Public Ledger

How Irving's Idyllic Story Became a Play—The Origin of Jefferson's Masterpiece.

In "The Jeffersons," the second volume of the "American Actor Series" just published by Messrs. J. R. Osgood & Co., Mr. William Winter gives an interesting account of the origin of "Rip Van Winkle," and relates how Mr. Jefferson came to play the role, which he has made famous on the English-speaking stage the world over.

The story of "Rip Van Winkle," by Washington Irving, as every reader knows, is contained in his beautiful "Sketch Book," which was published in 1819. Bayard Taylor mentions the legend as of remote German origin. When it was first dramatized, is not exactly known; but a play, entitled "Rip Van Winkle" was presented at the Walnut-street theater, Philadelphia, as early as Oct. 30, 1829, with William Chapman as Rip. Hackett produced "Rip Van Winkle" at the old Park theater, New York, on April 22, 1830, and probably was himself the author of the version he produced. Ludlow also notes that Burke, who, long afterward, followed Hackett in the part, made use of a stage version similar to this one.

THE BURKE COPY,

though, was largely his own work. Hackett supplemented his first Park theater essay in the part of Rip by producing the old piece at the Bowery, New York, Aug. 10, 1830; and on April 15, 1831, he again brought out "Rip Van Winkle" at the Park, "altered (by himself) from a piece written and produced in London."

Parsons, Chapman, Hackett, Yates, Flynn, Isherwood and Burke were all predecessors of Jefferson in "Rip Van Winkle," and probably there were others. The subject seems to have been viewed as common property, and it is, perhaps, impossible to ascertain who made the first play upon it that ever was acted.

The Burke copy answered Jefferson's purpose for a long time; but at last, under his numerous changes, it became, says Mr. Winter, almost as nebulous as the unwritten constitution of England. On arriving in London in the summer of 1865, therefore, Jefferson commissioned Dion Boucicault to revamp the old play.

THE NEW VERSION.

"He asked Boucicault to reconstruct it," writes Clark Davis, "and gave it the weight of his name. Many of the suggestions of changes came from Jefferson and one, at least, from Shakspeare. Boucicault shaped them in a week, but he had no faith in the success of his work, and told Jefferson that it could not possibly keep the stage for more than a month. While much of the first and third act was the conception of Burke part of each was Jefferson's. The impressive ending of the first act is wholly Boucicault's, but the climax of the third—the recognition—is Shakspeare's. In Rip Van Winkle' the child struggles to a recognition of her father, while in 'Lear' the father struggles to recognize his child. Compare the two situations—that of Lear and Cordelia with that of Meenie and Rip—and the source of Boucicault's inspiration will be apparent; and only as Shakspeare is greater than Boucicault is the end of the fourth act of 'Lear' greater than the third act of 'Rip.' " It is the most beautiful of all human passions—the love between father and child—which informs them both, and which makes them both take hold upon the heart-strings with a grasp of iron. The second act of 'Rip Van Winkle,' which is remarkable as being wholly a monologue, is entirely Jefferson's conception.

The piece as it now stands was, on September 4, 1865, produced at the London Adelphi.

A SINGULAR INCIDENT

that preceded its production is related by Mr. Winter. On the night before his first appearance in London, Jefferson, who was naturally nervous and apprehensive, retired to his apartment, and, in a mood of intense thought and abstraction, proceeded to make himself up for the third act of "Rip Van Winkle." This done, and quite oblivious of his surroundings, he began to act the part. Dominic Sampson himself was never more absent-minded. The house, it should be said, fronted on Regent street. The window curtains happened to be raised and the room was brightly lighted, so that the view from without was commodious and uninterrupted. Not many minutes passed before it began to be improved. A London crowd is quick to assemble, and when assembled difficult to disperse. So it proved now. Inside the absorbed and inadvertent comedian unconcernedly went on acting "Rip Van Winkle." Outside the curious multitude, thinking him a sort of comic lunatic, choked up the street until it became impassible. The police were summoned, and with difficulty fought their way to the spot. The landlady was finally reached and alarmed, and the astonished actor, brought back to the world by a clamor at his door, inquiring if he was ill, at length realized the situation and suspended his rehearsal.

The next night the actor made his debut at the Adelphi, and the British public instantly took "Rip Van Winkle" to its heart. Mr. Jefferson's success was great, and it has ripened into unquestionable, auspicious and beneficent performance.

Mr. Jefferson returned to New York in August, 1866, and on September 3 appeared at the Olympic, presenting the new version of the play for the first time in America on that occasion.

JEFFERSON AS RIP.

Jefferson's persistent adherence to the character of Rip Van Winkle has often, and naturally, been made the subject of inquiry and remark. The late Charles Matthews once said to him: "Jefferson, I'm glad to see you making your fortune, but I hate to see you doing it with one part and a carpet bag." "It is certainly better," answered the comedian, "to play one part and make it various than to play one hundred parts and make them all alike."

ANECDOTES.

Another anecdote—not related by Mr. Winter, and possibly apocryphal but, if not true, well told—is current regarding a performance of "Rip Van Winkle" by Mr. Jefferson in Chicago. The actor went to the theater much exhausted after a hard day's fishing on the lake—he is an inveterate angler. When the curtain rose on the third act, it disclosed the white haired Rip immersed in his twenty years' nap. Five, ten, fifteen minutes passed and, still he did not waken. The audience began to grow impatient and the prompter uneasy. The famous comedian doubtless knew what he was about, but the official at the prompt stand began to think this was carrying the "realistic" sort of thing a little too far. The fact was that all the time Jefferson was really sleeping the sleep of the just, or rather of the fisherman who had sat eight hours in the sun without getting a bite. Finally the gallery got to be uproarious, and one of the "gods" wanted to know if there was "going to be nineteen years more of THIS SNOOZE BUSINESS." Suddenly the prompter detected the faint suspicion of a snore from the sleeper. This decided him. He called as loudly as he dared, but it was no avail. He then went under the stage, opened a small trap and by gentle prodding endeavored to arouse Rip. His efforts were fruitless until he tried a severe pinch. Rip started up in very realistic bewilderment, and with a groan that was not all simulated, collected his scattered senses, realized the situation, and taking his lines, went on with the scene.

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