Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-10-12

CLEVER Presentation
OF MERCHANT OF VENICE
De Grasses Modern ard Sensible Ia
depreciation es Character es shy.
lock Especially pteasins--Lsree.
Arpreeistise Audience.

NNpsNsashsN sauscnNks
A large and spreeiatiye audisnes
! greeted Joseph III GFasse ana his
clever company ai the Duncan las,
night Those who had expected that
= company that could conquer thr
n'agnlt,eeut distances between west
esn sowns wnaid make Ioor work III
20 difficult a production as the Mer,
chant af Venice" w.r. agreaahly
disappointed.
Mr. ne Graas.. as shslock. In easi
is the star ~ the east Mr.. he
Gsssss. following Booth and irving.
conceived that shakespear. meant
this great character 10 BE-. not the
fawaing. eringing. eowardls and ven
onous old mao thai many of the
shakespearean writer's and actors
have depicted. hut the sturdy. eoura'
geous and consistent champion Of a
race that had been cruelty wronge,i
and harbarousIy treated.
We are Mortified al the Russian al.
rocities toward the Jews. hut the
Jew of England and Of Venice. even
In shakespenre's time. was i'm a po.
sition more odioas than In the Rus.
sian of today. Time after time his
lands had been forfeited. his fortune
wrcs,ed from him. and death Itself
had too often followed any, defense
of his rights, I. @~5 y, T.
Shakespeare might well be expect.
ed 10 M one man of his time who
appreciated the unyielding. forceful
and sterling Jewish character and
brilliant mind that has enabled this
race. Of all races u the world. 10 pre-
serve It's identity and distinctiyeuess
absolutely uninfluenced by the hun.
dred civilizations with which II has
come In contact.
And Shakespeare created Shylock
to be the unconquerable champion of
his people during such conditions an
prevailed In the middle ages.
II Is because Mr.. DE- t;rasse inter.
preted this view and interpreted II
with ability, reserve. and good taste
that his work last night was distinct
ly pleasing. There was. perhaps, a
little too much tendency toward
eringing al the close of the trial
scene. but the old man lifted his
head. as he should have done, before
he left The court. faced his persecl.
tors nnflinchingly. and with invinei.
bic spirit marched from the cham
her.
The one false note in the whole
play. as many critics agree In the
light Of the better understanding Of
the Jewish character by the world to-
day, Is the promise of Shylock 10
change his faith. This, leader
among the Jews could by no means
have done. and u Is impossible to
give n proper Interpretation Of such
a decision on the stage, Mr.. DE
Grasse IL young man. lie has un-
derstudied to the greatest masters.
and his future promises brilliant
success.
In the trial scene. Miss Ida May
Park, as Portia, II one forgets the un.
calledfor jumping jack performance.
when the gift of the ring In sought,
was excellent. Her voice, her enun.
citation, her dramatic power. are
shown here tn the best advantage.
II IL pity, with her general ability,
that she completely fails TO under.
stand the Portia of Shakespeare I'm
the other scenes. The great author
did not mean that the wise and elo.
anent Judge could be also D gushing
and gigglins girl, without dignity ard
without good taste. This interpreta.
tion is essayed doubtless. in ordef
to make the contrast the greater I'm
the tragic scene, but that is NOT suf.
ficieDt excuse for so woefully matil
ating the fair and decorous lady that
Shakespeare saw.
Garnet HoIme made a hit as I.apn
celot, MontaIne presents Antonio
with intelligence and appreciation,
but Webb as Bassanio leaves much
TO be desired. Miss Hobart was sim,
pie and effective as Jessica.
The costuming IL correct for the
most part, although the lovely gowns
Of portia are more eloquent Of the
Paris Of today than OF the Venice oi
the middle ages.