TEL 664 MUSEUM 27 Fitzroy Square, W. 13 April 1915 Dear Martin Harvey, I am very glad to hear from Gilbert Murray that you are going to produce his translation of the OEDIPUS TYRANNUS during your American tour. The first perfmormance at Covent Garden has left an indelible impression on my mind. We have seen in England many productions of Murray's translations of Euripides. All were interesting, & some of them, notably the "Hippolytus" & the "Electra," were remarkably impressive. But never until I saw the OEDIPUS had I felt the real grandeur of Greek Tragedy successfully revived. The effect may have lain partly in the transition from Euripides to Sophocles, partly (no doubt) in the spaciousness of the theatre, which permitted of the construction of a scene of extraordinary architectural dignity. It also lay X very greatly in the imaginative intensity of your rendering of the protagonist. Everything, in short, combined to produce the un-ique impression of a great work of art summoned to life with commensurate greatness. There were details that did not seem to me quite happily conceived, & these, I daresay, further experience has amended. But at worst they were only specks on a great picture. I am very glad that America, which has already shown such keen appreciation of the revival of Greek Drama which we owe to Gilbert Murray, is now to XXXXXXXXXNXXN have a chance of seeing the production which I take to be the crown of the whole movement. With best wishes for your success, I am, Yours sincerely William Archer
Philbrick Library Collection of Theater Letters
