The age-herald., 1901-06-09
P\aNs and NaNers
BY RICHARD NEVILLE.

New York June 6-The magnicent pro- duction of "The Merchant of venice,' which N. c. Goodwin prepared with so great an expenditure of artistic taste and money, has been here and gone. In many regards the productions exceed ed expectation. In some respects it was somewhat disappointing. That 1t was praiseworthy effort, meriting intelligent recognition, has been generally conceded. It was as finely put upon the stage as any of the productions of recent years, and this statement is made with a full appreciation of the Merchant of Ven ice" productions of Edwin Booth Sir Henry Irving, Augustus Daily and Rich ard Mansfield. Comparisons have been made between tRe Shylook of MT. Good win and the Shylocks of Edwin Booth and Henry Irving, resulting in favor of the two last named artists. Nothing else could have been expected Booth. one of the great actors of the century, and Irving, one of the most interesting and picturesque players of a generation. in a favorite character which both of them had played scores and scores of times, were advantageously placed in compar- ison with MT Goodwin who, In the sin cerity of laudable artistic ambition, as- pired to interpret higher delineation of character than he had previously at tempted Shylock is one of the great creations of the stage, I would like to see Goodwin's Shylock year from now before I should care to compare 1t with any Shylock have ever seen, and I have seen nearly all of the greatest interpre- ters of the character The theater was crowded at every performance of 'The Merchant of Venice"
 
 Exit Carson" a new border life melo- drama by Franklyn Fyles, was produced a few nights ago at the American thea ter. On the first night of it's presenta- tion it made a very indifferent impress sion on those who were present not because the play was bad, but on account of a number of sthe members of the com pany not being up in their lines, An other drawback was the inefficient work ing of the mechanical effects introduced for the proper presentation of the work. It does not matter how good a play MT. Fyles or any other author may write, or how liberal MT. Greenwall may be in the way of offering it to the public, 1t is loves labor lost If the performers do not understand the characters they are called upon to interpret and have not committed the words of their parts to memory. The stage carpenter. or ma chinist, or whatever you chose to call the man who Is expected to work the scenery or machinery, is equally to blame if by neglect incompetency or other causes he contributes his share to the wreck of a play. More of this again.
 
 Great preparations are being made in Pains open-air theater at Manhattan Beach for this summers spectacle which. it is promised, will be on a grand CT scale than usual. The subject selected is China; peace and war; the storming of PelSin and the rescue of the legations and native Christians by the allied forces of the United States, England. France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Russia and Japan. What a magnificent chance there will be for a blending of color in the dis play of the battl flags of the civilized nations and the varied uniforms of the army of de1iverance. The pyrotechnic display after the seige promises to be the most brilliant ever given on the shores of the Atlantic.