The herald., 1894-12-21
AMUSE NE is.

less more will be written as long as hair
splitting pedsnts exist as to whether
Hamlet was crazy or simply assumed an
antic disposition whether, as the Ger
man critics are disposed to hold, the
character represents g principle involved
in mystic philosophy, or is simply that
of man who is overcome by terrible
tragedy, and the crime OF his mother
and his kin which is the motif OF the
play. Booths most fascinating present
ment OF the part will, in the memory OF
those who knew and studied him in it.
always remain as perfect work OF art
as a Phidian statue or q sonnet by
Petrarch. He surrounded the role with
a witchery Of metaphysical possibilities.
which did not, however, affect the
clear.cut force OF his work, and in
no way obscured the impression res
ceived by the observer. We shall never
look upon his like again. Lawrence
Barrett pictured Hamlet which WAS as
full OF arti6ciality as grand opera.
but which never failed to please the
artistic sense, though never satisfying it.
Wilson Barrett in the part put in several
Innovations which were improvements,
and produced robust, rather melo-
dramatic young gentleman whose con-
duct and purposes wero perfectly COM
preheneible. Louis James WAS q dash-
ing. almost rollicking melancholy Dane
whose physical attributes overpowered
the mental qualities of tho part.
Now comes Mr.. Keene with the Cib-
ber version of the play, differing much
from Booths and more from Wilson
Barrett's, who sticke religiousy to
Shakespeare's text, and produces an ef-
feet " hich in all fairness mnst be ranked
among the most. il not the most. perfect
onceptions and rendering of this test
part.
MIR. Keene makes the character con-
sistent throughout, divests it of all
mystery and produces a forceiul and
perfectly proportioned result. He
makes Hamlet type of the person who
possessed the same characteristics in
the days of the Ptolemies as today-a
gentleman; highly cultured, brave and
gentle; burdened with a depraved
mother and vicious uncle.father:
burning with desire to avenge
his fathers murder. yet restrained by
the necessity OF duplicating the woman
who gave him life and bringing disgrace
upon his name; harrassed by his love
for ODhelia, which has to be see aside
in pursuit. Of his half formed resolution
to bring q tragic solution to bear on tn
terrible situation before him. yet always
courteous to a degree, with a ready wit
and high philosophy. and marvellous
wisdom. He plainly affects madness as
q means of advancing his ends-ends
which, as stated, hia nobler nature
causes him to hesitate at encompassing.
The ghost lie a ghost; the supernatural
is not mysticism, but simply the tra-
ditional possibility of the appearance of
a spirit. Such is Mr.: Keene's Hamlet.
The innovations are Rs q rule excel
lent. When the ghost appears in scene
8, act III, by clever contrivance,
it takes the place of portrait OF the
murdered king.
Again in the first scene with Ophelia
he gives the impression that he is about
to declare his passion for her. and his
attitude and face express nothing but
tenderness and love, until he catches
sight of the king and Polonius lurking
in the passageway; he evidently judges
the girl as a participant in plot, as a
tool of his father's murderer, and re-
pulses her harshly to her face but when
she turns sadly away he psssionately
kisses the hem of her garment, indicat-
ing that his love is unchanged but must
be concealed. Some other minor differ
! ences could be noted between the ver-
sion be uses and that of Booth, but they
are not otimportant. tf
Mr.. Keene's action may be said to be
better than his voice, which is not pos
sessed of the youthful tones that should
belong so the part; but is is none the
less wonderfully impressive and forci-
BILE, and ia used with ali the technical
knowledge of master. He ia best in
the strongest scenes; those terrible
lines Hamlet addresses to his mother
after slaying Polonius in the arrss were
given with an art that was admirable;
and again in his stormy passage with
Laertes at Ophelia's grave he rose to a
sublime height. He ia accused of rant
ing; perhaps he does; but II all actors
could rant in the same way there would
be most delightful decrease in the
number of transformers and q CORE.
spending increase of intelligent artists.
The supporting company is not what
it should be. The Ophelia OF Miss
Lawrence is most commendable in the
mad scene. while the Gertrude of Mas
Beaman showed conscientious effort
one OF the most effective parts, email
though it was, was the Player Queen of
Miss Downs.
Mr.. Ahrendt made better first grave
digger than he did Polonius. The Hor-
alto of Mr.. Lowell showed considerable
ability. and the ghost intoned his lines
very effectively. sHs
The stage manager of this house makes
q great mistake in relying on the colored
lights. In the grave diggers' ecene, a
most important ore. the stage was OBJ.
ecured nv a green lirht. in which il waa
impossible to discern the features OF any
of the actors. ,
The cast was:
Claudius. .......................Mr Mr.. Eagleson
Hamlet. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Mr.. Keene
ioioulus.. MI. Anrcndt
Horato. ........................Mr Mr.. Lowell
Iaertes. ......................M Mr.. Arden
ROSenCranZ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Mr. Baker