The San Francisco call., 1905-08-08
Merchant of Ven
ice" Proves
Strong.
Nat Goodwin Is
an Interested
Spectator.

Shakespeare pure-more or less-the
Yiddish players gave at the Grand Opera
house last night. THE Merchant OF
Venice" was the play. Ellis T. Glickman
the merchant. The house was small with
the exception of Nat Goodwin, who
loomed large in a box and followed the
text with devoted attention.
On the whole the play adheres pretty
closely TO the original. 1t is translated
into fairly good German and is without
musical interruptions-as Kolb and Dill
Ike IL. a scene in which Shylock tells
Jessica that her mother was murdered
by the Christians, and in saving her (Jes-
sica' 81 life, was the most interesting va
rant PaIpably, and as my charming
interpreter explained to me, the scene is
a concession TO the strong family love
that exists among the Jews, and further
explains Shylocks hatred Of the Chris
tians.
Shylock in the scene asks Jessica il she
is weeping for the sorrows of the He
brews; Jessica says, mo, she has too
many troubles Of her own to worry about.
The Jews have been suffering for 1000
years. she says, and through their sins,
so why should she worry?'
Ophelia in hoopskirt is taken gravely
by the Japanese-Otto Kawakami plays
the Hamlet TO her In an English admiral s
uniform-so why should We stumble over
a Portia in spectacles? Miss Clara Raj
faele plays her that way. Slightly dis
tracing also is the Carmen bridge,
duly labeled Seville that bulks behind
Shylock's house. And the "Intermezzo
from "Caxalleria" that the masquers sing
in the act. And the shirt-sleeved stage
hands that wander in comfortably TO do
things
The Elizabethan folk forgot that a
hey uroC a
This is a broom" and there We're mo-
ments, many moments last night, when
the rather crude stage enginery was
forgotten. They were mostly Mr. CLICK
mans moments, and what were not be-
longed to the Jessica- And Mr.. Glickman
was not at his best. Nine performances
a week and the management OF them,
with the five or six new plays weekly
that the Glickman company has given,
does not leave much to play a big Shy-
lock on. II was the vitality the magnet
ism. that was lacking, the vitality that
made Mr.. Glickman's Lear such COM
peIIing figure in spite of its incongruous
surroundings. His ShylocK is eminently
dignitied and has a supple Italian quality
in pieces that is very cleverly character
istic Nor did his trial scene lack for
power, and his poses here, magnihcently
picturesque, were alone worth going 10
see. so, TOO. were MS SIllhdi4SS AZ eiiiS
scene, assured of his rights yet fearful
Of the Christian dogs, and his exit here.
Less broken Is his than Irving's Shylock
here, because. in the Jewish edition.
Shylock is not asked TO become Chris
tian-
Powerful again is Mr.. Glickman's scene
where Shyloek is told Of Antonio's fall
ures. and the whole conception is distin-
guished by restraint and a notable real
ism. But il has not the pull OF his
Lear 1t has not that which draws all
eyes to the figure wherever 1t is ana
whatever it is doing. 1t will tonight
without doubt have more of the quality
and tomorrow night more, and at any
rate no Shakespeare lover can AFFORD to
miss the performance.
Miss Clara Raffaele is the Portia, with
out any particular reason to be. MISS
Eva Katz lifted cleyerly enough from
Fliegende Blaetter fun to fair Nerlssa.
But there was a Jessica, the best nave
seen. a sly, deceitful, piquant mink, and
pretty as they make them, in Miss Minnie
Berlin. Bernhard Schoengold looked more
like Cupid than ever as Bassanio and
acted pleasantly. Mr.. Goldberg was the
Antonio-and you forgave Shylock.
The play goes every night this week
BLANCHE PARTINGToN.