The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-06
FIRST OF GREEK ACTORS HERE
WANTS TO PLAY SHAkESPEAhE
IN his own TONGUE.
Denis Tayuari. First Tragedian OF mo
Royal Theatre OF Athens. VIII wake
Three Appearances Here-Hopes
Some DaytO Bring His whole Company

Denis Tavulari. actor Of Athens. ar
rived here yesterday on the steamsh'i
Seriphos from the Levant. He is the frs
tragedisn Of the Royal Theatre, the Edwi'
Booth OF Greece, and he has come to TIL
country on six months leave granted D!
King George.
Tavllari has been on the stage NIFTY
one years. He is go, but he is AZ chippe
as Joe Jefferson in LEND Me Five Shil
linQs." But the Greek wouldn't appear
on the boards in anything as frivolous
az that curtain raiser. Tragedy Ia the
only thing for him and the only tragedie'
are Shakespeare
Il am Greek" he said. "and / love
Athens and her glorious artists and heroes
But she never had Shakespeare. Eu-
ripides? Great, but like Shakespeare:
No Sophoces? Grand. But did he write
Hamlet? No. Aeschylus? Magnitude
But he did not write Otelo.'
That was the way in which the Greek
actor expressed his admiration for Shakes
peare last night in the cafe, OF the Broad
way Central Hotel. Then he explained
why he had come to this country he
hopes to make arrangements with some
New York manager to bring his company
here for six months in 1905 to present
Shakespeare in modern Greek that will
cost $4,000 To let New York audiences
hear what Greek acting and defamation
is like he will appear alone three times
while he Is here on this trip.
THE first time he said. 'for the benefit
of the Greek Church iii America the second
time for some hospital in this city and then,
the third time if the people like me. for
myself to pay the expenses of my journey. '
Tavulari stands about S feet inches high.
The top of his head is bald, but he has a
regular name of iron gray curls fiow.
ing over his collar. He wears in his
scarf an onyx he hsa o. bs ohan
Both are symbols of the Actors Society OF
Athens. He also wears large gold medal
engraved in Greek, given to him by the
citizens Of Athens for his performances for
white ribbon given to him by the, Sultan for
his performance at Constantinople.
But Tavular is modest and doesn't like
to talk about these things. He is poor
press agent for himself, but mighty good
one for Shakespeare,
THE modern Greeks love Shakespeare.
For coo nights at the Kings Theatre in
Athens we had Shakespeare and nothing
else. And in twenty nights the people
paid 10000 francs to see.
lS TNeW 10TH uhc lildt. Hopc 81 III
il is a grand city. l have seen 1t all day.
Tomorrow 1 viii visit the Mayor and 60
to the theatre"
He has brought only five trunks. He
seemed astonished that anybody should
care how many trunks he had, but took
the question good naturally and told story
of how he once lost twenty-eight trunks
filed with costumes belonging TO himself
and his company.
I'VE were in Smyrna and refused to play
in the theatre there. 1t was 80 small and
poor. The people were angry, broke, open
the door and set fire to all our trunks.
just once in the course OF the interview
did Tavulari become indignant That was
when some one asked him II he was not
the manager of the Royal Theatre.
"No, no." he exclaimed. I am the actor.
the chief tragedian, for fifty years an artist.
For me, the art. For the manager. the
business, the decorations, the lights. the
tickets. That is not my art"
The Greek thinks that Salvini is the
greatest italian actor.