Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-01-22
ANNA DICKINSON.
Determined to Play Male Parts Preparing for Hamlet

Determined to Play Male Parts Preparing for
 Hamlet. [Jennie June's New York Letter to Amsriean.l
 Miss Anna Dickinson is in New York preparing her wardrobe and studying for the rehearsais which are to begin this week, preparatory to the beginning of her Western tour. It has been stated that she would open oD January 2d at Providence, Rhode Island. As a matter of fact she opens oO the 18th of January at Rochester, New IOrk-whether as Hamlet or Claude MelnOtte has not at this writing been fully determined. From Rochester her route Is west to Chicago, and as far as Omaha The East has not been kind to her and she be- heves in the Star of the West and Of Empire.
 Miss Dickinson ought to succeed Tn her new venture. for she Is not only talk ing the New York Tribune's advice m going West, but she is going as ''yOung man." Her idea, Ill fact, III regard to Hamlet Is that be was younger man than is supposed, and she iustities her opinion by the constant reference to the "yOung' Hamlet in the text, by hls re- cent liberation from the companionshlp of his school friends, and thus accounts also for the timidity, uncertainty and vacillation of his inconsistent character. He is a boy mOralist through whom Shakespeare aired all hIs own philosophy about men and things; through whom he condemned the rant of the stage of his day and the Vites of hls time, without much regard as to how the length of Hamiet's speeches affected the action of the play, or how consistent they were with his presumed youth and inexpeTi- ence, which travel (accOrdiug to the sug- gestion of his step-iather, the murderer of his father was to coTrecs
 "Cutting" has, of course, been a mod ern necessity with all oi Shakespeare's plays, on account of their extreme length, | but as to great parts have always been assigned the great actors, they would not permit the cutting ot their lines, and ! it Is the minor parts, therefore, that have suffered often, Miss Dickinson thinks, to | the detriment of the business of the | play. While cutting some of Hamlet's | long speeches, notably hIs advice to the | players, which she considers superfiuOus, | now that actors and actresses no longer | mouth" and rant" but bear themselves very much as Shakespeare recommended, | she restores some few lines of Guilden- | stern and RosencrantZ, which have been usually expunged, and which, she thinks, materially assist the action of the play. | Several such changes have been made, the D attitudes of PolOnius having been subject to slight excision, and the long 1 speech to HoratiO upon friendship; but there Is not much left out that will be missed. and the tritling curtailments of Hamlet's long talks are made with great judgment, while the lines restored are those that throw light upon his acts and character.
 | Commentators suppose, from the con- versation with the grave-dlgger, that
 Hamlet was about 90 years of age, and
 that he was seven when the court fool died, whom he "kuew," he remarks, as a
 fellow of infinite jest and humOr. Would the man of thirty remember, or
 be able to distinguish such menial char acteristics in a servant who died before or by the time he was seven years of age?
 Miss Dickeuson, in little chat the other
 day, pointed this out as one of the incOn
 sistencies of characte which, sine re-
 marked, owes its fascination to the fact
 that we find more of Shakespeare himself
 in it, more of his philosophy, more of his views and ideas of life, so that 1t IS like listening to the brilliant talk of the great
 poet as 1t may have fallen from his own
 lips Miss Dickinson will make a youth
 ful-lOOking Hamlet, and also Claude
 Meluotte, which last is her favOrite char
 accer; and the one in which she appears,
 1t Is said, to the greatest advantage.
 Her repertoire will consist this season of three parts-IIamlet, Claude and Mac
 beth. Anne Boleyn she will not play
 uutil she goes to England in the Spring. | MT Mendham, her manager, is a sOn-in-
 law of Mrs. John Drew, and he believes absolutely in her success. He would not engage her for less than two years, during which time be stipulates for the entire management of her routes here and ill England, where she has already
 six weeks promised.
 Some of the most distinguished mem
 bers of the dramatic profession have ex-
 esfat Srsssfesat fH fi5Htglfsttts lsttsr ii ind eth tb enterprise, and declare her possessed 5l pluck, courage ard cenius that Ough; to. command success. The wearing ci the male costume will not be to her the , appalling act that 1t would be to most
 women, her experience in the West, hel notwithstanding and the adoption , of semi-masculIne attire when on sucI 1, excursions, having prepared her for such
 contingency. Her figure, toO, quite straight from the hips, and the platform habit of striking out from the shoulder
 instead of from the elbow, ald her quali , fications to act the manly part, and what ever the verdict may be critically, he
 perscnation Is certain to possess features , Of exceeding dramatic interest.