The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-14

|THEATERS|


W. ING LEAR. a tragedy. sublime In
Il conception. masterful in execu-
IA ton with the genius of Shakes
peare. the greatest tragedy Of the
greatest poet. The tale Of King Lear's
fallen majesty and power from regal
rights and reason to- the mere sem
biance OF a dotard. needs not the sud-
den murder nor the CHASTITY death TO
mark 1t tragedy or to accentuate the
solemn pity Of the wrecked life left
stranded and irredeemable on the
shoals Of hliaI ingratitude.
The play. as scene after scene of the
humbling OF an old mans pride I'M
rolls the spectacle of filial selfishness
that accepts the gift and scorns the
gIver not merely OF the dover, but
life itself. is pitiable. yet. by the very
grandeur that invests the fallen mon
arch. sublime. 1t is pageant of sor-
row. a whiriwind OF human passion
symboIized in the storm in which the
forsaken King raved out his impotent
wrath and rallied away his reason TO
the lowering skies
Frederick warde Is fully praised by
his performance. Those who say ii
gained n rare privilege. those who
missed. lost one. Thoroughly imbued
with the spirit OF the dramatist. the
inpersonatIon of the monarch whose
authority was never disputed nor his
Iightest word disobeyed until the fate
full hour when he mlstoOk obedience
for love and in casting off the latter
gave the former n chance To display
its real character. was magnificent.
The scene on the heath. where the
wild elements accord with the futile
passions Of the King. Is perhaps the
elimination OF the Characterization. \
hundred accents. gestures. actions that
vary the part but never weaken II.
show the breadth OF the conception.
IL Is always an old man. sustained by
his pride and former dignities even
when their remnants hang around him
like the tatters OF his raiment. The
outpouring Of the walls of his wrath
or the pleadings OF his weakness never
near. as they might we'll do In less
able hands. the border of bathos. All
through the scene from his first i'm
petuous entrance to where. worn out
with warning with the elements. his
tempestuous passions lulled with the
passing OF the storm. soothed by the |
song OF his faithful fool. he falls into !
the lethal merciful arms Of sleep. the |
imagination conceives no more vivid. |
perfect interpreter.
The play Is all the central figure. the |
other threads OF the story are but the |
woof OF the loom on which shows the |
brilliant design. Barry tombstone as
Edgar was powerful. in the assumed /
madness and role OF Poor Tom par
Charles Herman in Edmund /
played the villain with force and orig
inaiity. and Mr.. McGinn's Kent had
much To commend II. though would
leave Il 10 that gentleman's judgment
in the Jack OF the Roads dis
ruise adopted by the earl. such care
fully parted hair in those forkless.
combless days. Is preserving the uni
ties. Miss Bertelle deserves creditable
mention as the Fool. and Mr.. Hynes as
Oswald. Miss warde as the loving
cOrdelia. Miss Prescott and Miss Ash
ton all contributed To the perfection OF
the play. The scenery was i'm keeping
and helped the presentation until the
mad King was finally released from the
rack Of life" And so COrdelia died,
the fool died. Lear died. and THE rain
i raineth every day
ALLAN DUNN. |