Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-16
IA MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM"

A'AAN~N~'.----~-
Dream which is almost unknown as a
stage production in this country, its
previous representations having been
almost exclusively confined to few
stock company productions, OF which
the chief was that made by the late
.Augustin Daily, will be seen at the Grand
on March % and %. with matinee. 1t
is said that it will be given on mag
nifcent scale, Messrs. Wagenhals and
Kemper, the managers, having spared
nothing in the revival made for their
popular stars, Miss Kathryn kidder and
Mr.. Louis James, who will be seen in
the roles of Helena and Bottom respec-
lively.
The revival of this play was not re-
garded as venture in the usual the
a'trical sense by the young managers
who prepared the costly production, fol-
the comedy has in it all the elements
of popular appeal and it's few revivals
in this country had been attended with
great success. Not long ago Mr.. Beer-
bohm Tree, the eminent English actor,
prepared a production of the piece and
it ran for two years with uninterrupted
prosperity and since that time six diff
ferent companies have been giving 1t
in the provinces. Hitherto it has been
ToSdIutu DIS lOO SOSllS III q TIA NSAIbS
company; at least, American managers
have so regarded it. But the success
that attended Wagenhals and Kemper's
production of THE Winters Tale" last
season encouraged them to surpass all
their previous efforts in the revival of
this novelty.
"A Midsummer Nights Dream" diff
fers from all the other Shakesperean
plays. 1t is the most fanciful of all the
Shakesperean creations. 1t includes the
mobility of the Athenian court, the
rude mechanicals' Of the low class
.Athenians, veritable little kingdom of
fairies, and is replete with sound OBJ
servation as well as light and airy
nothings
The staging of the piece is said to be
the most elaborate ever given a. Shakes
! pearean play in this country. The sub
ject certainly affords univaled scope
| for the scenic artist, the costumer and
the master of the dance. The scenery
which was painted by Mr. Alexander
Corbett, represents two scenes in the
| Athenian palace, the carpenter shop,
! where the rough mechanics Of Athens
prepare their painful comedy" of "Py-
| ramus and Thisbe" for presentation at
| the dukes nuptial festivals, and the
wood in which the fairy revels take
place The last named scene is describ-
| ed as partiA 'arly enhancing. 1t is rich
in foliage and flowers, has the atmos-
| phere of mysterious secluSiOn, and is set
| with a half-iight counterfeting the
| beams of the moon, and is all in all
| fit place for the communion of NOR
| tails and fairies and the pranks that
| lead to endless confusion and ultimate
| p,,;poSS for all cOnrarneH The work
| of the scenic artist has been supple
mented by the devices of the electrician
| and the melody of the composer. In
| Vulnerable electrical effects are en-
| ployed in this scene. notably in the rep
| resentatiOn of dawn, which is said to
be a wonderfully ingenious ard realis-
| tic showing of the break of uay, sur
| passing in beauty and elaboration any
| Transformation of the famous Mendel-
| ssohn music Gncluding the famous
| Wedding March) written upon this play
is employed in this production. All OF
| the original songs will be introduced in
the action, those in the fairy scenes be-
| ing especially attractive, as seYera
| singers have been engaged for the parts
| furnished with these lyrics. The fairy
dances will also be a novel and attrac
tive feature. Thus a play of dramatic
basis will be supplied with all the en-
bellshments of the spectacle, the SEN
suous music of master, the divertins
dittes of pastoral opera and the merry
dances of an extravaganza.
Mr.. James is said to have made one
of the most emphatic hits Of his life
in the laughable part of Nick Bottom
the weaver. Miss Kidder has made q
decided hit in the part of Helena, which
| ality. her melOdiOus and expressive
voice and her intelligent reading of po.
etc lines. The whole company is a
notable one. Miss Kate Oaker. said to
be beautiful and accomplished actress
will be seen as Hernia. Ethel Brown
ing. for some time Nat Goodwin's in
genue. a diminutive and pretty girl
will be the Puck: Thomas Coffin Cooke
the Peter Ounce: Ashley Miller. a we'll
trained young actor. will be the Oberon
king Of the fairies, and Ina Brooks VII