Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-20
THE TOMB OF CHRIST"

THE TOMB OF CHRIST"
patched sentiments, and down-at-the-heel
Ideals"
He says further: 1.-THE kind OF intrigue
that would be thought too childish for
a child's book will often make the for
tune of a play"
This is unhappily too true. although
harshly put. Few plays have a literary
quality, and art at the same time. The
stage until Ibsen came with his drastic
broom dealt largely with machine-made
types. You all know them. Real men
and women Of unheroic proportions, OF
sordid, sensual propensities, when put
before the average theatre audience-and
the average critic-excite derison and
rage.
At "Richeleu." at the Academy, the
other night, two young women sat near
me. They were pretty and very intelli-
gent. / set them down for something in
tellectual, and quite out OF the ordinary
when they removed their pinnacled hats.
When Mr.. Cardinal Walker Whiteside
said something about the pen being
mightier than the sword the blonde whis-
pered. passionately to the brunette:
"Why, that's a quotation from Shake
speare."
The other girl looked wise.
Then Mr.. Whites.de spoke Of the
bright lexicons of youth.
There, did you here that?" eagerly
cried the brunette. That's Shakespeare
sure Why. who wrote this show, any
way?"
House bills were consulted. and then
some Hight dawned upon my young wo-
men.
"Bulwer. Amt that the fellow who
ran away with Byron's lame wife, and
wrote "The Decline and FAN Of Pompey?"
one asked.
Eyes, so it IS. and he's an awful thief
Ny, how he steads from Hamlet!
Frederick Warde will reveal himself In
new light TO the Richmond public TO-
morrow night, and will probably cement
even more thoroughly the bonds OF admit
ration and affection in which he Is al
ready held. Hitherto we have seen him
as an heroic tragedian, and as a ro-
mantle actor, but tomorrow night he
undergoes the crucial test Of greatness.
for whoever attempts to play Shakes
peare's mastery tragedy OF king Lear"
and achieves success enters without the
shadow OF doubt the realm OF true
greatness. We have known Mr.. Warde for
many years. and appreciated him. but
not so thoroughly as he deserves. His Is
the master mind Of the legitimate branch
OF the dramatic profession to-day. and.
although unknown to many, he is one
of the great educators of the country.
BY his lectures and his talks, his UNI
swerving energy and strict adherence to
the master cramatist, he has endeared
Shakespeare TO the hearts of the rising
generation of the country, and has
elucidated much that has appeared diff
cult In the works Of the great poet END
dramatist. Furthermore, he Is fully
abreast with the times, and not only in
terprets his plays with the ability OF
genius. but he also presents them with a
fidelity and truth to fact that is fully I'm
keeping with the desires of the present.
day theatre-goer. In this Mr. Warde is
more than a great actor-he is a great
man-and his name Will be handed down
to posterity as that Of man of many
parts and letters.
AS very little is known OF king Lear"
few words OF description will doubtless
be of interest. Mr.. Warde will give an
elaborate production OF king Lear to-
morrow night and Tuesday afternoon.
Tuesday night MIR Warde will demon
strate his versatility by appearing in
both am historical tragedy and q comedy.
His Cardinal Wolsey in Henry VIII"