Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-01
T q E TIL EA T E R !.
Columbia Theater.

Hamlet is one of the plays supposed
to put the various qualities of the actor to
the most rigorous test. The role requires
temperament and physical grace. and,
above all. scholarship. Despite the abrupt
ness with which, at the close, 1t abandons
its poetic dignity and sinks into sheer
melodrama, it is a play for all time and
all people. Familiarity does not dull its
edge, and each new personality that at
tempts the character is interesting If for
no other reason than that the play Is
Hamlet" 1t is almost impossible for an
actor possessing talent or training worth
the mentioning to wholly fail in Hamlet"
and it is almost impossible for any one
player to wholly grasp and convey the enor-
nous variety of moods which the role en-
bodies. 1t is so intensely human that 1t
adapts itself to any personality possessing
the fneneSs, to respond to its emotional Sug-
gestion. Mounet Sully demonstrated that
even a French Hamlet" nervous, gesticu-
latng and declamatory, is plausible Little
more can be expected than that the player
VIII select his own key, and, this done, play
the part consistently.
Mr.. Forbes Robertson, who appeared at
the Columbia Theater last night in Ham
let Immediately impressed himself as a
great actor. His Hamlet, while not a tradi-
tional one, in the sense of rejecting every
touch of by-play that may have been in
troduced from time to time during the CEN
turtles, reflects the somber and unwavering
dignity which has for so long time been
popularity and profes sionally associated
with the role. Mr.. Robertson bestows a
grace upon the part which is free from af-
fectation, and has the faculty, eXtrao. binary
as 1t is grateful, of reading blank verse
with the force of natural expression. The
character as he presents it is logical as well
as poetic. Far from allowing any sus-
picion as to Hamlet's sanity to linger, he
shows him wildly as a man of alert and
resourceful intelligence, and adds interest
by his portrayal of the frank impulses of
youth struggling with the receptions he has
undertaken. Despite Mr.. Robertson's evil
dent strong sympathy with the poetic as
pect of the character, he does not lose sight
of its dramatic intenSitieS. To these he
rises by sheer force of personality and with
out the aid of stage artifice. Some of the
emotional scenes are brought to a high
pitch, which would be dangerous to a player
of less discretion and self-command
For an actor to lose himself in a part"
as the saying goes, is great gift, but, this
DONE to be able to find himself again at an
instant'S notice is still greater Both of
these faculties Mr. Robertson possesses.
There is no f1ppancy in his contemptuous
moods, no cant in his philosophy and no
trace of the spectacular in his grief. 1t is
difficult to conceive more satisfactory
presentation of the character than that
which was applauded last night with so
much sincere enthusiasm. Miss Gertrude
Elliott played the thankless role of Ophe-
liza in a manner which secured hearty APP
proval, and the other characters suffered
the usual ViciSsitudeS of a ShakeSpearean
production, some being we'll cast and some
not.
The scenery provided for these perform
ances is remarkable for it's beauty and
nance the picturesque value of the preSen-
tation.