The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-02
clrr OFFICIAL PArna.
s.ArrIE. SUNDAY, July :.

CITY OFFICIAL PAPD1.
sEATrLE. SUNDAY, July =.
SHAKING Up OUR HAMLET.
Sara Hsrnhsrdt's Hamlet bespeaks
the interest ana the careful considssa-
ton OF every person who has ever read
the play or seen II enacted. II 10 by al
nsons ne nost astonisling snd tn
pnost revolattonary performance of ,
great character that the history Of the
stage records. One needs but to resume
his Shakespeare and rs-read few lines
Of Il to realise that the French actress
has opened the syss a. the world TO
things that we're never dreamed of be-
fore.
The uorose and gloomy Dane has
given way to the youthful and impas-
stoned prince, nervous, excitahle. philo-
sophically pessimistic. but never over
shadowed with that somher and un-
yielding melancholy which made Booths
Hamlet tpe subtle masterpieee that Il
was. Besnhardt's Hamlet II . youth
who can love and yet chids with the
,prssumptuonsness Of the nsw- born
scholar. who can b. . courtier and yet
be contemptuous 81 his elders. He Is
. son az Denmark. with al the inherited
supestition and savagery Of the Den
mark az the middle ages. AZ the CORE
spondent OF the New York Times wrots:
'swhsn he II with his mother this iurid
hide a his character shines forth. teen
yered BY sudden iapses into the dreamy.
eardonio tendcsuees natural TO him: II e.
Aybits itself In Wild outbursts OF bufYoon-
cry. In which tho hopeless and unre-
strained boyhood has q part He 10 al
ternateiy respectful. insulting. tender. APP
pealing. pa<sionateiy loving. and withai
profoundly philosophical. with . philoso-
ply born OF utter naturalness; q philoso-
ply all ths more truo because Il II %
profoundly unconscious OF itself 1t In
che tragedy o. a vigorous. passionate, life
loving personality. overwhelmed by the
doom Of circumstances
The first impulse Of those who are ia
miiiar with previous conception Of Ham,
let In to say that this Ia meiodramatic
But Il need not be no. II Shakespeare be
re-read 1t will be found that traditional
ideas will yield to change and . new
light upon the perplexinE character be
Afforded by this amazing French
woman's playing. Re-read. for exam
pie. the first words that Hamlet utters.
and also the second:
"A little more than kin and leas than
kind"
And
mot 20. my lord. am too much In the
sun"
Conceive them a. the utserances OF
petulant and fretful youth. intensely
disiiking his uncle. and impatient and
irritased ever the festivities. They read
than In the iabored and studied deliver
ances Of cur customary Hamlet Again
In the
Seems. madam. cvay. II is; I know no.
seems"
lmratience and petulance are better
interpreters than philosophy and analy-
sis.
Turn further to the scliloquy.
'oh. that this too. too solid resh would
melt"
II IL rer'e,e with the disgust, the All
ser and the outspoken shame Of a
young man. with the tinru'ssve an
characteristics OF youth.
Or still further over. in the scls.oquy
so generally omitted by actors because
Of the asfseulsy OF rceoncning II with
the general nature OF the role.
New might % II pat. now ne Is praying:
Ard ROM III 6o't.-and So ne goes 10
heaven"
Youth can be imagined as 50 tempted
and 80 debating with It's OWN purposes.
% seniority and maturity IL would be
an impossible situation unless The mind
had gone clearly imhccs'e.
Tire atmosphere 81 srnrulsiveness csa
be found in every Word ~ the opening
Of the closet scene With Ham els
neither There is the QslcS. srrisa,e>s.
half-premedita,si. spontaneous
ceusure which boy scarcely oct, ~ rs
teens might give. the cruel en, and
woana.ng - the mesheriy affection. vet
mere ~ IL half 50 cruel, ncne Of I, hair
% depressing as under the aspect sfsen
IA rrvyiaus interpretations
ye b Impossible 60 20 more than sug-