The times., 1899-12-30
THINGS THEATRICAL.
Sir Henry Irving and Ellen Terry in
''The Merchant of Venice"

Antonio. Laurence Irving
Prince Of Mororco..-..............Jam James ; Hearn
SIlauio. Charles Nanc
Sslar!no. .............Ia l. Bclmore
1Idtlauu. Nh lNdf7
Lorenzo. Harry g. stanford
l',r,cIo- Goibc charles Dodsyorth
vl4 "epo9- he5 5'',S
Iessiea-. eel tTomWel
Nerigsa Maud Mi,Jon
Pgrtla Ellen Terry
They who claim that Shakespeare is
coming TO be but mute and voiceless
bard. together with they who oppose the
statement might have found telling argu-
ments in the audience which gathered last
night at the National for the purpose Of
| seeing Sir Henry Irving and Ellen Terry
in The Merchant Of Venice" Having
no.ed this attendance, both sides probably
would have wrangled as before, the enc
claiming that presence and applause V ere
for the players; the other that, whatever
its auspices or enhancements. the plays
the thing" Each might readily show en-
dOrsement for the opinion held-the second
class in the enthusiasm of the assembiage
and the first in the manner of that en-
thusiasm. There were curtain calls after
nearly every act Of the production and
when the trial scene had been finished
there was SO insistent a demand for
speech that Sir Henry, with all his aversion
TO that form Of inCongTuity was obliged
10 express his qualification. But the ap-
plause did not always place commas at
the fine passages. too often il wrote
periods beside the ordinary.
That the house did appreciate Sir Henrys
ShylOck, however. and enjoy the Portia
OF Miss Terry is beyond question. Con-
sidcrirS the reputation for coldness that
hi ~
. both persons was evidence of even more
than appreciation or enjoyment-the tribute
OF fashionables t0 the artists who could call
forth their emotions against their Wills.
No one Who VAS az the National yester-
evening could doubt that the stars did
touch upoD these emotions with delicate
fingers. for the response was iu the air
Those who constituted 8 large portion OF
thc audience we're pleased wholly because
they telt-toT no less or greater reason.
l. IS iu ihis thar jhe strength of Sir Hen
~ lrviuE's Shylock lies The Jew OF the
English actor is human. Neither the mar
row and CauseleSs sCouudrel nor the pit
liable fanatic hat he has been drawn the
Shylock shown last night is Of real flesh
and bone moreover. as Shakespeare has
him observe, Of the flesh and bone OF the
universal race II he is moved with a
dominant desire for revenge; il he is stony
hearted and remorseless in his pursuit of
. that revenge. 81 he Is bitter and filed with
hatred. his temper is not without founda-
lion, nor his determination without excuse.
For years he has been prosecuted and
bounded by those who have finally come TO
him for favors, and in coming have given
him MS opportunity. He has suffered loss
of goods and Of reputation. The fury OF an
excitshle nature and the crying for a ven
geance that religion has taught him is as
right and honorable as is thrift in trade
are but sequential results. And when this
fury is further lashed ana stung by the
theft Of a loved daughter-the theft OF
lOng-hOarded moneys-that portion of the
man that has been hard becomes adaman-
tine. Sir Henry brings all these things
out so clearly that his Shylock divides the
interest Of the casual with the sympathy
OF he studious. Underlining the meanness
and smailness Of the Jew, he emphasizes
also those few expressions Of fine though
nearly hidden sentiment; Of geauine and in
herent feeling which the bard has put On
the lips Of that most penetrating and earn
est OF his creations, the Merchant Of
Venice"
Sir Henry's reading is not entirely col
loquial, much OF the rhythm OF the lines
being even oddly scored, but no other read
ing Of the part known 10 the writer so be-
trays absolute comprehension Of every
phase in the character portrayed. TIE
tors Of the nature being revealed and he
accompanying business though rarely new.
is explanatory and has been elaborated.
That which prompts Sir Henry 10 make the
Jew, in waiting The fnaI sentence Of I Q
( court scan the vengeful faces before him
in search OF lri5ndliHess, cannot be praised
too highly for its peTtinency and force Sir
HenTy's Shylock Is essentially picturesque
and intensely dramatic Il is painting in
frae -rg =F-~
each Of which heightens the effect Of he
other it IS the most impressive and one Of
the most logical OF Shylocks. Consistently
} approaching its climax. intermittent
veeriHg from CALLED harshness 10 a lessnu5
+ Dardonabie spirit. it is an impersonation
that might 5e criticised but could not b
( condemned.
! OF the PoTtia of Ellen Terry there seems
need Of saying little, for to imply that il is
( With all the WOmaHliuess OF maturity, and
al the pcrulanc= and impetuosity Of girl
hood, the characterization stands out a. a
marTelousIy perfect work. In her infnites
I nal bits, as in her most important read
/ iugs, Miss Terry Is superb. The spec h,
! beginning The quality Of mercy is not
/ strained" as familiar as the title of the
play. assumes new charm from her lips and
thoroughly earned her the applause it
[ brought. TIE whole portrayal is com
; mendable 10 an extraordinary degree.
The supporting cast Of last night hardly
could have been better, though there were
a few exceptions to the rule of excellence.
! Laurence Irving, whose Tallien in Robe
spierre" made one regret the breyity Of
the part. IS a dignined and authoritye An
tonic, and Arthur Royston's Bassanio,
while seeming 10 lack in feryor and ami
matiCn, is intelligent enough TO be ade-
quate James s. Hearn contributes to the
single scene Of the Prince Of Morocco a
fire and yet a discretion that is admirable.
while the Launcelot Gobbo Of Charles
DodsWOrth is PLAYED in a vein Of higher
comedy than usual and quite as well. Mr.
Dodsworth. however should look to his
his" Ia The Merchant of Venice he
is not an Englishman but a Venetian.
Cecil Cromwell is a pretty and effectuaI
Jessiea and Maud Milton striking Ne
rissa the remainder OF the cast quoted
being largely praisworthy The stage man
agemeut was up to Sir Henry's standard,
but the hands cOntrived 10 muddle the
scenery in making one or two act changes.
The piece was produced in spectacular
fashion.
This afternoon Ellen Terry viii be in
tr0duced in Nance OIdfeld" and The
Amber Heart" while Sir Henry is To offer
Waterloo and The Bells tonight.
Those pessimistic individuals who are
loud IN endorsing the statement that
there is nothing new under the sun, may
The jolly Musketeer." which viii be pre-
-aT ~ fWaH.. H.