Arizona republican., 1905-01-21
SHAKESPEARE REVIVED
An Actor Believes There Is an Im- prOvement of the Public Taste.

The question arises why do mana gers put on" from time to time Shakesperian productions?
 It goes to show that they evidently need the patronage of thes who have a hungering for a play where an ac- tor and actress not only need person. ality but talent. Who of today but Mansfield can portray Richard III. successfully? It is true we have many actors of great magnetism. But it is them not the drama the public flocks to our play house to see. It is a case of going to see Maud Adams and Wm. Faversham not Romeo and Juliet.
 Take Mark Antonys lines in Caesar: Oh, judgment thou art fled
 To brutish beasts
 And we have lost their reason.
 This to my mind illustrates the stand the public has taken in regard to the drama As to the Shakespearean plays their judgment has fled.
 They watch our 10, 20 and soc melo- drama with all the brute side of their natures and have certainly lost their reasoning and intellectual powers of criticism when it comes to comparing this player with that in regard to per sonaI appearance and regardless of tal- ent. Such questions like these. "Did you see Maud Adams?"
 ''Oh, yes, was not her dress beauti-. full"
 oh, where is the public of yore that will unite in saying, Did you see Ro meo and Juliet? Was not the acting superb?"
 The season of 1904 seemed to me a most successful Shakespeare year. The public from a professional stand point 'is ripe for Shakespeare" There are still a few sincere and honest souls from whose lips the word art trips constantly and who are thanking hea- ven that the public taste is gradually raising the stage to the dignity it de- serves.
 It is peculiar the different ideas ac- tors have regarding the way Hamlet should be played. Take as example FOrds RObison. He ends his production of Hamlet, which is considered by the critics as 4 number one, with the line, Come, he shall have a soldiers fun eral" and Hamlet is carried off by sol diers of the palace as the final curtain is descending.
 Whereas Harrison J. Wolfe demon strates that a prince of Hamlets standing would not be carried out at his death but laid in state in the best CndlIlDeT OI LI4e DdldCt.
 And so ends his play accordingly. I have seen audiences fairly hold their breath for full minute after the finale curtain is rung down then take their departure as though leaving the house of death.
 MT. Wolfe I think will in time be one of our famous Shakespearean actors.
 He is now known as one of the best Hamlets and looked upon to swell the ranks of stars and be a favOrite of the drama loving public.
 Who was it that taught us what Shakespeare really is? The answer comes from all who know-it was Au- gustine Daly who showed us that Shakespeare was an expert play wright even though he did write classics" Although DaIy is no more his theater stands as a memorial monument to him and we sigh when We think of the plays and players that inhabited them and how their bill boards read: "The Merry Wives" Mid Summer Nights Dream and etc. All played and staged as they should be even to the most minute particu- lars.
 To the majority of people though, it's like the old man who was stocking his library with Shakespearean works. He told his book dealer that if Shakespeare wrote any more to let him know and he would buy it. This was in 1903.
 Although not gray haired l have been an actor and before the public enough to study them and I give these facts as my opinion.