The evening world., 1904-03-08
His Conception an intellectual
Une That One Can Study ard
Admire for Its Many Scholarly
Attributes.
SUPPORTING CAST GLOOMY
Production Lacks In Scenic Effects
and Mechanical Management ls
Marred by the Tardy and Noisy
Handling of Stage Devices.

Hamlet alive and smiling; ophelia OF
phe earth earthly and-heaven defend
mir sight!-in shirt waist and walking
Ikirt: What happier ending could
Hamlet" have?
The audience at the Knickerbocker
Theatre last night started to put on its
rubbers and stayed to applaud Forbes
Robertson. And Mr. Robertson, good
and generous husband that he is said to
be. finally shared his honors with his
wife by snatchlng her from the wings
In all the modesty OF her everyday
clothes, and thereby doubtless bringing
upon himself a curtain lecture which
was not on the asbestos.
This way the audience fingered after
the final fall of the curtain was some
thing MYSTERIOUS. Usually even Hog
genheimer would say "sufficiency" TO
five acts OF the tragedy without stopping
to count the scenes. Tho cause In this
case was difficult to determine. Was 1t
rubbers, enthusiasm or personal friend
ship? We are quite sure there was A
good deal of p. +. in the house, for right
behind us little party OF ladies and
gentlemen apparently spoke by exper-
ience OF the Robertson family.
They are so happy in their domestic
life. IVES one comment which crept
cheerily over the back OF our orchestra
chair. II was comforting TO feel that
there was another side to Ophelia's life.
But what of Mr.. Robertson's Hamlet d?
Well. 1t Is first and last intellectual.
It Is not so sympathetic as Sothern' $
and there Is no reason why 1t should be
compared TO Booths. 1t is Hamlet
which you Will study and admire Tor its
many scholarly attributes, but II Is not
Hamlet which will bring tears 10 your
eyes.
We heard the Robertson voice In Dick
Heldar. II lives again In Hamlet. Mr..
Robertson has not caught cold. He is
able TO speak for himself. He spoke so
rousingly at tines that the listener was
tempted to doubt the boasted modern
ness" OF the production. And princi-
pally because OF this vocal greatness
one was apt to reflect that there seemed
more of the man than OF the youth in
his personauon. However, his reading
is Characteristic Of this actor. he COM
manded attention and respect.
The production ls not on the same
scale with Sothern's,. The acting YER
has arranged digresses from the beaten
path. but does not exactly take what
might be called short cut. The me
chanical management. too. Jagged to
scenes ~sre marred BY the tardy and
noisy handling OF stage devices.
Scenically the production suggested
the gray grimness OF London town on
days like those we're having now, the
churchyard setting. for one, being DESC
late almost to the degree of bleakness.
The supporting cast was likewise
gloomy. with the exception OF Arthur
Harold, who was an admirably human
Horatio.
The Elliott eyes oontrasted strangely
with the blond tresses of Ophella, and,
like her husband, Miss Elliott was lack
ing In sympathetic appeal.
Jennie Eustace. the single American
The Queen strenuous. even in her grief
Polonius, as played by Guy Lane. was
much better Off dead. and, as for the
King Of Ian Robertson. you couldn't I
help wondering what Gertrude ever saw
IN him. c. d.