The Washington times., 1902-12-28

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Torrance Of Shakespcarean plays.
and unfit TO understand them. The most
pronounced reflections OF this kind come
from the pen OF the venerable William
Winter. whose knowledge Of Shakespeare
and long association with the stage give
special weight to his thunderings. But
Mr.. Winter is not alone. Anyone who
reads many newspapers published in
many cities will recall such phrases rs
assuming that the public of today cares
for Shakespeare-which IL doesn't-or
could understand his works-which it
can't" The American or today is in
this regard found guilty. To the mod
ern thoater Shakespeare is dead. o TEN
pora, o Mores,
Readers OF The Times Will do well.
however. IL they join en- this lament with
caution. They dwell in the present.
They are largely responsible for the
conditions which dominate the theater.
The whole aim OF the theatrical manager
IS 60 conform his offerings with their
demands. III. then. Shakespeare finds no
patrons when his plays are enacted on
the stage, Sc is "a sad reelection. not on
the managers. but on those who occupy
theater seats. 1t viii be decidedly bet
ter to follow Mr.. Winter and his CO.
mourncrs slowly.
Washington has Just enjoyed a remark
able performance Of Hamlet" It Is
true the protagonist OF the tragedy
was presented in a new and rather un-
favorable light. But it is equally true
that few embodiments Of this role have
affected audiences more plainly, and few
investitures of this play have been so
generous and accurate. In March the
city viii view the most elaborate pro
duction OF Julius Caesar" ever given
in America. possibly the most elaborate
ever given on any stage. stuart Rob
son has already appeared locally in The
Comedy Of Errors" Later i'm the sea
son the local theater will present Cres-
ton Clarke I'm several Shakespearean
plays; Ward and James in a fine per-
Torrance Of "The Tempest" and Charles
b HaBford in an exceptional production
OF Much Ado About Nothing" unless.
as seems now likely TO be the case. ex-
oeptionally large receipts in the cities
o. the South and West should keep the
two latter companies away from the East
81 season long. It is possible several spe-
cial presentations will mark the close
q spring, such as the performance
OF Romeo and Juliet. several seasons
ago. in which Miss Adams. Miss Rob
son. Mr. Hackett Mr. Faversharn and
others appeared-to the special credit OF
Mr. Hackett
This program must impress even the
8aded theatergoer as attractive. Those
who saw Mr. Mansfeld's wonderful pro-
ducuon Of Henry V" and reveled IN
its wealth OF color. its inspiring stage
pictures. its complete equipment and gen
orally even performance will not need be
driven TO see his Julius Caesar" Every
newspaper in the United States has re-
ferred to this production in New York.
Every reader Of theatrical comment
knows that it has been warmly approved
by every critic excepting alone those
who depend on cheap abuss. inane
smartness. or insensate chatter for their
regulations. The Sothern Hamlet" was
a delight to the eye. Creston Clarke
atones in intellect for his restricted ma
terial equipment Frederick Wsrde and
Louis James are sterling actors. and
their Julius Caesar i" whileit did not rival
the Mansfield production now current.
was entirely adequate. and will long be
a pleasant memory 10 those who viewed
81 at the National Theater in the first
week OF It's history. Mr. Hanford is an
admirable actor. studious. intelligent.
conscientious. capable. and abundantly
endowed by nature. Mr.. Robson is en-
tirely acceptable as one OF the two
Dromios. Shakespeare in such hands is
assured an Interpretation which com
pares favorably with that Of any earlier
age.
Manifesty these six ventures must be
profitable. Otherwise not even Mr.. Mans
neld could find a manager. II they are
profitable it is because they are pa
tronized by persons who pay for their
seats This is sufficiently notable to
silence Mr.. Winter But q is only half
the story. Through the same territory
companies which present such charac-
teristically modern works as Tom
Sawyer" "D'Arcy OF the Guards" The
Runaway Girl" The show Girl" and
various Hoyt farces have failed one after
the other. Their plant is that "the
bookings are too numerous" that "the
communities are exhausted" that the
people don't know a good thing when
they Gee it," Yet "The Tempest" Much
Ado About Nothing" Julius Caesar"
and Hamlet" do not suffer
Mr. Mansfield, Mr.. Sothern. Mr.. Clarke.
Mr. Hanford Mr. Warde. Mr. James. and
Mr.. Robson are all 70 continue in
Shakespearean roles next year Fur
thermore, a significant addition Is 90 be
made to their number. Dir. Gillette. Miss
Rehan Mrs. Fiskc. Miss Marlowe and
Mrs. Campbell are also 10 enact Shakes
pearean roles either next season or next
season but one II is said further that
@nen opportunity offers Blanche Bates
James K Hackctt. Henry Miller. Nat
Goodwin ard ha!f dozen others are 10
rise cut Of the slough OF dramatized
novels TO The plane Of Shakespeare. MIR.
Gillette is to rival Mr. sothern In Ham
let"