Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-06-20
THE FOREST PLAY.
As You Like IT, Presented to q Trl-Clt
Audience at the Tower.

As You Like It" Presented to Trl-Clty
Audience ut the Tower.
The characters which Shakespeare
conceived and interpreted 800 years
ago appeared in reality. and in the
fullness of life moved and spoke last
night in the native forest at Black
Hawks Watch Tower. ..As You
Like It," that beautiful pastoral
play. was given amid scenes as TO-
mantle yet real, as fanciful yet
natural, as the comedy itself, and
the production served to demon
strate the immense possibilities yet
to be developed in the gorgeous and
inimitable beauties of the famous
Tower. The enterprise evinced by
the Davenport & Rock Island Rail-
way company in identifying this
point, made so attractive by the
kind hand of nature, the history
which attaches to it and the legends
that grow about it found another re-
spouse last evening which suggests
further innovation and popular pro-
jects. No more lovely spot could
have been designed for the ideal
presentation OF the posts fancies,
and the audience of tri-city people
present embraced the most promi-
nent and appreciative, which in
itself was a compliment to the Street
Railway company, as bearing evil
dence of we'll established public
confidence.
If the play was not in all respects
what it had been planned to be, it
was no fault of the company, for
every possible accessory. as we'll as
admirable transportation accommo-
dations had been provided. The
general effects were superb. the pro.
duction most excellently costumed,
and mounted, and the calcium shed
a lustre over the scenes that was
gorgeous. The plateau east of the
Tower Inn had been adopted as ma
lures theatre, with little that was
artificial to complete it for the play.
A canvas was stretched about to
limit the number enjoying the priv
ileges to those holding the proper
credentials. The arrangements for
seating were ample, and nothing had
been overlooked in the way of pro-
viding for those who might come.
The Play.
Coming out from among the trees
the actors spoke their lines. Tho char
acters of three centuries ago were
brought back to life in actual forest.
There was fascination in the thought
and in the reality, and the inspiration
born of the soul silently but impress
sively asserted again the immor-
tality of the bard of Avon. The
| musical features, both as to the
instrumental, furnished by Otto's
brass band, and the vocal by members
of the company, were enchanting.
Undor the advantages that were
offered, the drama could not have
failed Of approval. The out of door
atmosphere did not make of William
Morris the Orlando of Shakespearian
vision, and Miss Eta Hawkins Rosa
lind was not ideal, yet there have been
less intelligent interpretations oil
the role. Charles d. Herman az
Jacques. ifanything, surpassed the
star. The remainder OF the COM
pany was but fair, fact that
would have been more apparent
when exposed to meritorious scru.
tiny rather than preserved by bril-
liant costume aud mind diverting sur.
roundiDgs. All in all, however, the
event was productive of the happy
thought that the out of door theatre
may nave come to the Tower in its
permanency, and that it may awaken
in our own people a sense of realiza-
ton Of the indispensable grandeur
and glory Of the Watch Tower.