St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-06-02
LINDLEY AS HAMLET.
A CreditabIe Effort Under Dis
couraging circumstances.


There was a pleasant affair at Music
all last evening, the event being the
complimentary benefit rendered the
young tragedian, Curtis W. LindIey,
who appeared in Hamlet" Those who
took part in the programme were Ar
thur b. MaIlette, Ii. G. Mallette, H. c.
HIrschy, A. l.. Kingsley, Karl Linde,
Sam Johnson, e. Ledger and Louis
LaValle; Misses Rosa Barnes. Olive
Owre and Fannie Dean.
Mr.. Lindley appeared in the title role
OF Hamlet. He worked hard, and some
of his work was excellent, but much of
1t was marred by lack of distinctness
In pronunciation and failure to make
MS audience thoroughly understand
what he was talking about. He seemed
perfectly at home on the stage, and
played tile part well, with these eXcep-
tions. 1t is but fair to say for Mr.. Lind
ley that had the circumstances been
different, with larger audience and a
full company OF players, he would un-
doubtedly have done much better and
made more lasting impression on his
audience. The prOgrcmme for the even
Ing was an interesting one throughout.
MT. Llndley's costume was exceed
lngly handsome and tasteful. 1t was
rich in material, correct in finish, and
made after long study of the sub1ect.
Speaking OF the subject after the enter
tainment he said: Richard Burbage
costumed the character of Hamlet in
zoos strictly in the dress of his own
time, all Elizabethan collar, etc. Thomas
Betterton won the applause of two gen.
erauons, having played Hamlet for
nifty years. His costume was likewise
of his own time. He first wore the
dress of courtier of the Merry Mon
arch, and at later time he wore a DOW
dereo wig and cooked hat. Betterton
dressed the character at the close of his
career III a very clerical style, neck
cloth. etc, as a picture in the Garrick
club, London, will show.
David Garrick, who played Hamlet
IN 1850, wore black velvet court dress.
But velvet was not known in Hamlet's
time, the eleventh century. John Phil
Up KemOle appeared in velvet court
dress the latter part of the last century.
Charles Kean and Junius Brutus
Booth wore streaming lace collars and
very short wigs. Edmund Kean cos
tuned Hamlet in the Vandyke and
Elizabethan style. Edwin Forrest
dressed the character as ridiculously as
his predecessors-fow sleeves. long
skirt, etc. Fechter made the same err
rors, wearing gray and black velvet
hood. Macready likewise wore long
pettlcoat with as much white as black.
when Lawrence Barrett first ap-
peared he looked much like Roman or
Italian lover. Irving wore long skirt
and short wig: Sully, the French actor,
looked something like prince, but his
very long wig marred this appearance.
Edwin Booth appeared more nearly cor
rect than any i'll the part, except his
cross carriers, which gave him Roman
look. In his later days he dressed Ham
let more correctly.
II do not wear velvet or the elephant
or star as ornaments. as most of the
above men did. The elephant was
founded by Charles l., king of Den
mark. The star belonged to an order
originated by Charles l, of England.
Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, was
before the time of these sovereigns."