The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-23

performance nj the Garden arc those OF inno-
walton not affecting the general result ap-
I preciably. KiSas arc the most striking Of the
things put into the play by Mr.. Sothorn. lie
presses his lips many times 10 the miniature of
his father, the tablet on which he writes MS
belief that u man may smile and bc a villain
the hit ~ the sword on which he and the soldiers
swear secrecy about the opposition. tn" hands OF
his mother while upbraiding her and the halr
and face Of his sweetheart while dcnouncihg
her. These demonstrations are meant 10
denote the quality Of affection. This Is a
weeping ~ well as u kissing Hamic, and at sew
eral jUnctureS tears aud sobs are Introduced
These undoubtedly humani.e the characters
and that purpose may be Of more
value than the loss Of dignity which they email
In this line Of endeavor TO make the role heart
felt Is the strong expression given. by
means OF by-play. TO Hariefs love OF Oph'hd
Hts behavior toward her is always that OF an
ardent lover. whose final denunciation Is not
an outbreak Of actual or feigned lunacy. but
Of resentment at her lie as to the whereabouts
Of her father. This elimination of the idea mat
the mans mind did become ~inSanely morbid II,
OF course, not original with Mr., Sothern, but he u
the first, so far "a the writer knows. TO turn the
bitter assignment Of the maiden to a nunnery
into such n disclosure Of passionate regard
rs would lend more naturally 10 wedlock
Whatever may be thought Of this anIatory
departure from traditional usage, II IL one OF
the things that will popularize the actor without
hurting much II any artistic esteem OF him,
None Of the other originations In the business
OF this Hamlet Is OF much account. although
most Of them are ingenious and only a lew
are indlscreet. Mr.. Sothern throws himself
on the ground after his meeting with the
1A.., and ,ttara n ,ry Of uriaf and
horror. tie springs up from calm
detection into threatening rage In his first
interview with the King and later draws a
sword on him at a time when the text suggests
no such thing He Is less tolerant than angry
with R0sencrdnE and Gniienstsrn. He begins
to write with a furiously fast pencil, after the
departure of tho players, tho lines which are
10 be put into their tragedy. lie makes un-
precedentedly frequent use Of the pictures Of his
father and his uncle worn by himself and Others.
He has the Queen become hysterical under
his condemnation. and he follows her about
the room as she retreats from him. He Sei2"s
his uncle exultantly AT the end Of the mimic
murder by the mummers as though about 10
kill him on the spot. lie makes much OF the
duel with Ld6rtes. and Of the change Of swords,
and he has his own lifeless body placed by
Hordtio on the throne from which Cldudlus
has tumbled. By these and other devices
Mr.. Sothcrn imparts activity 70 "Hamlet
Sometimes they DELAY n curtain which we have
been accustomed to see fall at once upon a
eliminating speech. and sometimes they are
boldly Theatre Illustrations Of text which We
hovo beon inclined To regard as all-sufncient
nv i,self But they are all interesting and con-
drcive IN tho success which has unouestionably
been attained
Mr. sotbor, ia ccno-aIIv most resnectful n, :
the te,t When \ choice q, ,adinrs bos 70 be
mazda be q conservative and no indulgcs no