The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-03-06
DUB ADJUSTMENTS
wARDE-JAMEs COMPANY IN .sTHE
LIONS MOUTH
Julius Caesar to BE Given Tonight
Mr.. Warde Will Lecture on
shakespeare for Charity.

When Frederick Warde produced
1.-THE Lions Mouth in New York city
he had every reason to expect a IA
vorable reception Had Henry Guy
Cartoons romantic drama not scored
a success in almost every large city of
America? And was it not likely that
this triumph would be crowned by the
success of the New York engagement?
All of these good things seemed likely,
and half of it came true, for the pub
lie approved, and paid it's money in
order to approve. But the critics.
Their honeyed words of praise so free
ly given, alas turned to vinegar ere
they took form on the pencil point.
They dashed the play, they slashed it
they cut it to pieces, they scored it,,
they made fun of it, they ridiculed it
and all the while the people flocked to
see THE Lions Mouth" Some of the
critics said it was a shrewd combina-
ton of Merchant a Venice" and
Romeo and Juliet and all that
was good came from these two
plays; others failed to see anything
in the play but merest drivel. There
was one journal, the Dramatic Mirror,
which heartily praised and commended
Now / suspect that the pride of these
critics was touched. Here was a play
which had the audaeity to be a sue
cess without their approval And they,
who made or unmade successes, were
asked to meekly add their tribute to
the many words of praise given the
play.
1t was more than flesh could bear;
they revolted; they rebelled. The re-
suit have just quoted.
This is easy to recognize, that any
one daring to enter the field of blank
verse drama. must at once throw him
slf into comparison with the plays of
the immortal bard, and whose work
but will pale beside the natchless art
of Shakespeare? Entering this field
boldly, Henry Guy Carleton has achiev-
ed in this play a, very creditable sue
cess His lines are always dignifed,
and sometimes rise to grandeur. The
situations are bold and dramatic. The
characters and play romantic.
OF the cast Mr.. Warde as Rinaldo
commands first attention. The hero of
such a play should be as bold as the
lion into the carven jaws of whose i'm
age the missives of death are cast.
And he should be a lover as impaS-
stoned and bold as he is daring in bat
tie. This is the character Mr. Warde
presents to us. With romantic bear
ing, he makes the part Of the lover
very tender, while his impassioned
scenes are forecful and dramatic.
Mr.. James had good oportunity to
display his power as a, great actor
but then he has the quality of doing
this out of almost any part, being re-
markedly versatile. Into Francisco he
puts all the schening villiany of the
Benedict. With his rich, sonorous
voice he rolled out his maledictions up
on his enemies with tremendous effect,
Miss Edythe Chapman's Interpretation
of the part Of Linora was far from
satisfying. In the quieter scenes, in
the love-making portions, she was very
attractive; but when she arose to the
height of emotion there crept into her
voice harsh note which was very
grating on the ear and which spoiled
her best efforts.
The play was not one to draw out
the full abilities of the supporting COM
pany, and no further detailed mention
is necessary, save to say that Mr. Nc
Cormack as the Doge of Venice was
woefully bad.
The audience comfortably filed the
theatre and followed the fortunes of the
hero and heroine with keen interest
Once, at the close Of the third act, the
applause was tremendous, and four OF
| five curtain caHs were demanded.
Tonight the bill will be Julius Gaze
sar' Shakespeare's historical tragedy
with Mr.. Warde as Marc Antony, Mr.
James as Brutus and Mr.. Herman as
Cassius.
A movement is on foot to have the
Knights of Pythias attend officially and
in body at the performance of ''Da-
mon and Pythias' Thursday night
Mr.. Warde is a Shakespearean stu
dent of very considerable note He has
delivered in some of the larger cities
a lecture on the plays of Shakespeare
Learning of the charitable entertain.
ments given in Salt Lake in the past
he offered to deliver the lecture fol
any charity. The Press club, looking
for suchs chances. accepted his offer
and the lecture will be given at the
| theatre Thursday afternoon. Every
thing is donated and the entire door
receipts will go to charity