Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-01-22

BANDMANN's SHYLoCK. IT b e
Shakespearean play, "The Merchant
Of Venice" was greeted by an au-
dience that gave intelligent atten-
tion throughout. The characters
were all taken in good costume and
showed considerable devotion to the
details, aud an attempt on the
part of several of the actors to catch
the true spirit which the inimita-
bic Shakespeare intended for each
part. The acting of Bandmann in
"ShylOck" is almost original. In
place of any decrepit, bowling, whin-
ing, money-lending Hebrew, he
gives the character vigor and in
tense energy of passion that is re-
freshing. His enunciatiOn, except
when in the screaming torrent of
rage over his losses of fair money
aud still fairer daughter Jessica, is
clear, rich and perfect, rich and
perfect. Not a word Is lost TO the
ear. He won the tributes of
applause almost at will. A rum
Der of the minor parts were
worked out with un6edging enthu-
siasm. Miss oliver, Of Oakland,
rs Portia, especially in the scenes
with her woOers, deserves cOmmen-
dation. Relying upon no ravishing
charms of feature or figure, she
wins our hearts as pure and girl
like, yet majestic and mature, type
Of womanho0d. The advocates of
equality for woman should never
miss seeing this play as it shows in
the strong light of the masters
highest art just what woman is eunal
to. Miss Oliver il of slender figure and
delicate oval face. Her broad fore
head and expressive lips make her
capable of great sweetness of ex-
preston as well as of wondrOus firm
ness and power i'm the sterner court
scenes. Her support by Nerissa,
is taken by Miss Ellsworth, a native
San Franciscan ingenue. She too
Is tall, with an airy gracious car
riage, fresh bird-like voice, a tender,
gushing, melting, graciOusness of
bearing that wins its way to all
ranges of perception. The part OF
Gobbo LauncelOt Is worked up to a
high standard of comical express
siveness by Mr.. Charles Gay.
We must revert briefly TO Herr
Bandmann's conception of "Shy-
lock" in his relation to the motive
of the play. He plays the part from
the broad standpoint Of humanity
and universal moral progress. His
rendition Is q cosmopolitan one that
causes the beholder to forget race
distinctions and grasp the ethical
side of the subject involved. He
makes Shylock to he not represen-
tative of the Jewish race but the in
carnatIon of the old dispensatiOn of
an eye for an eye and tooth for a
tooth, that demanded the letter
Of the law and revenge, but
knew not mercy, pardon
and forgiveness. He brings Shy
lock to face his great losses of
money, daughter and even life, and
shows us The towering passions of "a
pharisee all bound up in his mis-
erly greed and spirit of inhuman
revenge The jew wants to get
even for the injuries done him. He
wants to strike back for every act
of insult and word of disparaging
criticism ever offered him in his
dealings, and naturally breaks
down under the load and loses more
in the end than bis loan. In con-
trast with this Shakespeare brings
out the new world spirit that ami
mates society, the spirit of greater
peace and harmony of modern civil
lization, the new dispensation Of
mercy and forgiveness, the teaching
and spirit of Christ.
Bandmann's acting of Shylock is |
not perfect by any means. In some
features his rendition Is superior to |
others, and in Others IL falls behind. |
But he Is not to be judged by COM
parlsons, nor indeed by one play. |
His devotion to Shakespear in these
hard times and degenerate days of .
low comedy is worthy of commen-
dation and should stimulate the
greater study Of the sublime poet
and dramatist of our literature.
The company departed to-day for
Albany and Eugene City.
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