The times., 1901-03-17
THE PASSING SHOW.

Among the most agreeable and wholly
delightful stage entertainments that have
come to Washington this season is the
Hamlet" of Mr.. Sothern as displayed
last week al the National. In many re-
spects it was the greatest Interpretation
of the Danish prince that has been
showed 10 the present generation of the
atre patrons. while from a scenic point
OF view it has never been surpassed The
actor was just fresh from the scene with
the players when he was found by a
Times interviewer in his dressing room
As an Introduction Mr.. Sothern said
with smile: Some people say Hamlet
plays itself. That may be so according
10 their individual minds, but in my own
case l have found II the most arduous
work / ever undertook, and l am not
sure now whether ] can play it.
From the newspaper representative: rs
the native stage about TO witness a re
vival Of Shakespeare
"A Shakespearean revival" replied the
actor, is impossible simply for the fact
that there has never been any decadence
Of interest i'm the Bard. Shakespeare has
always retained his popularity in the
library. There never was a time when
so many editions of Shakespeare Were
published. The reason Shakespeare has
apparently lost his hold on the stage is
that there are TO actors who can play
him.
IF ] find" he continued, that l can
play him-and / am still awaiting the
popular verdict-it will greatly simplify
my future plans. ! can take up this or
anxiety incident TO the production of new
plays. the wondering and the worry as
TO whether they will or will not please
the public. II has always been my wish
10 appear In Shakespearean roles
The actor owned that the conflicts
among the commentators were bewilder-
Ing. Al last he threw them away and
confined himself 10 the text He formed
I laf H.tf r.T lot
aCter He received few suggestions from
any other actor, for he has seen only a
few. Irving, on his first appearance in
London. and the Younger SalVini com
prise the entire list lie never saW
Booth. to whom he has been compared.
Mr. SOthern conceiVes that Hamlet was
entirely sane. Only in his conversations
with Polonius and with Guildensteru and
RosenCrantZ does he put on an antiC dis
position. entirely content TO fool them
| His scene with Ophelia has not even the
! stimulation of madness. 1t is the natural
! result OF the state of mind in which the
! GhostS $ revelations have left him. Hor-
| ror at the discovery OF his uncle guilt
| and his mothers shame has put him al
| war with the world and with himself He
would fee from Ophelia at her first ap-
/ proach, but his great love rcstrans him
| DistTUstful of everybody. she gives hin
| reason to distrust her. He pours out his
| wmuituous feelings in paroXysm OF
| pain, made bitterer by his love, yet soft
| encd. too, by his affection.
| II this be insanity added Mr.. Soth
| eTu. lit il that sort which the law reco&
| uizes as emotional insanity, and which
may seize the sanest man at an over
| Nhcmiug crisis
! Mr. Sothern acknowledges that there I:
| biz of truth in some criticisms whict
| described his methods as conversational
| He has sought to get away from the con
! yeutional methods Of the elocuuonist
There's a bad man,' he said, "th'
! clocutionist He has done more harm Il
/ the stage than anyone. ! have sough
20 abandon the histriOnic pose ana nitro
ducr simpler and more natural methods
| For indeed. - hat IS there simpler. more
natural than Shakespeare words Tak'
the speech to the players, for instance
| Why that splendid bit Of prose drops
| trippmely from the tongue. Moreover, II
! that very speech Shakespeare records hi
| own "iews that naturalncss and sim
| plicity should rule the stage.
The White Rats strike has been set
! tied these ten days. but to all intents ant
| purposes the vandeyiilians have not ye
rccei-ed the tidings, for they have gOn
ahead and secured theatres In several o
the more important cities Of the coUn
! Try. and are running their own shows
not with much financial encouragemc
though, according TO reports.
The latest move OF the Rats to antag
onize Manager Chase of this city wa
the renting OF Music Han, Baltimore
where an unusually imposing list of va
- 'rN-N''H ''''TN Af'AL'' ~ fAthA O.
! audiences that filled the house at an
/ time. The vaudevillians. when the
! walked ouT of the different assOciatiO
theatres, announced that they were Strik
1 ing for the repeal of the obnoxious pc
| cent commission clause in their contracts
( and Vet after the managers have accedc
/ to this demand, he variety actors j.
1 scores of Instances have placed thei
business affairs In the hands of agent
1 who demand the 2 per cent that furmcri
went to the booking department of tn
/ association.
| During the past week MIR. Chase r.
ports that while in New York he was OF