The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-20
THEATRES
Charles B. Hanford In shakespearan

Roles.
 Aside from a consideration Of play or players, their merits or demerlts' it Is justly written that the perfor- nance of "Cymbeline" and Julius Caesar" did not delight large audiences at the Montgomery Theatre SaturdaS' afternoon and night. The audiences weue comparatively large, but not de- lighted. Few of those present were thoroughly entertained or diverted; and the rarely shown enthusiasm was as often aroused by the merely moral worth of the sentiment, as by It's de- liverance or expression by actor ana play wright.
 There may easily be found reasons excuses. the classicist may insist TOT the palpably apathetic attitude or the audience towards the play and the ac- tovs It's structure was at once more complex and more crude supordlnate vet more rugged than the smooth weave of fabric upon which is em- broidered with more or less of delicacX the story of the plays most often pre- senteC to the patrons of theatres in Montgomery: it's sentiments were lot- tier it's expression strange, by reason of It's unusual sequence and because or its diction only half comprehensible :u those not already familiar with 1t.
 Nor did all find it easy to place them- selves in sympathy with emotions. pas sions, ideas. opinions. sentiments which, essentially the same from their first sensing to the present day. have so experienced the mutations of time and the remoulding stress of evolution as to be merely primordial bases of the feelings of modern man.
 "Cymbeline."
 "Cymbeline," one of the least known though by no means the least merito- rious of Shakespeare's dramas. was played yesterday afternoon. It Is not "a good matinee offering" so that though there were empty benches, the audience may be regarded as credita- ble in size. And, as was said before 1t was not enthusiastic In it's reception of the presentation. IL may be inter- estingly marked, as indication of the temperament of the audience. that the song "Hark hark the lark" was a source of greater delight than any other part of the play.
 MT. Hanford was Iachimo in the play and his interpretation of the role was sympathetic and intelligent. His act ing, however, was rather dfsappoint ing to public that had heard such high praise accorded him; 1t was good but not great
 MT. Hanford did not discreetly se- lect what in music is called pltch; in the first word of soliloquy or trade, In the initial expression of emotion, he often began so high he could not. when the real stress came. go higher; and while there was no antl-climax, there was in each of such instances a lack of reserve force. by which, though he might have overplayen, he might have lifted his auditors with himself to ex- aggerated heights. He displayed yer satillty in the part. and his enuncia- tlon and diction were clear and cor rect.
 The character of Imogen Is one of the most difficult of all of Shakes peare's creations and Miss Drofnah was unequal 10 the task of playing 1t. In every scene she provec she has his tronic talent, and her acting was of fine finish. But she was distinctly monotonous; she lacked fleXibility and was not quickly responsive to demands for rapid change of enotion. The use of her voice. which Is pleasing in tone and quality, Was unfortunately attuned almost altogether to the single emotion of grief and neither despair nor joy greatly changru 1t.
 Julius Caesar" as played Saturday night, was decidedly more satisfactory