The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-04-19
'MrnCuANT on VENICE {"

MERCHANT or VENICE"
Grontins that Charles H. ilanfordH
Richard ttT' merely challenges crit
iciam because Of It's rcmotcnena In
.delineution frum the character which
Shakespeare created. IL IL more i'm
pteralve than tInufofds "ahioek." as
seen at the brand last night it Ia
we'll enough Tor an actor 10 take lib
critics With the text 81 play aud be
consistent alonE traditional lines. 60
set up an ideal and be true 90 a. but
when an actor undertakes Co violate
the Cauona af dramatic art 40 boldly
as Go destroy Inevitable traits q char
hcter. rectal entiiirn and to portray
wiEencd up. drcrepit and agv-bent man
as being strong. robust. erect and
Niflic, and undertakes 60 put the beard
81 Lear on the face Of ahyioek. the
critic Il privileged Co raise more than
mild protest against Mr. ttanforda
miaeupeeplian OF the Jew 81 Venice.
Tho good that may be- said Of liam
ford impcrsouatiou . that he did not
make shylock a mere monster 81 greed
and aNarice. az many have done. In
that respect hc was faithful Go the
accepted ideal 81 the much hated
money changer.
sbyioek. IN the very midst Of his
satusc purpose t. have revenge on
Antunie. the merchant whom he hated
and - Who he said Cursed by my tribe
n l forgive him.. was stiii governed
by motives. feelings and reaentments
that have something human In them.
This. Hanfurd realised ana made them
the essential virtues - his character
iHation. Failure 20 realise this made
Henry trvinEa .Ehy lock a Eretesaus
caricature.
Hat Hanfafd - clearly wronK ~ his
makeup. AZ shyipek he wears
lunE. straight square-eut beard. whleh
no Jew ever does. aud the reason fer
u l. best Illustrated by recalnnE SIR
iianry trtinEs Jew lrvlng wears
beard that covers nearly hts whole
face. well up o. his syra. buahy and
unkrmpt O. tho ehin. where Il straH-
Eisa away into a cofkncrew point at
his breast Ito constantly toys with
a. pulls az Il. twists a. and In tho
court scene whcr. the TIDE 81 fortune
turns against him. he CLAWS at Il as
n he would tear Il out by she roots
The picture r. true q Hehrale iifr.
~ L. eharaetsrizuc q Jew q
ahYlockn type.
Houth aid the same IN his character
tsation. and more recently thr late
Joseph uawurth followed Ia the foot
STEPS q his itiuatrioun Predecessor.
Hauforda admirers may arEae that
his conception ia original and satitisi
10 worthy consideration. bat there T.
no artistic reeompxnse Tor hiH strange
dspartufe fram tha accepted Ideals
Then aHaih fiHufufd STALKS hbaut tie
stage upright. win firm step though
he carries cane whiuh h. uaeA bat
little. II does net convey the Idea Il
the npprua hinE decay - physical
powers Iianforda voice il well IN
keeping With the robustness = his
ph9siaus.
ifanfofd wan exceptionally good.
however. IN the scene where h ar
ranges tho lean with Antonio. and in
the court reafn toa hs uBa Efrrtrt
with rounds 81 applause and com
PEELED T. Rekuue ledge ths reception n
a sprech before the curtain.
tiis iamsntatiou fpr his toai daughter
Jr~ut-a AS not true e. life II 49,
Inconsistent unnatural and forced. II
Vas IN this scene where other shake
suearvan actors have scored a. sub
stnnfiai efiumphH as iu any other por-
ton - The play. Tor this - really The
unlY trhKic element IN the play and =
Il the paet Hsine has said. 4 heard
a voice With ripple u tears that
were never wspt ~ eyes ~ waH a
sob that could emily eomr from a
breaa, thai held IN ~ all the martyr
dom which Tor eighteen centuries had
been horne - a whole tortured people.
II Naz the death rattle n soul sink
Ing down dead Tired az heavens safe.
I seemed 70 know the voice and I felt
that I had heard q long ago. when
IN utter despair Il meanse ost. then
as uow-'Jesaica. my child
Mr Forester s. uassaui0 ta the
best feature q the production lIis
voice II good. Ms hearing manly lie
wins admiration IS Aautomi0n friend
and sympathy as Portals lover.
Miss prufnah az poftia throws much
energy into the part. bot wtth little
effect. She Ioass her opportunity IN
the scene where the ehooains Of the
cnnkat takes place. and IL very indif-
fsrrnt all the way through the piay.
except In the role % the young doctar.
where she shows some strength In
Interpreting the Venetian law and
proounctnK the sentence THAT brings
ruin upon shYlock The cold. iatsIiee-
tualitY q the portta of HhakeHpeare'a
creation IL iarred upon BY the thar
tiHtic coYusaa % Miss DrofnahH pre-
asutation. EuReute Webb 80 Ssfisea
nrttaulatss e1eelieHfiy Hnd haudlss her
light part without lnharmouy. Miss
Oswald as Jessira r. picturesque and
does not overtia her part
f.nuncetut 0uhho and his father as
done BY Caryi Gillian and Robert Owen
would pass muster fairly IN a better
ensemble that Ifanfafdn support
Henry MarHade a. the romantic I.o-
rruEo. in lilac hose and douhiet. looks
an idol for the alteration ~ matinee
maidens. but does not make the beat
81 his lines. John Conusry a. Halania
IL altogether mistake. but Fred
Hight. with whisksrH awry and a
weak. scarcely audible delivery. IL the
inexcusablo worst 81 the subordinate
cast.
JANE"
Jane at the Seattle. IL playing
A.