New-York tribune., 1903-01-13
A WORD ABOUT HAMLET.

The theory has gained acceptance of late years,
that e natural method Of acting-nieanihs
method OF familiarity in deneanor and colloquial-
ism in speech-may advantageously ne appheo 10
the poetic drama. That once distinguished actor
Charles Fechter used that method ana his use OF
IL was admired In the Judgment or MT. fechter'
Hamlets soloquy upon death was an impeachment
10 the movement OF the tragedy, and therefore
thing to be omitted. He did not discard 1t, but ne
caused IT to be written in the form OF prose, ana
as prose he delivered it. His acting was harno-
nious with that denotement. In the graveyard
scene he presented Hamlet seated upon torpp'
with one leg crossed the other. and with MS
hands clasped upon his right knee.-much as It ne
were Obenreizer, or Jasper or any other easy-sons
gentleman Of the modern dress coat drama mat
style was flexible and it persuaded some observers
that they were now. for the first time. seeing ham
let as an actual man That style has lasted ana
has found other exponents In its proper place 1t
is delightful blf when il is associated with poet
ical ideals ii tends degrade them. Only one re-
suit is possible from that method when applied to
'FIaret'': the tragedy remains sufnclently eHec-
tive play, but il ceases to be poetry.
Among the rany sidelights that are thrown upon
the character of Hamlet none is more iuninative
for an actor than his mothers description OF hna,
given at the grave Of Ophelia. After the Mt OF
madness has passed, his patience Is that OF the
female dove; his silence will sit dropping ham,
,e4 has occasional accessions of frerzied strength,
and is capable Of sudden. though intermittent. tu-
1uits OF action: but. for the most part ne drlfts
and dreams and, although he never ceases to SUI
fer his predominant attribute is genteness. HAM
let means spiritual misery. He does not srleFe
simply because his father has died, or simply BE-
cause his widowed mother has prscipitately mar
r4ed t-is uncle He sgrieves-and in that grief he
contemplates suicide before the apparitinn of his
fathers ghost-because his mind IS overwhelmed
with long broodng upon the awful mystery Of the
spiritual environment. He deeply desires that his
relations with that appalling mystery may be ad-
i,1sted He is everywhere baffed- His mind is
,nbinged And in that condition Of agony (Which
-rs tenner of the present day would call NOR
hid" and would dispose of with fippant jest or
a comic sonsl he receives the shock OF prefer
natural visitation and after that experience he Is
always in the horderland between reason and mad
ness No actor can attain more than Superficial
success in Hamlet, unless he has participated In
that form, of possible human grief, and unless ALSO
he possesses the intTnsic personal charm that can
turn even sorrow into enchantnent- The slender,
handsome gentleman. whose composure and whose
glib youhility neither domestic infelieity nor the
maternal spectre can disturb is not Shakespeare's
Hamlet: neither is the latter-day agnostica cynic
Mr. Sothern. who, fortunately Tor himself is al
tracing practical public favor. at the Garden The
atre by his earnest and jealous cndeavor TO i'm
psrsonate Hamlet might play that part. if he were
man Of the Hamlet temperament, IL he were
snritually and physically suited to the character
.r6 10 he were possessed of the method of tragedy
lacking these equipments, actor can rise to the
altitude of Hamlet, howsoeVer earnest he may be,
and howsoever pleasing in his personality. Ham
let,' is tragedy and skip about the stage. pop
ming and swapping, like "a chestnut in farmers
ere is not to be tragedan. Such. at least, has
been the judgment of the past, and it still seems to
be well founded. W. W.