Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-05
SHAKESPEARE PRESENTED.
anr and His Accomplished wife De-
lighted Audiences in seTa1nine Of
the shrew. and .sNiuch Ado About
Nothing

In these days Of Thespian mediocrity,
and worse than monotonous drama, It is
rs refreshing as a draught Of sparkling
spring water to once again feast the mind
and delighs the ear and eye with Shakes
pcarean comedy. Interpreted by capable
actors and actresses. The immortal bard s
works. even II badly presented, are far
more eleratiDg and inspiring man are
number OF so-calied modern dramas, al
though ecen when most eXcellently well
done.
When such a painstaking, conscientious
actor as Mr.. 1danford presents Shakes
peare, whether he delyes into the realm
has treat in store. Such was the case
yesterday when this exponent of real
hisuionie art presented The Tanning of
thing" While both plays are comedies,
they are diametrlcally opposed, inasmuch
as the .Shrew is a farce comedy pure
and simple, containing as much, if not
more, boisterous fun than is to be found
in many OF the latter-day plays, those by
the lamented Charlie Hoyt not excepted.
1t is even riotous in many of its scenes.
takes place in PeSruchios house in the
third act. Here Katherine the Shrew
is brought under the absolute subjec-
lion Of her lord and master, who demon
strates his superiority by smashing
chairs, tables, and crockery with
abandon that would have done credit to
the proverbial bull in the China shop.
st is a scene that could have been
.ssSaly overdone but in MIR. Banford's
ssands Il was treated with finesse that
Gsamped him as a Shakespearean student
Of tie old school.
This actor follows the late Edwin Booth
in his Interpretation of Petrucfio, and
certainly he could not have selected a
better ideal.
lie showed throughout the entire play
that he had expended much thought upon
the character. and shaded 1t in man
ner that bespoke the student and the ar
uste well.
MISS DRoFNAH ACCEPTABLE.
The stars wife. Miss Marie Drofnah.
whose name, by the way. is only that IF
her husbands spelled backward, was an
acceptable Katherine. She showed careful
training, and erinced no effort to oVerdo
the role. which has been a fault with so
many actresses who have preceded her.
Robert Lee Allen deserves especial
mention for his Grur1io, and was equal
ever attempted to play the part. He has
a great many of Robsons mannerisms,
and managed to get n laugh out of every
line.
adequate, and in measure handicapped
what would otherwise have been a perfect
performance.
Tanning of the shrew" was beauti-
fully mounted both as TO scenery and cos
tunes.
The play was preceded by curtain
raiser. emitted Inc olG Guard, an cpl
sode Of the battle of Waterloo, in which
MIR. Hanford appeared as Haversack and
Miss Drofnab as Melanie. his supposed
daughter. The playlet proved to be an
entertaining overture to the Si,rew.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING"
At the evening performance Mr.. Han
ford was seen as Benedict and Miss
Drofnall as Beatrice In Much Ado About
Nothing" where farce comedy gave way
to subtle, sulodued humor and, while the
laughs were not as boisterous, they were
none the less hearty. The play bristles
with epigrarn and metaphor, and gave
Mr. Hanford a wide scope to show his
versatility as an actor.
MIR. HANFORD SPEAKS.
The audience, while only fair in proper
ton. made up in enthusiasm what 1t
lacked in numbers. and Mr.. Hanford was
forced to respond by a speech to repeated
encores after the curtain on the fifth
act. This he did in a happy vein, and
paid a high tribute to the appreciation
of his efforts in trying to uphold Shakes
pearean productions, in an age when the
tendency of the average public taste |
seems TO be drifting in an opposite di-
rection.
PLEASING.
Miss Drofnah was pleasing Beatrice,
and acted the part to the entire salts
first laures in the part of VergeS. Care |
ful attention to detail was given to the
costuming and staging of the production |
Mr.. Hanford made many new friends in
Richmond yesterday, who will undoubted- |
" await his return with antlclpa ton |
closely allied to pleasure.
JOHN w. AVERY.