The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-05-31
PROVIDENCE OPERA HOUSE.

Bassanio. Aubrey Boucicault
Antonio. nio............,.,......M Maclyn Arbuckle
Starino. .,-........,............Ar Arthur Garfels
Salanio ..,.........,.............H l.. Stone
Gratiano.,..,. Vincent Serrano
Lorenzo. zo.................,..H Henry Woodruff
Shyiock,................." &. Goodwin
Tuball. ...........,.........Neill OBrien
Portia. ia............,............M Maxine Elliott
Nerrissa. ...,............,,........An Annie Irish
Jessica. Effie Ellslcr
Gobbo o.....,........,..,.....W. j. lie Moyne
Lanceiot Gobbo. Il. Dodson
Leonardo. rdo................+....W i. Simpsin
Balthazar .......,..,..,....,.....s NJ. Hall
Clerk Of the Court. Frank Mayne
The audience that filed every seat in
the Providence Opera House last evening,
filled the boxes, and stood along the back
wall, was rewarded by witnessing a high
~ satisfying production or the Merchant
OF Venice" as presented by Mr.. n. C..
Goodwin and Miss Maxine Elliott. as
sisted by remarkably nne company.
Mr.. Goodwin Is always a favorite in
Providence and since Miss Elliott's first
introduction here she, too. has won
very warm place in the hearts OF the
theatre goers, sharing I'm quite equal
measure the popularity of the comedian.
To audiences nowhere has Mr. Goodwln's
progress upward in his profession been
watched with keener, more critical or
more friendly interest than In this town.
And IT was as large an audience az the
house would hold and as friendly a gath
ering as an actor could ask for that wei
coined him in the Shakespearean comedy
last evening
The comedy, one OF the masters
most appealing stories done at the height
OF his powers dramatist, a model for
all time in respect 20 construction as well
as being exceedingly poetic and illustrat-
ing problem that is as old as humanity
Itself, Is afforded an unsurpassed setting
by MIR Goodwin. Scenery appointments
and costuming are beautiful and entirely
adequate, with the result that rs "A spec
tacle neither OF the two past elaborate pro-
ductions which will readily be called To
mind. and with which comparison is in
evtable was in any particular more
complete and appealing 10 the eye than
that enjoyed by last nights audience.
No more worthily brilliant production
could be asked for. or would hardly be
possible. And IL Is furthermore 10 be said
that rarely was more capable east em-
plONtN tndn tnat Win WnlCn Mr.. GOODWIN
has surrounded himself
The interest OF the audience OF course
just naturally centred in Mr. Goodwins
Interpretation OF the immortal jew, whose
personality Mr.. Irving rescued from pop
ular condemnation and demanded for
him human pity So conspicuous has
been made the character of Shylock by
the acting of the part and the contro-
versy that his conduct and punishment
tendency not unnaturally IS 10 regard IL
as of rather more dominating conse-
quence than, likely enough. IT'S creator
designed 10 TO be. ana even TO almost
lose sight of the exquisite comedy the
merchant is. the parallels IL presents.
as complete and satisfying work with
the jew only leading part, as distin-
guished from star part in its un-
folding. Indeed the prominence given the
part by the great actors who have de-
Veloped IL I'm So masterful a fashion that
much else OF the story Is only back
ground has tended To make think
OF the play as the play OF Shylock
rather than the comedy OF the "Mer-
chant of Venice"
Whether Intentionally or not Mr. Good
wins Shylock does not dominate the
play, not by any means. lie gives a
faithful reading and what may be called
a conservative Interpretation. no more
He neither follows either OF his two most
eminent predecessors i'm the role. who
are of present day memories. nor under
takes any new revelation, unless Il be i'm
making the old usurer strenuous. vigor-
Gus man in the prime OF life and his
malice of the melodramatic and heavy
villain order
Probably the greater part OF last
nights audience failed to come TO any
settled conviction of just what kind of "A
creature Mr.. Goodwins Shylock was de-
signed to be. For instance small pity was
gained for him when he bemoaned the
loss of his daughter and his ducats. The
audience, indeed. laughed gleefully Mt
mention OF the ducats. unmoved by the
reference 10 the unfilial act Of Jessca.
and without apparent reservation enjoy
ed Salanios $ mocktng OF the circum-
stance. Nevertheless there was probably
a feeling af- sympathy inspired the
closing scene OF the trial The point OF
these observations, the comparison be-
tween the sentiment aroused iu his au-
dience upon the episode of the loss OF his
daughter and his ducats and upon the
climax In the trial scene. is that there
is a lack of deiniteness about Mr.. Good
wins Interpretation OF the part and his
audience falls 20 discover Just how Il is
expected to take him. II Shylock excites
mirth when he loses his daughter. he
appeal for sympathy when he is outwit-
ted by Portia, but on the contrary can
only merit the glee and Kisses over his
discontinue as he leaves the scene This
at least seems a reasonable view TO take
OF Il.
But after all Shylock Is only one char
acter In the play, If a principal one, the
trial scene Is only one OF several episodes
and the plot rs between Shylock and An
tonic is by no means the whole play
Accordingly, whether or not Mr. Good
win would wish TO mount the heights at
tsined BY his rare predecessors who make
you forget about everything elise In The
comedy by reason OF the Shylock they
presented. the fact remains that '"rhe
Merchant Is "A very beautiful play as Mr..
Goodwin and his company 90 it with the
character Of Shyi0ck a prominent figure
but by no means q dominating one
Miss Ellotts portia is q gracious per-
formance. OF course she is superb I'm can
and robes I'm the trial scone and delight
nll in the casket scene ana wholly pleas
ing throughout
A. f.. indeed, hard to recall and quite
unnecessary 10 desire q more thoroughly