Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-26
REALM OF DREAMS.
FAITHFUL INTERPRETATION OF
sHAKEsPEARE's PLAY AssuRED.
CAST OF TALENTED AMATEURS.
A very Elaborate Production-The
Social Types and Charactcris-
ties Which Gave Form and Life to
the Great Poets Airy Fairies.


There Is no doubt that the stage is one
of the most direct and effective means
or appealing to popular thought and arous-
have understood this better than Shakes
peare, and yet no one could have been
more rigidly scrupuIous in respecting the
functions and limitations OF dramatic art.
The very grandeur of Shakespcare's
thought tends to make his personality
more shadowy and indistinct as years go
by. but no figure in history possesses a
greater personal interest 10 all readers
of the English language.
The difficult and somewhat hazardous
task or staging one of Shakespeare's plays
with amateurs has been undertaken by
tho Association for the Preservation CT
Virginia Antiquities. On Monday and
Tuesday. tho 10th and 18th of April
very considerable revival OF "A Midsurn-
mer Nights Dream" will be given, under
the most suspicious circumstances at
the Academy of Music.
4 FAITHFUL INTERPRETATION AS
SURED.
The play has been in rehearsal for seve-
with the dexterous handling It has re-
ceived the production will defy the shafts
Of criticism, be it never so captious.
AS TO the actors and actresses, 1t can
be said that In every instance conscien-
tious work and a firm resolve to faithfully
interpret their author is plainly visible.
and already the play is being given with
commerdable smoothness. that speaks
volumes for patient rehearsal and capable
stage management.
The cast has been most carefully chosen
with a special view to the adaptabillty OF
each member TO the particular part to
which he or she has been assigned. The
assertion Is made for IT that it is one OF
the strongest combinations OF amateur
talent ever seen together in this city.
Miss Nancy Brooks, a talented actress
who has herself appeared In the largest
OF the recent productions OF the play
I'm England. has directed the rehearsals
for the past four months. and deserves
the greatest credit for her conscientious
and skilful work.
AS to the environments. no expense has
been spared to make II as complete and
satisfactory as the limitations OF the
Academy will allow. There will be many
novel scenic effects. Mendelssohns music,
written for the play, will be given by an
orchestra Of fourteen pieces. The fairy
dances will be one OF the many pleasing
features OF the production. Apart from
the fairy songs, in which Shakespeare. in
a mastery manner, preserves the popular
tone of the style which existed before
him. the play bears prominently the
stamp Of the Italian school. The Ian
guage-picturesque descriptive. and ford
with conceits-the too apparent allltera-
tions, the doggrel passages, which extend
over the passionate and impressive scenes,
and the old mythology so suited TO the
subject, all this places the piece in a
close, or at least not remote, relation TO
Loves Labor Lost" As i'm this play. the
story and the original combination of the
characters Of ancient, religious, and his
torical legends. with those Of the popular
Saxon myths. are the property and in
vention Of the poet.
TREATED AS A DREAM.
The piece appears designed to be treated
as a dream, not merely in outer form
and coloring, but also in inner signiiica-
ton Of the senses, which form the main
point Of the play. appears to be an alle-
gOfical picture OF the errors Of a life of
dreams. Reason and consciousness are
cast aside in that intoxicating passion as
In a dream Cupid's delight in breach Of
faith and JOve's merriment at the perjury
OF the lovers. cause the actions Of those
who are in the power of the God OF Love
TO appear almost as unaccOuntable as the
sins which one commits in a dream.
The actions and occupations Of Cupied
and Of the Fairies throughout the piece
are interviewer or alternate. Ana this
appears TO confirm most forcibly the in
tention OF the poet TO compare allegori-
cally tbs sensuOus life of love with a
dream lie; the exchange of functions be-
tween Cupid and the Fairies IS, therefore,
the true poetic embodiment of this COM
parson. For the realm of dreams is
assigned TO ShakespeaTes fairies; they
are essentially nothing else than personi-
fled dream gods. children Of fantasy,
which, as MercutiO says, is not only the
idle producer Of dreams, but also Of the
caprice Of superficial love.
TYPES IN SOCIETY OF TO-DAY.
We mortals are unable to form any
thing out OF the richest treasure OF the
iiiidb lilsANlyl NllHOul lHt dAi VI tAAAAeAi
human circumstances and qualities.
Thus. even in this case. It is not difficult
to discover in society the types OF hui
man nature which Shakespeare deemed
suitable as the original Of his
There are, particularly among
women OF the middle and upper ranks.
natures which are not accessible to higher
spiritual necessities, which take their way
through life with no serious and pro-
found reference 10 the principles OF mo-
raiity or 20 intellectual objects, yet
with a decided inclination and QEalifica-
ton for all that is beautiful, agreeable
and graceful. though withou, being able
to reach. even here, the higher attain
ments Of art. They grasp readily. as oc-
casion offers, all tina, IL tangible; they
are ready, dexterous, disposed for tricks
and raillery; ever skilfgl at acting parts.
at assuming appearances, at DISCUSSES
and deceptions; seeking TO give Il stlmu-
liant to life only by festivities, pleasures,
sport. and jest. These light. agreeable,
and sylphlike natures, who live
from day to day, and have no spiritual
OF a common object IN life
whose existence Is a playful dream, full
Of grace and establishment, but never
a life OF higher aim. have been chosen BY
with sigular tact as the
originals from whose fixed characteristics
he gave form and life 10 his airy fairies