The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-05
DRAMA AS SEEN
BY SHAKESPEARE
"Romeo and Juliet" After
the Fashion of the
Olden Stage.

An lncongruous yet interesting perform
ance was given last night in Mrs. Osborn S
play house, newly christened The Eliza
bethan theater. Under the management
of a Mr.. Short-ominous name-ans at
tempt was made to revive the conditions
existing in the Swan, Blackfriars and
Globe theaters when Burbage was the
chief actor of London and Shakespeare
the principal dramatist, says Hillary Bell
in the New York Press
The first has been food for worms these
foru centuries, the second still lives. For,
strange to relate. Romeo and Juliet act
ed as WE'LL sounded as fair in the ears and
proved as dramatically interesting as it
does in modern revivals of splendor. With
out the arts of the player and the scenic
painter, the old tragedy throbbed with
fresh soul; and Romeo and Juliet and
Mercutio and Tybalt, and the Friar and
the Nurse compelled forgetfulness Of their
mean equipment and their lack of skill
earning rounds of applause as though the
play. had been done by Henry Irving or
Richard Mansfield.
The wonder was not at the meager en-
vironments in which Shakespeare was
born, but that he survived them. The
greatest play Of modern times, produced
and performed as was Romeo and Ju-
let last evening would have seemed fiat.
stale and improbable. Shakespeare shone
like jewel in an Ethiop's ear.
The first home of the English drama
was reproduced faithfully enough. The
stage represented hexagonal tower,
roofiess, surrounded by covered boxes,
holding what was supposed to be the gen
try. The front row of seats We're wooden
benches, filled by the pittites in Elizabeth
an costume. Two heavy posts, supporting
an awning and joined by aemovable cur
tam, Illustrated the original stage.
Before each scene an apprentice or in
our term, supernumerary, came out
solemnly and affixed on the posts pla-
legends, Verona" "A Street" "a By
Place, ''CapuIets Garden, A Hall, j
The Friar's Cell, and 50 forth, each
nave his audience to believe it to be-
There was no attempt at illustrative
scenery, and, with the exception of a few
chairs, none at furniture
The printed signs and the drawing aside
of the curtain alone indicated the change
in locality, and Capulet's ballroom be-
came Juliet's tomb. after serving as the
balcony scene and the cell of Friar Law
renee. The matter verged on the absurd
but never reached it, for the actors, al
though unknown to fame and with no
skill likely ever to win it, were simple
and earnest in their work and played with
dignity If not with eloquence.
Nat Goodwin has made "Shylocll ride
uIOuS, and w. II. Crane once turned 1.-The
Merry Wives of Windsor into contempt,
but these nameless performers of the
Elizabethan theater, governed by some
thing of the reverential spirit of Ben
Greets players in "Everyman,' delivered
Shakespeare with an excellent air of re-
spect and worthily held the attention as
well as won the applause of their audi
ence.
The play begins by a motely troupe of
mummers attired in the quaint costumes
Of the period rushing pell-meIl down the
center aisle to obtain places in the front
row. Two of them were bald headed, sc
this familiar jibe is older than is credited
and has its foundation in the dawning OF
the drama. Some Of the mines clambered