Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-08-02

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Dickinson I'm the Part.
Although many OF the cleverest ac-
uesses the world has known have es-
sayed the part. they have. with few
exceptions. failed In It.
Even Sarah Siddons, probably the
greatest tragic actress OF all time. was
failure as Hamlet. largely owing 10
Tue nondescript nature OF her garments.
which were neither masculine nor femi-
nine and which made It almost irppos.
siole TO forget that her Hamlet was n
woman and not n man, says London
Tit-Bits.
Charlotte Cushman was perhaDs tho
most brilliant player of male parts ~
her or, Indeed. OF any other generation.
She was equally brilliant and eonyinc.
Ing as Romeo. Cardinal wolsey or
Claude MelnOttc. but when she made
the crucial experiment OF playing the
melancholy Dane even she proved
unequal 10 the task. In fact. her Ham
let was so badly received IN Dublin
mat she there and then made up her
mind never To play Il again.
And yet her Romeo was such n fri.
umph OF acting that James Sheridan
knowles. the great dramatist and crit
lc, was completely carried away by t..
or her acting OF the passage where Ro-
meo filings himself upon the ground.
taking the measure OF an unmade
grave he says: 1T was a scene of ton.
most passion. not simulated passion:
no such thing-real, palpably real. The
genuine heart storm was on I'm its wild
est fullness of fury. and listened and
gazed and held my breath. while my
blood ran hot and cold. ann sure Il
must have been the case with every
one In the house but was all alb.
sorbcd I'm Romeo till a thunder OF ap-
plauSe recalled me 10 myself"
And OF her assumption o. the difficult
part Of Claude Melnotte i'm The Lady
OF Lyons" Justin Mccarthy saws. Il
have seen Claude Mclnottc PLAYED bv
many great actors. from Nacrcalv 10
Irving. hut Miss Cushman eclipScl
them all She created for me the only
human. the only possible and the only
endurablc Claude Mclnotte have ever
seen"
Hiss julia Seaman. n once popular
actress. was 50 severely criticised when
SHE played Hamlet some years ago that
she turned round ON her critics ana as
sailed them I'M very vigorous manner.
The late Miss Marriott. who had One OF
the most beautiful voices ever heard Oh
any stage. was moro fortunate. al
though il was one OF her least success
ful assumptions. ami I'm the nftleS an
American actress. Miss Percy Knowles.
made such an unfortunate exhibition
Of herself as the melancholy one that 4
country manager actually issued no.
ticc warming his patrons against going
10 see her.
Ellen Tree airs. Charles Kean, was
the first 10 put on Uamlets douhlet
and hose. Mrs. Glover won Edmund
kean's approval by her playing OF the
part and Mmc. Sarah Hcrnhardt gave
a picturesque and clever rendering OF
Hamlet. although IL was not 10 be COM
pared with many OF her brilliant as
sumptions
Charlotte Champion was noted for
her clever acting Of masculine parts.
which would have been even more con
vincing if She had not boon such tiny
woman There Is woman" Mae
ready once said. referring to her. who
would Startle the world if she were but
two Inches taller" She was such a
magnificent sworlswoman that few
mcn cared O. try ;hciv skill against her
on the stage. and she wa~ undoubtedly
genius Ia her way. with courage
commensurate with her skin.
She was one OF the finest perSouators
OF Richard III. ever seen on the stage.
her Shylock was among the most bril-
liant pieces of acting iu hc- day. and
she was almost equally clever as Iago.
Romeo and Don Caesar dc Bazan. and
yet whom Charlotte Champion chal-
lenged criticism with Hamlet she fail
eel as Signally as her rival Charlotte
Cushman. had done.
Probably the most successful OF all
lady IIamlets was Anna Dickinson.
who made considerable reputation as
Macbeth ana Claude Mclnottc. ~
number OF women have tried Hamlet"
she said. None, believe. with any
success. Yet. in my opinion. the char
acter Of Hamlet is eminently suited for
a woman'S capabilities. Hamlet was
very yomg-a mere college boy. in
fact Besides, Il fine actress Is more
likely 10 bring ont the wonderful wo-
manlikc dehcacy Of Hamlet'S charac-
ter than very young actor" And She
supported her views by giving an at
tractive and clever rendering Of tho
part.