The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-04-01
ADJUSTMENTS.
Janauschek's Troupe in Macbeth.


very good audience greeted Janauschek as
Lazy Macbeth. Her rendering of Mary Stuart was
well received, and ner hearers were prepared to
expect great things of her In this famous play of
Shakspeare's-the best, perhaps, of all his TRACE
dies, considered merely in respect to its acting
capacity.
| 1t is reasonable to say that the audience were
disappointed, not much in Janauschek as in
the troupe as a whole. When a star actor far
eclipses all the rest of the company, the play
lected should keep the principal actor constant
ly in the foreground Instead of this, the blus-
tering, cowsrdly Macbeth entirely monopolizes
the leading part in the last acts, and the great
actress entirely disappears.
Then it is unreasonable to attempt some of the
scenes in Macbeth" with the common opera
house scenes. No amount of Imagination will
make some of these do duty for Il barren heath
or royal banqueting hall. II is unreasonable,
too, for male character to attempt to do
Witeh's part, unless he is willing to sacrifice
part of his moustache and goatee, or, at least,
have the footlights turned little lower.
We protest, too, against having Macbeth and
his tall comrade come out of bloody, hard
fought battle IN such clean, unsolled armour,
and with such immaculate boots. Even the
wounded sergeant who 'orated" so vigorously
in telling Duncan OF the battle had not ascratch
visible on his new suit. Macbeth, too, showed a
most laudable economy Of this same armour in
the afer.part of the play. Having nobly resolved
to Idle with harness on our back" he has it
brought to him, but frugally changing his
mind, he rushes out to his deadly battlefield
IL
and meets his fate unarmed.
The worst piece of acting, to our mind, was
when Macbeth and his wife discuss the murder
OF Duncan. They talked about it in tones which
would have awakened the whole household
fairly detained about it, instead OF using the
suppressed, gaspng undertone which is natural
to persons contemplating awful crimes. In the
terrible scene when the murder is in immediate
contemplation, and even after it is done, Macbeth
bellows loud enough to drown the sheet-iron
thunder and waken every one within the walls
of castle larger than .HacbeH's.
We have heard much of the poverty Of Scot
land, and this may account for the fact that the
characters generally had but one costume, wheth-
er riding by night over Scotch roads, or coming
from bat.le.feds, or holding conference with
the hlnR. Inc utuICdi pTOlcssfOn eVluently
Jared hard in those days, even at the kings court.
The most vivid imagination must have failed to
yet any conception of splendor from the royal
feast.
The most trying imposition upon q much en-
during audience was when Macbeth, having lit
orally beloved himself red in the face, almost
to the verge of suffocation, charges his wife with
Keeping the natural ruby of her cheeks
When mine is blanched with fear"
His cheeks at the time being of most flaming
scarlet 1t seems as il there must be means
known to actors to tone down this superhuous
celor.
When Lddy Marietta holds in her hands the
daggers which are said TO be reeking with the
blood of Duncan, the blades show clean and clear
She says:
My hands are of your COLOR"
and holds them up spotless and very white, while