New-York tribune., 1898-12-25
PART II.
TWELVE PAGES.
SHAKESPEARIAN REVELS.
THE ELIzABETHAN STAGE socIETY's
wORK-SHYLOCK IN A RED WIG
AS A COMIC CHARACTER.


AS A COMIC CHARACTER
London. December Ii.
One Of my plcasantest experiences In stored
yondon has been a Shakespeare night with Ye
ss.,e OF Odd Volumes. There was jolly din
per. and when the members Of the Settle had
introduced their guests with eulogies fat
tering than the chaste and modest autobiogra-
nhies in who's Who?" there was a learned
paper read by the Recorder and Master of
ceremonies Brother II. b. Wheatey. on Eye
Rockies Vt Helped Shakespeare" This was IL
lusrated by series OF songs by three Odd Vol
umes The words We're Shakespeare's and the
musical setting was Elizabethan and re-
produced from o.d scores. The paper was
finally discussed by Or. F. ]. Furn!val, Sidney
Lee and three or four other eminent Shake
spearian scholars. In London alone could so
unique a Shakespearian revel have been staged
and enacted.
In no other town is It possible to witness the
presentation OF Shakespeares plays under
Elzabethan conditions. with farthingales and
without scenery. The first revival Of what may
be described the real Shakespearian drama
occurred seventeen years ago. 1t was a per-
fornance Of the first quarto of Hamlet" and
:io actors appeared on the boards at st.
Georges Hall in Elzabethan costume, scenery
being dispensed Win ana the play DelnS acteu
continuously. This experiment followed by
annual public recitatons Of THE Merchant of
Venice" Romeo and Juliet" and other plays
by the Shakespeare Reading Society. from a
platform Of draped curtains. Seven years ago
Measure for Measure" was produced in cos
tune and without scenery by this body Of read
ers and this was followed by the presentation
OF Two Gentlemen OF Verona" and Loves
Iabour's Lost" Five years ago Measure for
Measure" repeated in Soho on a stage
fashioned after the Elizabethan model. The en-
vironment Of the old Fortune Playhouse was
closely initiated. and the audience appeared In
Ellzabethan costume This experiment so
successful that Mr.. Arthur Dillon. who had been
an active member Of the Shakespeare Reading
Society. was encouraged to found permanent
society for the production Of two or more plays
annually. This is known the Eliza bethan
Stage Society. and is conducted by Mr.. Will
lam Poel an accomplished actor and industrious
student with the Incompatible gift OF impart-
Ing his own enthusiasm TO others
During the last four years this society has
provided literary and artistic London with
series Of unique entertainments. Twelfth
Night" and the Comedy Of Errors were en-
acted in the dining hall of Gray's Inn. Mar
loves Doctor Faustus" produced in ST
Georges Hall and Two Gentlemen Of Verona
in the Merchant Taylors' Hall and in the Char
terhouse Twelfth Night repeated in
Middle Temple Hall. the home Of Elizabethan
drama, and The Tempest was played at the
Mansion House and at the Goldsmiths' Hall
Other revvals have been Arden Of Feversham
an episode in the play Of Edward III; The
Spanish Gypsy and Fords The Broken Heart
at St Georges Hall: The Coxcomb" by Beau
mont and Fletcher. at the Inner Temple and
rd
the gardens Of Fuham Palace. All these plays
have been produced in Elizabethan costume
without scenery. and the obsolete musical in
strumsnts of Shakespeare's time have been
brought into use. Candles have not been used
as footights, nor have the playhouses been open
20 the sky, have women's parts been acted
by boys; but in costume, stage business and
rapid and continuous presentation OF scenes
there has been q close approach to Elizabethan
drama - ,, sr.so~
During the present season the society has
mined to produce THE Merchant of Venice" and
ben Jonson's "Alchemist" and in connection
fvith these Elizabethan works Mr.. Poel hopes to
lpresent during the spring three examples OF the
modern literary drama: Mr.. Swinburne's trag-
edy. "Iocrine." MIR Edward Fitzgera1d's adapta-
tion OF Calderons "Iifes a Dream. and
fBi0rnstierne Bj6rnson's comedy. "A Gauntlet
}rhe first number Of the programme has peen
lcarried out with unique effect at st George
HAL where THE Merchant of Venice has been
produced in Elizabethan dress as romantic
comedy, without tragic note Inc secoho
<,entura will he even more interesting. since 1t
will be the first attempt for long period TO re-
Sive one of Ben Jonson's comedies Ihe Al
chemist is perhaps the finest example OF MS
dramatic art in which the outward lorihs VI
sonanticism current during the Elizapethan
ner,od were combined with a pure classical
spirit. II is a play with a dldacuc iho"'e' a"1
.atirizes the grasping, sordid greed of the times
which was seeking to turn everything ih'o eo'u
Such play. with its Characteristic Elizabethan
ss,,ing &c we'll adapted for presentation during
the closing years Of the Victorian reign ~neh
Che noercenary tendencies Of putocracy are dis-
closed IN revels of South African gold specula-
lion and industrial stock promoting. and "hen
smart society finds 1t hard to make both ends
snee. and lends Itself TO traffic In titles ana
social patronage
The music Is one Of the distinctive features OF
these Elizabethan revivas. MT. Arhoio Do''
tnetsch who is at once an enthusiast anu a
expert in the Of old Instruments mas p'a0
his artistic skill and knowledge al the oispo'"'
OF the society. In the production OF Ben 'o"
sons pastoral THE Sad shepherd. IN 'he gar
Gems Of Fuham Palace he introouceu '"e iu'e'
four viols two horns and the vrginals ana p'o
vided the original setting and accompaniment
for a series OF songs and dances OF inc se'e'
teenth century. In THE Merchant Oh 'en'o1
the cornets Of Shakespeare time were repi"o'u
by trumpets In the hourishes and 'uc"e'9'
but five viols were introduced for the acco''i-
paniment Of two songs. one of these' "ii''o"
in the style Of Elizabethan composers was sums
while Bassanio was communing over 'he c"o'00
Of the casket. and the other, Ihe boVe"o"'
Payan." by Alfonso Ferrabosco' Hius'''
sbs...,eare.s time was introduced with quaint