The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-16
ADJUSTMENTS
ropolltan---"Muc Ado About Noth-

: q q Il
etropolltan--"M Much Ado About Moth.
ing.''
Great things are demanded by the the
ater-going public of the sMarlowe- Sothern !
combination. The high standing Of the |
6co-stars. and their previous reputation
LOT conscientious productions have led us
70 form very nigh standard for their
summer appearance In Minneapolis. In
TINS expectation no one was disappointed
last night. The delicious and sparkling
ola 9. comedy in which Shakspere subdued
the warning wits Of Benedick and Beat
rice was the first offering Of the engage
ment and the stellar pair gave it most
satisfying production. The play proved
lodestone enough to draw hundreds from
their cool lake cottages, and to fill the
theater with. an audience enthusiastic in
spite Of the heat and rather wearing
waits between acts.
It Is a gratifying Interpretation that
Mr.. Sothern and Miss Marlowe give of
the two principal characters. The play
Is too often given with little regard to
the meaning of the first passages between
them, and 1t Is treated as tho each is an
noyed and repealed by the others wit, un-
til the strategem of their friends makes
each think the other madly in love, pro-
duces pity, and thus leads them at last
TO the tender passion. This reading
makes Beatrice an impertinent mink, a
malicious wit with barbed tongue, whose
nature is changed only by pity for her
victim The Marlowe Characterization,
one, by the way, to which she has always
held, shows Beatrice a saucy madcap,
sparkling miss, who enjoys the sword play
of words like any game, and is secretly
drawn to Benedick because he matches
her folly and gives her good return. 1t
to-, N1~{ IN, ~ + t,N' hot hax
have been much in each others minds
during his absence. She queries the mes
senger Of him before he appears, and
after the first meeting Benedick praises
her beauty to Claudio while rueing her
sharp tongue. Out of all the company
they seek each other out for wordy pas
sages. The train is laid, and the spark
| only is wanting. The soliloquy OF each
after the eavesdropping in the garden
shows that the new sensation is only a
| dormant passion famed to flames. 1t
! then only wants the stress of the plot
against Hero to break thru their masked
reserve. ..
Miss Marlowe, tho more mature in her
| charms, has lost none Of her ,vivacity and
| expressive power in voice and face. Sharp
/ speeches that would smack Of vinegar II
poorly read have all the quality OF
piuuant wine coming from her lips. She
Hero, and her appeal to Benedick makes
(. a delightful scene, in which gusty out
breaks of Indignation alternate quickly
with half -surrenders and confessions OF
love. Beatrice is one of her faVorlte
! characters, and it certainly displays the
Marlowe charms and abilities TO the pest
| advantage.
| Mr.. Sothern's Benedick was delicious
comedy It was a delightful revelation 10
those who have seen him only In the
| ira gic or romantic, and the impersonatlon
was so perfect that thru most OF the
| evening it was hard to detect Sotnefn.
In the early scenes he was tine STURDY
/ soldier, piqued by the wit OF Beatrice Out
carving off his ,scorn of the weaker sex
and the captured swain Clauolo WIN
/ cavalier disdain. His by-play In the ar
Dor scene was roaring comedy OF the pan,
tomime Sort intensely funny and IN that
it's own justification, perhaps, tho from an
artistic standpoint he doubtless Woulo
i confess it a bit oTerdone. His reading OF
tho lines was a perpetual delight, ana ne
4 utilized every word and bit OF BUSINESS
i with characteristic attention ana Inter
ligence.
~ The serious business of the plot against
Hero has only incidental interest, but re
quires careful handling. Norman f1achet'
was successful as the weak, 1mpulslVe
Claudio, and G. Harrison Hunter pleasing
as the debonair Dom Pedro. Sydney c.
q Mather waserather eolorless as the vii
lain, Don John. William Harris made 9
4 convincing Leonato, and. w. H. Cronlptor
) as; Antonio gave a&noble portrayal of ar
old mars righteous wrath In his denun-
ciatfon of Claudio. Eleanor Sanford
petite and modest as Hero must be. wor
sympathy with her well conceived hand
ling of the church scene.
The low comedy of the ignorant vii
lage officers, Shaksperes burlesques OF
English justices, who blunder on thu
plot thru no fault of their own, was give1
with traditional junction by Rowland
Blackstone and with due senile petulance
by Malcolm Bradley. Dogberry's clown
ishness and malapropisms were h1ghl!
! amusing in Mr.. Buckstone's hands.
The mounting and costuming of thu
play was pleasinglys adequate last even
ing, the church scene being particularly
elaborate. Mr. Sothern and Miss Mar
, lowe have done public service by thi:
! notable alliance of theirs, giving the bes
of Shakspere in it's best possible setting
.Ro1neo and Juliet will be presented
: tonight and at the Saturday matinee tn
engagement closing Saturday night will
.Hamlet," in which Miss: MarloWe will
be seen here for the first time as Ophella