The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-27
News Of The Green
Room and Foyer
Some Of the More Important DOingS
Of These, Our Actors.
IS SHAKESPEARE OBSOLETE :?
Nym crlnkle Is of the Opinion That the
Day of the Classic Drama Has
About Ended Especially in
This Country.

Shakespeares day has passed. The ac-
tor says that this Is because the pubic
does not want Shakespeare. The pub
lie says II is because the actor cannot
play Shakespeare. And Mr. Crinkle
thinks they are both right. Il heard
an intelligent critic say he writes,
that as wealth and repose and refine
ment increased in a Democratic coun-
try, Shakespeare would be in greater
demand. This has been said very often
in the magazines. But it is difficult to
square II with the facts. Assuming
this to be true, Shakespeare ought to
be oftener played and more keenly'ap-
preciated than he was fifty years ago.
But he isn't. We have three times the
number of theaters and rs per cent. less
of Shakespeare. In short. we no longer
have a ShakeSpearean theater at all
Fifty years ago the democracy de-
manded Shakespearean plays-that was
one Of the reproaches heaped upon For"
rest-the democracy wanted him. They
wanted the elder Booth. They support
ed E. L. Davenport, and they hung
upon Murdoch and Tom Hamblin and
Fanny Kemble, and had a riot when
Cooke and Macready played Shakes
peare. If the increase of wealth and
leisure incident to the age of comE
munity insured the performance Of
Shakespeare, England ought to be
playing him. Is she? Not a bit Of 1t,
The popular play for wealth and re-
f1nement during the last London season
was Sans Gene piece of clever Vul-
nah 4,
swept the enthusiasm up with her
skirts. Henry Irving Keeps Shakes
peare in his repertory very much as u
fashionable woman keeps set of Dres-
den china in her closet-to be set out on
special occasions and then washed up
and put back again. 1t does not ap-
pear that he plays Benedick or Shy
lock, or Hamlet, because there is a
popular demand for these roles. but
rather because there isn't and to do
them occasionally indicates that he is a
little independent of popular demand.
III is no dlsparagement of the great poet
ana master of English drama to say
tndt the intelligent public do not want
MIN as much as they once did on the
stage. You might as well say that
Homer has ceased to be great because
he isn't sung on the streets Shakes
peafe ike every other immortal thing.
passes from one stage of appreciation
10 another. | think intelligence and
eulture nave learned to see depths in
shakespeare that are beyond the ordin-
ary actors. We get revised versions or
MIN just as we do of the Bible. and he
is subjected to the higher criticism and
hNes on with new meanings in the
study and in the heart, while the stage
ls pounding away at the old histrionic
conceptions of him"
frederick Warde, the tragedian. told
lunny story to a Syracuse Post man
tne other day. He has an endless fund
Vi amusing anecdotes. Talking about
the dramatic justice that audiences ever
demand, he tells a capital story of his
once playing ''Virginius" in a city I'm
Missouri. The play was brought to a
successful end; the audience was pro-
foundly impressed, but did not
move. Warde had gone to his
lressing room and commenced 10
ulsrope, when the manager came
ana told him that the audience
would not move. What should he do ?
Warde suggested the turning down OF
the footlights. This was done without
avail The distressed manager once
more sought Warde, who by this time
was IN tlghts. Not for 800 will I go
Defore the curtain as | am" replied the
tragedian to the managers beseech-
lngs. DO you go and tell them that
the play Is over" The manager would
not; so Warde put on his dressing
thrust a towel around his neck. and
WIN MS feet In Roman sandals and q
rublcund face, stepped before the cur.
tain and said: Ladies and gentlemen
the play Is over. l am dead; Virginia
Is dead; Donatus Is dead, and Appius
Cloudius Is dead"-when a voice from
the gods yelled-"What has Yer done
wid dat udder son of a gum" meaning
James. 1t is needless to say that Warde
hustled behind the curtain to give his
mirth release.
The significant and particularly in.
terestlng feature of Daly's visit tC
Philadelphia this year, in the opinion OF
the Press, is the appearance of Henry
Il. DiXey. The English speaking world
KNOWS DiXey as Adonis-as the genius
OF certain felicitous and intangible
purlesque-as mimic of extraordinary
gifts, as the incarnation of symmetry
and grace. There has never been in the
history of extravaganza anything tc
compare with the 600nightsof "Adonis,' ;
II was vision of light, of color
or melody, and fun beyond description
But like all Visions 1t vanished at last
Now Mr.. DiXey has entered the so
called legitimate" arena, and he ha.
round for his unquestionable, though il
some quarters, unsupported, talent Wha'
rs perhaps u better and wider field
We can recall nothing better of IL!
kind than his Interpretation last nigh
or the part of Marcus Brutus Snap. Il
Mr. DAILY, in the elaboration of tn,
character, has drawn upon the ricl
suggestions OF Mr.. Vincent Crummles
Snevellici, and the Infant Prodigy. on,
Is bound to say that Mr.. Dixey, in en-
acting 1t, has done all that Dickens, tn,
master, could in common fairness ask
We must congratulate Mr.. DAILY upoI
his judgment in recognizing Dixey',
possibilities and upon his providence il
putting them at our Disposal.
Roland Reed, as "The Politician.
captured Rochester quite as completed,
as he had captured Scranton earlier il
the game. The Post Express SAYS
Roland Reed has in The Politician
play exactly suited to him. He Is ,
very clever comedian and he has thi
season the best company he has eve
had. These facts combine to produce
an entertainment which ranks anon,
the best that theater-goers will see. A
General Josiah Timber, Mr.. Reed 1
the central figure. This fact was neve
lost sight of by the playwrights. MI
Reed Is equal to the requirements. 4
large amount of the humor of the char
acter is due directly to his impersona
tion. He introduces the lodges of tn
politician in an artful manner, care
fully guarding against too pronounce
caricature. He is excellently aide
by his leading lady, Miss Isadore Rush
whose representation of the portendin
mannishness of the twentieth centur
is one of the principal features of tn
piece. The audience had been prepare
by advance notices for the costume
which Miss Rush wore, but her manne
of wearing them was quite as interest
ing. There she was, the full-nedge
young man of fashion-all except tn
trousers, which she declared sh
wouldn't wear. But at each side of he
dress skirt are pockets into which sh