Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-10-24
ADJUSTMENTS.
MERCHANT OF VENICE.

noon brought nlm W tho HS.
Venice" in which he sustained the role
of "Shvlock." There was large and
very appreciative audience. and If ap-
nIanse is a measure OF success, Mr..
Keene was eminenuy successful. In
Shylock Shakespeare has heaped upon
one Jew all the prejudiess ut the Chris
tisns against his race. He is avaricious,
reyengeful: he has borne the wrongs OF
his race deep down in his heart; as enc
of them he has been despised and spat
upon and there is no palliatiou OF
otfenses for him; his demand OF the
fnIfllmept OF the bond is blood-thirsty
and loathsome coming from Jew TO a
Christian, and the mercy in the Dukes
sentence has the same sa'donic ring as
the mercy OF Charles ii, which permit
ted Milton to live in blind old age in
poverty, rather than rid him OF his
troubles by the axe. Shylock is not
mystery like Hamlet tbs portrayal
of ever day passion and every day tran
actions, and thus is more readily un-
derstood by the masses with whom
tue character is greater favorite than
its more artistic rival. Mr.. Keene, i'm
proving on his Improvisation of last
season, now places before his audience 9
Shylock shorn OF the defects that hith-
erto marked it. The Jews passions are
not so extravagantly portrayed, and the
imDersonation gains perceptibly by the
change, and has promise OF still greater
Improvement when it shall have further
undergone the best OF all improving
processes-practice. The power OF
attracting and holding enthralled an
audience which MIR. Keene possesses in
so marked degree, is no case more
powerfully employed than in his imper-
sonation OF Shylock In the earlisr
scenes when the Jew finds things work
iny towards the end he wishes to make
he is light, even merry, but when come
misiortunes fast following each other
Jessica's abandonment OF her father, the
loss of his cherished ducats, the detection
| OF his servant, aud above all hatred de.
feated, the passions let loose from the
heart OF the crushed Shylock, are de-
picted in a highly realistic manner. Mr..
Keene makes strong feature OF Shy
locks love of his race, and when he
turns upon his prosecutors, charging
them with the many wrongs, sorr0ws
and affections thrust upon the despised
Hebrew and longs for revenge, the effect
ia singularly fine. Equally successful
is the scene with Tubal and the JOY
over Antonio's misfortunes. In the
court see le MIR. Keens maintains his
power and forces upon ones notice all
the idiosyncrasies OF the few which are
there brought out, as one decision after
another wrecks the Jews hopes Of
gratifying his impulse for revenge, and
his hatred of Christianity, which he re-
jects with loathing as it is sought to be
thrown upon him. The climax is realistic
In the extreme. MIR. Keene's make up Of
the part is perfect; he appears to be
aged, yet not without agility Of body,
and with great vitality of mind. The
support which Mr.. Keene receives is
more than up to the average.
RICHARD THE THIRD.
The very satisfactory and successful
engagement of Mr.. Thomas w. Keene
in tins city terminated Saturday night
in the presentation Of Shakespeare's
tragedy, Richard the Third, to one of
Wheeling's most critical audiences, some
of the best Shakesperians in the city be-
ing noted in the audience. Mr.. keene
is said to have come upon the legitimate
stage, like GarriCk, with new methods;
really Mr.. Keene simply throws aside
the extravagances and eccentricties of
| tie older actors, and trusting to his
| thorough knowledge of stage methods,
| his fine magnetism and sympathetic
movements pictures truthfully, and
ps the author would have it pictured,
| the character which for the time being
| he assumes. Richard OF York in his
hands is a complex william grimly hum
! orous and cynical. He is discontinued
with his position, and turns his eye up.
ward until it reaches the throne. In
| the pursuit Of this am bition he shrinks
from no crime, never hesitates until re-
morse SEXES him in the tent scene and
throws off its influences, and on Bos.
worth field is ready for any emergency,
but dies on R'chmond's sword. In the
sinuosities of the play Mr.. keene APP
pears to have every phase OF passion at
hand, in his dealings, with his associates
he is crafty, when wooiDg the Lady
Annie he sustains that most difficult
scene with admirable proprety, and in
the scene with the Lord Mayor he is
artistically finished The closing
scenes OF the play are awful
in their intensity In his
reading Mr.. Keene allows his fine voice
to in no wise suffer; his tones are clear,
modulated, searching and effective.
His movements are studied, and in com.
pliance with the best critical advice Of
the country he has freed his delivery
from some OF the force which marred it
when he first assumed the part.
We are glad to see that more care has
been exercised in securing better talent
10 support the star than was done last
year, and that now the tragedian per-
formancas are not marred by the poor
efforts OF his coadjutors In Mr.. George
Lrarock, Mr. n. B. Phillips, Mrs. Ottawa
Allen, and Miss Georgia Tyler, Mr.
keene mas talented assistants, who de-
serve the approval which the y obtain
and share with him.
HARRY MINER.
This and tomorrow evenings Harry
Miners company will appear at the
Opera House. An exchange says:
Next week Harry Miners company,
from New York, will hold the boards.
The company is very strong one, and
includes such performers as Murphy
and Shannon, James Mack, Cool Bur.
CESS, Frank Lewis. Billy Carter, Val
jean, Captain George Liable, the Carroli
Brothers, f. II. Talbot, Mr.. and Mrs.
r. A. Brennan, Charles and Ella Jerome
and Miss Carrie Swain, of Tourist"
fame. The strongest feature of the en-.
tertainment will be the great metropoli-
tan success, 'Murphy's Dream" Tick.
cts on sale at Wilson & Banners.
SUPREME COURT OF APPEALsl,
JUDGES GREEN, RAYMOND, JOHNSON AND
PATTON.
The court met at 10 A. N. Saturday