The Washington times., 1905-01-31
MUCH ADO" ACTED
WITH FINE SKILL
Sothern and MarlOWe Shine
IN Brilliant Comedy.

Shakespeares yivacious and brilliant
comedy of Much Ado About Nothing
with all its shadows of tragic intensity,
was produced at the New National The
alter last night in such a manner that
its text sparkled and its plot smoldered
according to the highest expectations of
the student. The principals were MI
Sothern and Miss Marlowe. Their roles
were, naturally, those Of the self-as-
sured and generous Benedick and the
eisdainful and volatile Beatrice, and the
judgment of last nights audience was
evidently in full accord with that of the
critics-that no earlier engagement of
these excellent actors has ever displayed
their skin to equal advantage
The audience was large and Singularly
Wit between Beatrice and Benedick
laughter rippled through the play like
an accompaniment. Every long scene
was applauded ardently and at the end
of all The acts especially the fourth, the
curtain calls wGfS many and the favor
of the pleasure OF the audience Yocifer-
ously manifest. The evening was tri-
umphant TO- both the stars
Four Impressive Scenes.
Four scenes are lifted beyond the 9th
efs Of Much Ado by their cameo clear
ness-the first combat between My
Lady DisGain" and the hereto in
despite of beauty the communication
to Benedick. hidden in a bower, of the
information that Beatrice loves him; the
counterpart communication TO Beatrice
IN the same place of the correSpondiny
information; and the scene in the church
where Benedick's coInrade denounces
SeatT1ceS cousin at the altar and Bea-
triee demands that Benedick avenge the
cousins wrong
These We're successfully acted laSt
night Mr. Sothern Illuminated every
line cf his scene in the bower convuIs-
Il comedian. and. after the DIotterS have
retired, disclosing with extraordinary
comlcaHty the rush of emotions their
snppos'tlonal information has aroused
MISS Mariowe in turn acted her scene
III the bower with less emphasis but
more grace. She is still
Too disdainfuI,
Coy and wild as the haggards of the
to confess her impulses even to herself.
IN the church scene-acted with much
effect by Miss Bourne as Hero and Mr.
Hackett as Claudio as well as by the
two stars-the crisp breezes and tossing
CLOUD or the earlier scenes break into
thunderstorm of passionate force.
Well Spoken and Well Mounted.
Much Ado is peculiarly dependent
upon its text, and part of the effective
ness of this production is due to the
clear, carrying" enunciation of all the
company MIR. Sothern has long been
q capable reader Miss Marlowe read
her lines last night as though every
phrase was Indispensable TO the plot
and. indeed, that is almost the
case, and the others in the cast seemed
TO nave been Wei trained in the sa me
sccoof- IN this regard and In the OFT er
essentials of good ac;-na, much favor
Went to The Claudio of Norman Hackett:
ne Don John, OF Sydney Mather, a
lard Blackstone; the Hero of Margaret
Bourne, performed by this actress la
night for the first time.
The production is also noteworthy for
rs series of sunptuous and bright pic
lures The several scenes of this comedy
are unusually costly, and the cost
necessary to a proper atmosphere has
been more than met. The costumes are
al r!ch The remaining, and the most
doubtful element of the stage picture.
the presence and bearing OF the actors,
Is fully as well managed. The result is
series OF bright pictures, gay and
sunny, which please the eye as the
reading Of the lines pleases the ear
Mr. A1abie has said of Much Ado
that 1t Is brilliant spirited, charged
with viyacity. and sparkling with wit: -
that It - IA masterpiece OF keen char
acterizatlon. OF flashing CONVERSE ion OF
striking contrasts OF type and of intel
lectual energy, playing freely and
bcoyantiy against Il background of eX-
gulsite beauty. As ii is played by Mr..
Sothern and Miss Marlowe, it shines in
all these lights IL belongs in The favor
Or today theaIsrgoers with Miss
Aliens lovely production OF Twelfth
Night and with that excellent actress,
Mr. Sothern and MSS Marlowe have
found in Shakespeare's peerless comedies
2 means OF advancing both themselves
and the stage