The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 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 at the National In many re-
spects II was the greatest Interpretation
OF the Danish prince that has been
showed to 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
TO their individual minds. but In my own
case l have found II the most arduous
work / ever undertook, and | am not
sure now whether ] can play it.
From the newspaper representative: rs
the native stage about to witness a re-
Vlval of Shakespeare
"A Shakespearean revival" replied the
actor, is impossible simply for the fact
that there has never been any decadence
Of interest in 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 I can
pay HiIh-hUu 4 am sui awaiting the
popular verdict-it will greatly simplify
my future plans. i can take up this or
that drama IN turn. / Will be rid of the
anxiety incident to the production of new
TO whether they will or will not please
the public. II has always been my wish
to appear in Shakespearean roles
me actor owned that the conflicts
among the commentators were bswilder-
Ing. At last he threw them away and
confined himself 10 the text He formed
his own conception of Hamlet's char
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 Prise the entire list. He never saw
Mr. Sothern conceives that Hamlet was
entirely sane. Only in his conversations
with Polonius and with Guldenstern and
Rosencrantz does he put on an antic dis
position, entirely content 10 fool them
His scene with Ophelia has not even the
stimulation of madness. Ii 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's guilt
and his mothers shame has put him at
war with the world and with himself He
would flee from Ophelia Mt her first an
proach. but his great love restrains him
Disirustful of everybody she gives him
reason to distIust her. He pours out his
tulnuituous feelings in paroxysm of
pain, made bitterer by his love, vet soft
encd, too, by his affection.
If this be insanity" added Mr. Soth-
eru. lit il that sort which the law recug-
nizes as emotional insanity, and which
may seIZe the sanest man at an over
Whclmiug crisis"
Mr.. Sothern acknowledges that Their. Is
a biz OF truth in some criticisms which
described his methods as conversational
He has sought To get away from the con
vcntional methods Of the elocutionst.
There's "A bad man., he said, the
elocutionist. He has done more harm 10
hss la IT I.tr IN farlaf
to abandon the hist rionic pose and intro
duce simpler and more natural methods.
For, indeed. what Is there simpler. more
natural than Shakespeare Words Take
the speech to the players, for instance.
Why. that splendid bit of prose drops
trippinely from. the tongue. Moreover, in
that very speech Shakespeare records his
own views that naturalncss and sim
plicity should rule the stage"
The White Rats strike has been set
tied these ten days. but to all intents and
purposes the vandcvillians have not yet
recei=ed the tidings, for they have gone
ahead and secured theatres IN several of
the more important cities Of the coun-
try. and are running their own shows,
not with much financial ENCOURAGEMENT
though, according to reports
ne latest move of the Rats to antag
onlze Manager Chase of this city was
the renting of Music Han. Baltimore.
where an unusually imposing list OF va
riety actors last week failed to attract
audiences that filled the house at any
time. The Vaudevillians when they
walked ont of the different association
theatres announced that they were trik-
ing for the repeal Of the obnoxious ; ner
cent commission clause in their contracts
and Vet after the managers have acceded
to this demand. the va ri,ty actors i'm
scores of instances have placed their
business affairs In the hands OF agents
who demand the per cent tina formerly
went to the booking department of the
association.
During the past week MIR. Chase re-
r..,,- "a 1.s