands upon Mr.
Ibving's talent would have been insufficient, not only to please
himself, but also (which is of equal importance) to satisfy the
audience.

However, when Miss Andekson takes the reins of stage manage-
ment in to her own fair and shapely hands, the necessity of providing
for a tragedian of the first class disappears. The "leading man"
of her company is Mr. Fobbes-Eobertson—a most talented person.
He can paint pictures, and play remarkably well in certain charac-
ters. His Captain Absolute was far from bad, and his Romeo more
than good. As Leontes he has a part rather out of his line ; but, all
things considered, he fills it very well. It may be objected that he
is rather effeminate, and that his costume would have been more
becoming had he worn what the ladies (I believe) term " half
sleeves ; " but for all that, his reading of the character was entirely
conscientious, if not absolutely right. But naturally the success of
Saturday evening was Miss Anderson, who was as matronly dignified
as Hermione, as she was deliciously girlish as Perdita. She
"looked" both parts to perfection. It may be my fancy, but I
imagine she has

greatly improved ___[l

since we saw her
last in London.
The bass notes of
her silvery voice
have mellowed,
and her attitudes,
always graceful,
are seemingly now
more spontaneous,
and consequently
more natural.
Charming as
Juliet, she is more
charming as Her-
mione, and most
charming as Per-
dita. Nothing ^ t xt-
prettier than her Young and Harpy.

dance in the " Pastoral Scene," has been seen in a London Theatre
for many a long year.

And my reference to the "Pastoral Scene," (by Mr. Hawes
Obayen) recalls the fact to my mind that all the scenery is excellent.
The Palace of Leontes by Mr. "W. Telbin, is only equalled by Mr.
W". Telbin s Queen's Apartment, and a wonderful cloth of a road-
side with a view of a flock of sheep grazing on the brow of a hill
(again by Mr. Hawes Cbaven, who seems to have become Artist in
Ordinary to Arcadia), is not more remarkable than Mr. Hann's -

Court of Justice. In the last stage-picture it is possible, but not I One who has gone io Pieces.

a Scene on its Metal.

will even go further, and admit that, to a careless observer, some of
the warriors may appear to be wearing the garb of Harlequin ; but
when it is hinted that Leontes, in his first attitude on bis throne,
is not unlike a Guy on the Fifth of November, I feel that the wish
must be father of the thought, and that the resemblance _is purely
imaginary.

Leaving the scenery to come tc the acting, I may say that the play
is generally well cast. Mr. Maclean and Mr. Chables Collette
are both very amusing, the first as Camillo, and the last as Auto-
lycus, and Mr. Geobge Waede is quietly humorous with the baby.
When I say quietly humorous, I do not mean that he trenches in the
least on the ground occupied by either the Clown of Pantomime or
the Clown of Shakspeaee. He does not sit upon the infant, or
throw it about—no, nor even sing to it a little comic song. He gets all
his effects by merely carrying it quietly about, and showing it, with
an assumption of gravity that is killing, to Mr. Fobbes-Eobeetson.
To turn to the less important characters of the play, Mr. 1) a vies as a
gaoler suggests that in " those days " prison officials were sometimes
whatever happened to he the equivalent of the period to the modern
"masher." Miss Zeffie Tilbury, Miss Helena Dacee, and Miss
Desmond (" 1st Lady with a song " and gigantic lyre) are all equally
good, and even the subordinate female parts have efficient repre-
sentatives.

Eeturning to the gentlemen (a difficult task when it entails
leaving such pleasant
company) Mr. F. H.
Macklin as Polixenes
is sufficiently robust in
his manly bearing to
suggest the necessary
contrast with Leontes,
and Mr. Fuller Mel-
hsh is picturesque,
painstaking and con-
scientious as Florizel.

I began with Miss
Anderson and (much to
my regret) I must end
with her. She is equally
charming as Hermione
and Perdita. Her cry
of horror and dead faint
in the Hall of Justice

ionsS irfiL&fls

one of many points that profoundly impressed the audience, and in
her comedy scene with Polixenes in Act I, in which she asks him
apropos of Leontes, "Was not my lord the verier wag o' the
two ?" her smiling glance at her sombre lord is simply inimitable.
I can quite fancy that Leontes when he saw Hermione, and Florizel
Perdita, must have talked of their condition (allowing for the loss
of their hearts) as I describe myself when I assume the signature of