The Washington times., 1905-11-05

the water in bond. The scene IS laid in
Paris about 1910. which gives a chance
for quaint and pretty costumingi Of
which the production makes the most.
The company is English-English from
the word go" but mighty good for all
t-7at. There are some good voices whose
owners know how TO use them. and a
good deal of very clever comedy work
u is a vast Improvement as whole on
tRe tasteless. .senseIess, go-as-you-please
variety show style of musical comedy,
with neither music nor comedy IN their
makeup, which New Workers have
groaned under for 50 long. There's not
a tiresone moment in it.
But TO be serious-nOt that anyone
wants to on Broadway, but simply out
Of Difference to the fact that life ia
serious propOsition-there are other
things than musical comedy and George
Bernard Shaw to be had on Broadway.
There is, for instance. the Sothern-
Marlowe combination. producing Shakes
peare at the Knickerbocler. This week
1t has been-and Will be next-'The
Merchant of Venice" 1t is 4 COnserya-
tive Interpretation so sumptuOusly
staged that its appeal TO the senses
rather overshadowed its appeal to the
mind. Sothern's Shylock is old, deCrep-
it, and bitter, a sordid fanatic with no
human or intelligent side. 1t is not a
sympathetic rendering of the part. but
IL Is Sothern's conception OF it. schol-
arly and carefully worked out While
he never quite got into the character
as one has been taught to see it. he
never for an instant got out Of his
own conception Of it. Miss Mariowe as
Portia is probably the most boyish and
businesslike doctor of laws who ever
tackled that great court scene. The in
depreciation lacks dignity, but it's in
finitely becoming 10 Julia MarIOwe. She
can do that sort OF thing very fetching
ly-now that she's succeeded IN training
down to something like her former slen-
derness.
The other extreme Of Shakespearean
production was Ben Greets Henry W
at Mendelssohn Hall Monday night.
THIS was probably scholarly-since 1t
was Ben Greet's. But its appeal with
its one setting certainly was not 10
the eye; and equally certain II was not
to the ear. Most of the company read
their lines so noisily and so indistinct-
ly that-unless one had a copy of the
play and followed that way as the ma
Won
dering what Il was they had hoped 10
establish.
Mantell's 'Richelieu" at the Garden
/ drew good houses during the beginning
Of the week, and deserved them His
flashes of vigor triumphing temporarily
| over the weakness of senility are ex-
ceedingly effective. For the end of the
week his bill was "Othello," which was
/ equally Well received by large and en-
thusiastic audiences.
The Wizard of o." revised and inn
proved, began an engagement at the
Academy of Music this week. with every
/ symptom of a new lease of life Mont
gomery and Stone were as amusing as
/ ever. and some of their new songs were
quite as good as the old.
Simple Simon Simple" has reached
! New York. It was produced Monday
/ night at the West End Theater. The
/ piece Is Well costumed, has some clever
! comedians and good singers In the com
/ pany, and bids fair to have a success
4 full week.
Williams and Walker" at Hammer
| STEMS Victoria, have been doing IA new
/ stunt-a burlesque Of the beS chamber
! scene from "Othello''-that has elected
such roars of laughter as 70 seriously
disturb the usual desert calm of Broad
way Lillian Nordica and Dave War
| held-belonging to the class known rs
J real artists''-were present Monday
/ night, and seem TO find the coloret
boys as funny as any of the cheroot
! smoking hoi-polloi in slle auditorium.