The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-07
Amusemenfs
Louis James fin sSFhe Merry Wives ot
 Windsor.

Louis James fin teFhe Merry Wives of
 Windsor.
 An audience not numerous but en- couragingly appreciatfve, saw 'The Merry Wives of Windsor, presented with passing excellence by Louis James and his company at the Montgomery Theatre Wednesday night. So eminent ly artistic was the acting, so clever the arrangement and so careful the detail- ed management of the mechanical pre- sentation of the great comedy, that 1t offered little, if any, front to critical
 Louis James played the part of Fal- staff magnificently and of the east, notably Norman Hackett, Aphie Page, Charlotte Lambert and Nellie McHenry. afforded him laudable support.
 Of '1The Merry Wives of Windsor as Shakespeare wrote it naught need here be set down; James version of it is notable The comedy that Mir. James and his fellows presented Wednesday night was such modification of the original that the changes in scene and line, the encouragement, the expurga- tions, were pereeptible by even the cas- ual reader of the dramatic poet. He had than even his very candid-and be 1t said, eminently just-advanced notice had indicated.
 Two characters, Fenton and Doctor Caius, in love Mistress Anne Page and mine host of the Garter, were not among the dramatic personae of the James version; other characters by no means colorless in the"Collected Works of Shakespeare" were subordinated thoroughly and scenes in which they once had part were eliminated.
 It must not be supposed, however, the text merely to afford himself an eminent role. The characters, and therefore the scenes in which they ap- ment of the drama; indeed, their omis- sion may have quickenee rather than retarded he motir, and while their ab- sence was noticed 1t was not regretted. It is to be borne in mInd, too, that the modern audience does not stand so much in need of detailed elucidation of plot as did the people for whom the play was made.
 His purpose in elimination of unclean word and phrase, of course, needs no explanation. By expunging many lines he has subdued somewhat the broad ness of the plot, but only to avoid of- fense to modern playgoers who prefer that the spade of the Sixteenth Centu- ry comedy be disguised, in the Twen- tfeth Century problem play as an im- plement employed for excavation; and with similar intent MT. James emascu- lated the dialogue of the undainty words that used to be colloquial pleas antrfes. And in doing all these things he has touched the work of the Master with reverence as we'll as with the art of the stage of today, and the great comedy, softened to to the sweeter tone of modern speech and modern life, rings true to It's pristine glory of good cheer, unfailing humor and unsurpass- ed wit.
 To be in accord with the frankness with which his version has been ex- plained by his agents one must here state that MT. James introduced Into 'The Merry Wives of Windsor" the speech by Flanstaff in the first part of Henry ", beginning What is Hon or?" and if that needs excuse, MT. | James's pleasing declration of the for l eign matter is sufficient for his ac- quittaL
 The accelerated movement obtained | by curtailment did not mar the effec- l tlveness of the situations of the play, | each of which was so properly accen- | tuated that 1t lost none of its honor | In the details of costume and scenery. | no pains, seemingly. had been spared | to make the production adequate, even with the result that the au- | 1ience did not find 1t difficult to en- ter into sympathetic comprehension of | manners and spech long since obsO- | etc.
 The artistic subdual with which MrI James had treated the plot marked | lis acting of Falstaff. Without shad | owing the high color of the character | le artistically blends with the mon- | trous faults that in the play as 1t | s read, amuse without making appeal. l } JoYtaltty humor so inevitable and ]