New-York tribune., 1903-05-26
THE DRAMA.
SHAKESPEARE AT KNICKERBocKER.
"RoMEo AND JULIET"


the Knickerbocker Theatre-where shakespeare's
tragedy Of Romeo and Juliet was presented last
night,-a good ambition is not always guided by d
good judgment The scenic display. in this
rlval, Is moderately suitable, and al points
picturesque-notably in the scenes of the garden
with the iron grill for a gateway. the Friar's Cell
and the Bedroom. The cast the other hand
is injUdicious. L Romeo, as drawn in Shakespeare
were shallow, insincere person, artificial and
finical in manner Mr.. Kyrle Belew might sue
cessfully present him If Juliet were drawn as an
ardent, imDetuous. infatuated girl. and nothing
more than that. Miss Eleanor Robson. doubtless.
could inpersonate her in satisfactory way But
Romeo represents love or. at least the poetry Of
iove,-a feeling. condition, seldom expressed on
the stage by anybody,--and it necessitates pas
sion; while juliet not only implicates love- but in
sxorably enjoius tragic power Mr.. Beew is triv-
iaI, Romeo. and Miss Robson IS weak. brittle,
hard and insip!d juliet Both of them remotely
stimulate ardor; both tolerably comely 10
behold; and IL professional sense, both are
talented. Mr.. Bellew, in daredevil characters
has shown force and has given intimations
Of poetic temperament Miss Robson. In char
acters Of sentiment ana capricious emotion has
show passionate feeling and interesting per-
sonality, and she has sympathy by the sweet
ness Of her vocalisn--thouEh in this Juliet there
little Of it. and not any after she be-
came agitated- Each is clever. within specific
limitations neither Is Possessed OF the power the
intensity, CT the Imagination essential for the
tragic scenes OF Romeo and Juliet Their acting
after that they proceed on the respectable level
Of the commonplace and this appeared to afford
universal Satisfsction-for. without cause or
reason. every scene appauded, snd every
prominent player vas recalled at every close
Neither Nj. Bellew nor Miss Robson struck g sin
gle tragic note in any part Of she performance
Even at the killing Of 1ybalt-which is the
zenith Of Roneo's trageGy,--Mr. Bellows ernas-
culated and ultra-sac accharine vocalism purled On
IN sickly naonotony. and the whole encounter Of
Rooson's tragic muse is that screarns-the ia-
evitable expedient OF hystericaI weakness In the
potion scene the actress had recourse to an al
ternation OF rnuruuTs and short. sniffy convui-
sive calculations while music played all
through This ordeal OF agony strange comment
My dismal scene needs must act alone"
Shakespeares IDEAL OF Juliet Is obscure but 1t
can only be grasped and embodied by a woman
IF fine imagination and deep heart Juliet is g
passionate, iapetuous young girl. full Of tender
ness and FIRE noble, ardent. tender. true to whom
life is JOY and love is destiny whom the Of
duty lifts TO heroisrn. and whom despair makes
sublime. Il seems, perhaps. al easy thing to enter
into practical sympathy with such personality.
such emotions. and such experience but those
who have tried 10 do SO have usually found that
something more Is requisite than long back hair
and 2 gown Of white muslin After the first
picture in the opening scene. OF dreaming girhood,
serene in the lovely youthful calm that IL is
soon to part with forever. the preservation should
leap ct once into vigorous. thrilling state OF emo
ton and action and thenceforvard TO the end be
the coasunamate type OF an actual experience The
eager devourfng passion OF the beautiful balcony
scene should be tempered with feminine refinement
and with that sadness which the awe and mystery
Of love always cast upon the romantic mood OF
youth The petulance and coQuetry, with the ca
prictousness Nurse should be girllike and charm
ing The haunted feeling,-that grows into delrtum
and subsidies into desperation, through the potion
scene-should be redolent Of imagination and Of
spiritual seusibilty; and the frantic despair and
ecstacy Of the death scene should be heart-hreak-
ing in their power and pathos. No one Of these
attributes or effects however. be said TO crys-
taIlize the conquering element Of 2 true ernbodi-
rnenr Of Juliet That element is strange spiritual
Fascination which dominates and blends them all
7 fs shado7ved forth In the suggestion Of beauty
rreordained to sorrow.-of that ineffahle mournfu-
ness which always accompanies the highest mani
festations Of the temperament Of genius and Which
thus seems 70 upon all that Is most noole ana
Iz-elv IN this world. the stamp Of evanescence NUT
sbiTi+v and 2 mysterious presenument OF change
Mrs X. c. Jones repeated her correct ana el-
4a,-i1,. in,personation Of the Nurse-that elderly
domestic parasite sophisucal, garrulous "oEIo4y'
coarse and marked with the foioles OF mean
nature and q narrow life The old actress H4S 81
80 oI5 se,rsiness" with Peter and the fan, Mer-
- as the tunpertinent uockery, Romeo ana
The nurse and Juliet and the back acne All OF Il
e a-~ec4ive when apprehended as new. OuI npIcn
of II has become monotonous ana oFeE'FE' ~
- rane-ttjon Indeed, this tragedy IS perhaps
- s-.l-,,s+e5 than any other IN Shakespeare WIN
o-sntcaI forualties Of tradition that 10 an olu
t.-7.e- make a performance OF IL seem IKE lie
,+3na of 4 treadmiu- Mercuto Win ms lIii'a II
io, kisses and his 'drunls-s-s-s IN ms ears =
..,irz flies: the shad-beled apothecary' win '
-, ,-.r,,,s coilntenance and his quaVerlhs WIZ,
- Tay7ence with his orotuno plautuoes' siO
80 zVitr his hysterical feat OF undertaklIs
-, saer, as inevitable as taxes, and abouI aS Ne
oooa Mr.. Plyrnpton has distncton' autn0.,sS. ~
- ,,,sfght as Mercutio, but the lndiV1ouaHlS ~ lti
= s,e,laved seemed that OF rugged. JoculaI tiu-o
- man that Of spontaneous, happy eAupoia-.s
tsnisncz that bubbles forth with jest II 1veA
- ,ornant Of death. and passes away win
ii. This actor however. gave touch ol paeilo, p',
= -, lest and his impersonstion may Dc ieoN'' u
o - -nost interesting Of the group Aiio"@-0e t-ee
q 80. for age AIercuuo Is young Man
- ~ata-sn The Friar should have oeeh caii=
q -, ~, this occasion. for It was the coliie
-, +rat he was putting on that benevoiehl 80 81
..,- hist Mr. Thompson. Of course gave -
Is-a5 performance There are seVeral cASes v
.s~or7,,orTs iass'' in the cast-teoious -
- ,,outb q couplet dogs mouth Doiie, ~
- +1,s, fbis is elocutiop- OLD people, oou0tiI~'
- ,heir uses and their value but Oh 'he s.--
-, gradually become an encunnDrahce. -
-, and acting are not idenucaL his
'ss olosS e ria. worst performance OF Romeo aiio
99.It.+. that has been seen In New ORR sl4i0e -
Adams en0 T ave ~ stiN ". W
ar the Empire Theatre