The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-17

.THEATERS"
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~ THELl@O. Upon what primal mo-
\ tives Shakespeare based his great
/ est plays, julius Caesar. envy.
Richard III and Macbeth. ambition. Ro-
n.eo and Juliet. love. the Merchant OF
Venice. revenge. King Lear. ingratitude.
and Othello. jealousy. one of the pas
ssons taken "a n text. no complex analysis
81 a many-sidcd being. but the spirits that
move the elements OF life. worked out
with all eiaborateness and teaching a
mighty lesson wiihal for him to read who
runs.
Otheilo. the swarthy. whose manliness
makes Us pity and deplore his passion and
the desperate deeds TO which they led
him. lived and moved and had his being
at the Opera House last night. Great as
was the performance OF King Lear on
Tuesday with the fires or the spirit burn
ing up the shell OF old age. there is some
thing about Mr.. warde's Interpretation
OF the robuster characters of his plays
that pIcases most. Last night. despite his
darkling visage one could readily under
stand how the gentle Desdemona. dream
ing away her days with tales Of knight
hood and romance. accepted the doughty
warrior as her conqueror and brooked not
alton one feels IL was no degenerate i'm
pulse. no mere gusts or Southern passion
that brought Desdsmona to her lover.
but the sheer bravery and heroism of his
character. tanned by love. very lion be-
side his Una
The unfolding Of the character Is sub
tie as displayed by warde. The lion in
poss. ssion OF his mate is as Jealous OF
his privileges as the soldier OF his honor.
but the metamorphosis Ia no sudden one.
- -.
yet how mighty Is the love of the dusky
lover. the speech to the grave and rev.
erend signiors." Is revelation. the key
note To- the character. so valiant and so
simple with chords that vibrated read
lily to the skiiiful touch of viliainous Iago
Is Co the aeoiian breath OF love.
Then later the man revealed his nature.
nurtured In n torrid CLINE with all the
volcanic wrath of jealousy let loose. The
smouldering spark famed by suspicious
breath. then fed BY affected sympathy
and the false fuel OF pretended friendli-
ness. and finally. the explosion. warde's
Othelio Is magnificent: IL carries convic-
ton This dusky featured soul. tortured
until his passion masters him. Is no mere
brute. bat a man mighty IN love or hate.
betrayed by the one he loved. pitied by
those he trusted. resolved In his suffering
into the very elements OF his nature.
gsrasping ut straws. n very child In men
tality but n Samson I'm his wrath. The
Characterization thrills and warns To
many warde surpasseu himself.
Iago. the greatest villain OF the stage.
was given an excellent presentation. Mr..
Hermann. aside from the paipable
thoughtfulness and study that he brings
to bear upon his role, Is an actor by tenn
permanent and intuition. and invests his
characterisations with zest and earnest
TO aid the play. There was n delight In
his own dcviitry after the first sourness
OF finding himself superseded zy Cassie.
that gave the touch Of naturalness TO Iago
last evening and made the performance
n thing to be remembered. There was
not merely the will To- do evil but the
delight that followed as the mischief |
grew. In many respects the roles of Iago |
and Cassie as given life by Hermann and |
tombstone were remarkable. Cassio's re-
morse AZ his fall. the exposure OF his
weakness. the loss OF his good name was |
n splendid piece OF acting. Reputation.
I have lost my reputation" sounded~with |
wonderful Intensity OF despair last night |
In Barry Johnstone's ringing tones. The |
roles OF these three with Miss Ashton's |
De sdemona and Miss Trescott's Emelia. |
made the performance n notable one. Des-
demona. the beautiful and innocent. low |
ing her lord with all her heart even 10 |
the last smothered breath. was shown |
with much feeling from the love that is |
still half admiration OF the maiden to the |
innocence of the woman. The in |
dignation OF lagos wife and her stern de- /
OF the murder and her hus-
bands villany showed Miss Trescott In /
OF her strength and limited ut l
possibilities to come IN Lady Macbeth. |
Reserved until almost acute climax /
the scene with Iago after Desdemona's
death revealed the power and intensity 1
OF the actress In a manner that Will add /
much interest TO future performance. |
and was fully appreciated by the audience.
ALLAN DUNN.