Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-03-13
Amusemenfa-


MEMPHIS THEATER.-That great and
tragic love poem, Romeo and Juliet, was
most pleasingly presented at the theater
last night before an audience of cult.
waited and critical people. The play was
Gu: down considerably from the lengthy
ive-act drama written by Will Shaks-
peare. The roles, Montague" "Friar
john Lady Montague" ETC., were
dispensed with, and thereby rather
marred the effect of the piece, and even
the stage version, from which is elimi-
mated the broad sayings indicative Of
the vulgarity of the times represented,
was also cut. Yet with all this pruning,
a good deal Of which is absolutely neces.
sary to satisfy ears polite, the drama
was well presented, aud was most favor
ably received by the audience. To read
the play Of Romeo aud Juliet is a plea
sure not especially enhanced by seeing
the stage version acted. One Of the
finest characters in the play is that Of
the garrulous, weak. minded and vulgar.
talking old nurse, aud scene III, in act
~, between the nurse and Juliet" is a
masterpiece Of nature. The very finest
and the leading character in the play is
that Of the gallant soldier Mercutio,p
who dies early in the third act from a
wound received in a brawl with
"Tybalt," a wound which the
dying gallant described az not so
deep as a well nor so wide as a church.
door, but tbs enough" etc.
Mrs. Bowers portrayal Of the charming,
youthful and loving Julia" was supe-
rior in point of acting to that Of looking
the role, the latter being Of course most
necessary in order to present the beauti.
full conception of Shakespeare in all its
attractiveness. Mrs. Bowers voice is
not adapted to these youthful roles so
we'll as it is to those Of Elizabeth /"
Eleanor" Lady Audley" or " Meg
Merrilies." However, the audience last
night acknowledged her power as a ira.
gedienne and testified their approval by
applause. The Romeo" of Mr.. Nor.
ton was a little heavy; his voice often
times was pitched in too high a key. In
personal appearance he did very we'll,
but there was a little manAerism in bis
acting not in keeping With the difficult
aud delicate role. AS "Mercutio.P Mr..
Lane was spirited, he having a good con-
ception Of the part and acting it fairly
and well, yet the close reader of Shaks.
peare could catch him tripping in the
text aud nterpolating it in u manner
not known to the author. For instance,
when he receives his death wound from
Tybalt he said II have been n merry
man; ask for me tomorrow, and yon
shall find me a grave man." while the
text resds-"'tis enough, twill serve;
ask for me to morrow and you shall find
me a grave man"-Shakspeare making
it a grave jest, but not II merry one. In
his long speech, giving a description Of
Queen Nab Ia celebrated p~assage), Mr..
Lane was quite effective, reading it well
and delivering it properly. The balcony
scene ian important aud difficult
one) between Mr.. Norton and
Mrs. Bowers was rendered creditably.
Take it all in all, in consideration OF the
cutting down and dropping out charac-
tersi Romeo aud Juliet was well pro-
duced, and especially so when it is
known that it requires fine scenic dis.
plays to present the views in Verona
and Mantua. Mr.. Meredith as Friar
Lawrence" Mr.. Morton as "Tybalt"
and Miss Phillips as the "0ld Nurse"
gave very good representations of their
respective roles. At the matinee to-day
Mrs. Bowers will appear in Loves
Sacrifice, and will close her engagement
tonight In the same piece.