The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-05-19
Mr. Locke Richardson.

1t has been arranged that this gentle
man will give three entertainments for
the benefit of the Young Mems Chris
tian Association, extending at intervals
over this and the early part of next
week, of which due announcement will
be given. Mr.. Locke Richardson comes
here with high reputation as Shakes
perian reader, his method being as
unique as it is successful. He trusts en-
tirely to memory, and presents play
almost in it's entirety, preserving the
unities of the dialogue throughout by
changes of intonation and position.
Nothing could be more laudatory, within
the bounds of criticism, than the notices
of his entertainments in the New York,
Boston and San Francisco newspapers.
Indeed, men of literary tastes and
eminence throughout the Union add
their approving voice to the long refrain
of newspaper praise. Among the latter
are Provost Morrison, of the Peabody
Institute, Baltimore; Right Rev. F. d.
Huntington, d. D., Bishop of Central
New York; President White, Cornell
University; Professor Henry f. Osborn,
Princeton College; Rev =Ss2iShop Potter,
rev. DIR. BaIis,,~'.s = PaeSlsr VvoIleteIi
Holmes, the late Gow>DlFO Seymour,
and the Rev. DIR. Lothrop. The late T.
G. Appleton, the eminent publisher,
wrote as follows in the Boston "Adver-
tiser:"
Those of us who remember the readings
of Mrs. Kemble easily distinguish the i'm
preston left by them from even good act
ing, Shakespeare is Obscured in acting by
accessories which dull his brightness and
intercept his light There are supreme
moments when the star actor impressions Us
beyond what reader aims to do; but
mostly the brains which render him are
poor conduits for his divine WORDS. They
neither understand his thought nor feel his
music. And thus, what with the blotohes
of color, the poor gesture, the worse accent,
the stage, Veluti in speculo, becomes
mirror which enfeebles and disterts. But
on the liquid current of good readers
voice we float undisturbed very near the
poet, and nearer his thought. Mrs. Kemble
made US feel how much there was of poetry
lost to the stage which reading supplies.
The lit of the verse, the ictus made music
of familiar words.
This pleasure, so different from that of
giving those who frequent his Friday
readings. 1t is in it's way better than any
thing since Fanny Kemble. Mr.. Richard
son has not that Kemble voice, rich with
heredity. Nor is he a poet to suitably
chant the lOftier verse as she did; but he is
a gentleman, with fine organ Of his own,
and he can carry as only man can, through
his by-play, the lights and shades of charao
ter. He freshens what he reads by admira-
bic explanatory introductions, and gives US,
in compactest shape, the story, so that the
sense of safety and fatigue, with which we
leave the theatre, is not felt. But the best
thing he does for us, as limited above, is to
bring Shakespeare nearer. Undazzled by
gaud or glitter, We look with the pure light
of his mind. He touches US with personal
sense of nearness, as delightful as it is new.
We seem to be looking, indeed, as through
plate-glass at the movements of this plan
etary soul, and our pleasure is not unaccom-
panied with awe.