Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1886-09-01
MISS MATTHEW'S JULIET"
The ssTimes,s critic asks a Cues
tfOn which Nr. Hin Answers

Ine 'hlmehyV CTlthp @Sns " .t"S-
ton which Nnr. Hin Answers
During my experience as a theatrical
manager. embracing a period OF years
and covering a territory reaching from
California to Maine, have met and ex-
changed views with he most experienced
and intellectual Shakespearian scholars.
At rare intervals | have found minds
rich in research and fixed in their views
regarding the conception and interpreta.
ton o. Shakespearian verse. | joy in
these meetings. They tend to the hon
orable development of the mind
and display intelligence of argument
which commands admiration, even
though in some oases their conception
differed from my own. | have the high
est regard for the individual who has
arrived at conclusion and has the gen
tleness Of spirit and honesty of heart to
give ms analyt ical opinion TO an over
task ed public. / look upon the gifted
exponent OF Shakespeare (be he critic or
acIor) az a public benefactor, and have
noticed that such individuals wholly
sink their identity when occupied in arr
labor upon any OF the characters of the
immortal bard. Thus employed their
spiritual faculties carry them beyond
the province OF ridicule. When
personal encounter takes
place between two individuals
The party, exhsustiug his argument and
having no defer Sc, resorts to blows. So
-. AZ =. ,..i.a ar ,,thn knoms notb,pu nf
his subject resort to ridicule. have
met in all my experience but two
writer's, engaged as recognized journal
lists, who displayed in the shallowness
of their natures that ignorance which
calls for sympathy and that grovelliDg
nature which eugenders disgust. The
critic ON the Los Angeles Times, in his
article on Tuesday morning, 10 the first
to attack the Garrick version of Shakes
peare's "Romeo and Juliet" which has
been accepted by all M n of letters for
over hundred years. 1t has been acted
by Miss Mather and er company in all
the prineip cities of the Unit, d States
nearly 600 times, and has received from
the acknoS lodged critics OF this country
not single disparagiDg sentence. This
play has been frequently pronounced the
greatest that the human mind has ever
given to the civilized world, and yet we
find in Los Angeles VIZ ter who sty los
this time tested work "a heterogen us
tumble" Excepting only a short scene,
occupying not more than five minutes,
between the servants of the Montagues
aud the Capulets, every line was spoken
on Monday evening that was given dur
ing tue unprecedented run at the Union
Square theater, New York city, and the
costumes were the same without change.
Excepting New York City, Brooklyn,
San Francisco and Boston, no city in the
Union has heard one line or witnessed a
situation different from those furnished
the people of Los Angeles on Monday
evening.
Mr.. Levck, the Mercutio, has been
before the public as an actor nearly
forty years. The nurse, Mrs. Jamison,
has been recognized actress for more
than thirty-tive years. Mr.. Ey tinge,
the Capulet, has been in almost constant
service in Europe and America since his
debut in 1888. All the above received
their dramatic education in England.
The Peters, Mr.. eeterj the Lady Lapu.
LEI, Miss Harold; Tybalt, Mr.. Ranousi
the Benvolio, MIR. Dalton, and, in fact,
all the principals except the Friar have
been with Miss Mather for four years
ard during her recent engagement in
New York City. With this company
and with this version of Romeo and J1.
liet, Miss Mather exceeded the receipts
of the talented and lamented Miss Neil
son in the city OF Chicago during three
weeks engagement by nearly $4,000;
in Cincinnati in one week by $2400; in
critical Boston the Nelson receipts were
doubled by Miss Mather, aud yet this
soi'disaRt heterogeneous tumble" asks
VINO the eollaborateur was with the
bard, disposes of the star and cast in
four Ines, aud Ia half column asks the
public OF Los Angeles, la Dogberry,
ito be sure aud write him down an ass.
The public's obedient servant,
j. NJ. HILL.