The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-17
Ohdk6SDGaTGan
Revival in Full
SWinG-ODDo-
Sition 10 the
BenCTeetIdea.
ManteII'S Pro-
auctions Ade-
Quate, but Not
EXtTdVaGantIU
Spectacular.

one Of the most remarkable signs of
the times theatricaHy is the very real
Shakespearean revival Of the last few
seasons. Five years ago any manager
who produced Shakespeare courted dis
aster only 20 be diverted by making
me production a magnificent popular
spectacle allowing fits pictorial features
10 entirely overshadow the dramatic.
Now there are a dozen popular stars
either playing Shakespeare or manning
10 DO So And manag gers when their lit
tie modern comedy dramas'' fail ion.
miniously turn back to Shakespeare or
to the standard classic comedies IN no
coup themselves.
LAST year Robert ManteH started out
10 90 ShakesDearcan repertoire with an
inadequate company. costumes ttot l,a,5
Seeh better days. and scenery that was
NerSing on hoary antiquity To e,,e,,.-
Douy establishment he made good
when he blew into the Garden Tbeater
Tor a New York season the propbats
OF the Rialto laughed. 1T may do for
Hayseed Junction. but not for Broad
way Within week Broadway was.
sIIlhS up and taking notice. Managers
saw and believed. Backing was Offered
IN several different directions. and the
contract with Brady was signed This
year Mr.. MantclI is out with q better
company. an enlarged repertoire and a
series Of productions. which while sim
PIE are entirely adequate and gratefully
subordinate TO the plays He has not
been playing RoseviIle Center o. Hay
seed Junction. He has been plasing the
big cities of the Union. and he has been
i
ton by newspaper critics, b. the general
lheater-going public, and by Shakes
learean scholars He represents the
opposition 70 the Ben Greet cult. and
that opposition is growing.
For two weeks Greet and his EIlz-
abetlan Players have been holding the
boards ata the Garden Theater in New
York, with their more or less successful
specially Shakespeare as Shakespeare
wrote II. Three critics as wide apart
as William Winter Of the Tribune. John
Corbin Of the Sun, and Louis De Foe
OF the World, unite 20 puncturc G.1 pre-
tentious.
Mr.. Curbiu saws:
since he lost the cooperation Of Edith
NynHe Matthlson he has had nobody.
barring himself I'm certain comedy parts
Of any real artistic distinction or claim
10 hearing. Except FOR a certain sim
phcitv ln department and clarity in read
ing fhc lines. his is a company of anna
t"urs. The most vivid. varied, and inn
aglnatlVc OF dramatic poets is reduced 20
q dull gray monotone Comedy takes on
tone Of sadness and tragedy OF meIo-
drama. And Mr.. Greet himself when
he attempts such a character as Sly
lock, IN winch he was seen last week, is
little better than the rest.
IN the question of stage settings and
the conduct Of the successive scenes
there is no law Of necessity. They are
D&d, ana. IL must be concluded, WIllfully
bad Archaeology has as little TO do
with a dramatic performance as text
worship, but Mr.. Greet not only insists
upon II as II his life depended upon St.
but goes utterly wrong as TO essential
facts OF universal knowledge" and he
proceeds TO point them out
Mr.. DE Foe says;
Although it can hardly be detected
yet IN the state Of the weather. particu-
larry in the frigidity Of the Garden The
alter these nights. the silly season Of
spring theatricals is drawing near. for
its first harbinger has already appeared
ip the disguise Of Ben Greet's Eliza
bethan Players.
AS a promoter Of a plausible and. on
It's surface, ailuring scheme, Mr.. Greet
has much commercial ability. But as
an actor he mas no imagination. emo
ton. humCr, intuition or technical skill
as his attempts to embOdy Malvolio.
Jacques and Shylock on various occa-
slons have proved His Shylock is pecu-
ldrly incNpliCahlc- 1t resembles the con
VcnJiOndl vaudeville parody of Hebrew
character, for II is a mixture Of low
transparent cunning, comic frenZics and
Wild srlmaceS that in moments OF men
tai tumult suggest the approach Of an
apoplecuc mt o. some other dire physical
disturbance. When Mr. Greet does not
lisp his words he gurgles or mumbIes
them The impression he conveys is one
OF incOhercnt delirium," etc, etc.
Mr. Winter says:
Mr.. Ben Greet. who. with his
company of players appeared last
nigh. at the Garden Theater
IN Shakespeare comedy OF The
Merchant OF Venice" is a theatrical per
former more remarkable for his pre1en-
siOnS than for his artistic accomplIsh-
menJ Mr.. Greet announces a present
ment Of Shakespeare plays as Shake
speare wrote them. That is a thing not
desirable TO be done" And Mr.. Win
ter goes on to comment on certain we'll
known coarseresses and v,JSarities in
v-,S plays thai are entirely iiuposSiblc
1.-The ministrations of Mr. Greet have
been represented as 'edGcatiOnaI:' at
least taey have been so described in
communications, seemingly authorized.
that have, from time - time. reached
inns paper. and Mr.. Greet has been re
ceived with some favor at various col
leges and schools, in different parts of
this country Mr.. Greet however is
not an educator, nor Is he q theatrical
manager. His position is that Of a
Snowman There IS no reprCach in that
pursuit or that designation, but the pose
OF scholarly superiority and educational
purpose, on the part Of Mr.. Greet, say