The times., 1899-10-05
THINGS THEATRICAL.
Observation-Disclosures

Laertes s.....................M Malcolm Bradley
Horatio Allison iessey
,.nlIdensterh Donald patterson
Alarcellus .---.-........-...- Joseph Go eEf2a
First Player Mr. Bird esr
Second Prayer II. w. Work
First Grave Digger ....................M Mr.. Grcss
Second Grave Digger .-.--...... Mr. Donas sdson
Osrick Vineyard
Ghost OF Hamlets Father. ........-. -Mr. Llngham
Gertrude -..-.-.....,......--..M .Maude Atkinson
Ophelia .Corlnne Parker
Player QUEEN ..,...-,-----,;;,; Lucia Cor
Hamlet ..... ..................H Harrison j. Wolfe
During the past fortnight there have
been more Danish princes in Washington
than there are ex-Presidents in Central
America. The last of the royal family,
Harrison ]. Wolfe, was seen in Hamlet"
yester- evening at the Lafayette Square
by an appreciative though not by large
audience. Perhaps curiosity brought many
of the spectators present, for Mr.. Wolfe's
impersonation of ShakespeaTe's most-aF
gued character has caused much favorable
comment and an equal amount of the other
variety, but if, unlike the congregations
that heard Goldsnith's village parson,
those who went TO scoff" did not re
main to pray" the intending testers N the
house certainly learned that. whether or
not they had discovered an able Hamlet,
they had not found an unthinking one.
Indeed, Mr. Wolfe's melancholy Dane is
not the ranting. eanting parsonage that
many of the critics who objected to the
radicalism of the star have painted him.
Nor was it TO be expected that he would Be
entirely bad. His earlier work here has
shown that Mr.. Wolfe is not unintelligent,
and unless an actors folly bears down the
limits of his presumption he will hardly
undertake lightly the task of selecting
new readings for so standard a role 1t
might have been wiser for this player to
have followed those more efficient than
himself. but. having admitted his right 10
originality, one cannot laugh at the result
His Hamlet is often at variance with sa-
cred ideals, often ponderous and liberty
taking-never ridiculous or, summed up,
unreasoning.
Mr. Wolfe does not make his prince
mad prince, rather requesting the audience
to forbear with Horatio in believing him
insane. Neither does his Hamlet seem a
nonomaniac. He shows one a student,
philosopher a John -Dreams-the very
sort OF individual TO plan such plot as
that of putting the stTollers to work on
the conscience of Claudius. Absurd as 1t
may sound, Mr.. Wolfe's Hamlet is a de-
tective; fanatic, probably, but of un-
doubtedly sound mind And to this theme
he holds.
OF the manner of the fulfllment some
commendatory things may be said and
some condemnatcry. Mr.. Wolfe has
graceful stage presence. a good appearance,
and what might be- il better handled, a
pleasing voice. In his reading of the lines
he IS almost eolioGuial-though never
quite so. But he IS too frequently crude
and much of his phrasing is so bad as to
render almost unintelligible the speeches
pronounced. This is notably true with
several of the couplets in the plays first
two acts Much of his business is unwar-
ranted. too, and there are other faults that
cannot be mentioned in such space as is
afforded this review. But the perform
anee of last night was not bad perform
ance if not a great one.
Excepting for William Gross and Co
rinne Parker, local girl, who is going
to do something some day, the supporting
east is decidedly poor Miss Parker in
PRODUCES many characteristics that are
charming in the role OF 0phelia and acts
her mad scene with grace and discretion.
Mr. Gross, too, is a worthy Poionius and
better still as the First Grave Digger. But
for the rest there is no praise. Thomas
Lingtam is an undignified king. ard an
unimpressive ghost. j. Allison Lessey, a
wooden and dreadfully amateurish Hora-
ito: Malcolm Bradley, a stiffiointed Laer-
tes. and a not more striking First Player;
Maude Atkinson "a wretehed Queen. and
the remainder of the company either lit
tie better or a great deal worse The
piece was set adequately, but poor stage
management resulted in many unpardona-
BILE waits. mixed winter and spring scenes,
castles in the air, and like discords.
Hamlet" will be done again on Sat
urtay afternoon and David Garrick,"
in which Mr. Wolfe was seen to advantage
at yesterdays matinee. is to be the bill
ON that night THE Corsican Brothers
S announced for the rest of the engage
ment.
The very thing which Israel ZangwilI
did not do with a dramatic book, the
adapter of THE Choir Invisible" which is
to be given for the first time on any stag
next Monday at the Lafayette Square,
seems to have done with an undramatie
one. The portion of Children of the
Ghetto which was used in the play con-
tanned only essentials, and MIR. Zangwill
searched through the rest of his volume
for other stuff; James Lane Aliens story
includes very little entirely relevant mat
ter, and Frances Hasttngs-if one may
Judge from a scenario-has been careful in
selecting nothing else. The result is that
success may be prophesied for the piece
last mentioned. The tale of the love of
John Gray, schoolmaster. for the wife o.
another colonist, and OF the manly fashion
in which that emotion is smothered. should
make rather a strong thread for the sus-
tainence Of an atmospheric work, and, un-
tangled with other and less important
threads may be supposed to ko'd the con-
tinuous interest of an average audience.
Enacted by such a star as Henry Jewett,
and by such a company as that he has en-
gagged, there seems TO be no reason why tn
offering should not be profitable. Seats go
on sale this morning.
The man ahead of Herbert Kelcey and
Effie Shannon is telling of an amusing but
nevertheless potent circumstance in
which the chief figure is Clyde Fitch
author of The Moth and the Flame
Mr. Fitch, it appears. was rehearsing
Barbara Frietchie. his latest effort in
Philadelphia, and tlropped in for a few
minutes to see its predecessor. which he
had not witnessed since its first week
The press agent found him applauding the
climax of the second act We'll. Mr.
Fitch" he said. you seem to like your
work" My work." exclaimed the author
in evident astonishment.s And then, after
a moment, Il don't care; it's good play"
Though most people are rather prejudieed
in their own fayors this remark, coming
as it did, may be supposed to have some