New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-05
THE GAEGEN THEATRE.
Shakespearian Revivals.

Mr. Rea Greet who .vi.h his company OF
Players" appeared last night Of the Garden Thea
ire. in Shakespeare comedy 81 The MerchaE,t OF
Venice" IS q theatrical performer moro ren'9rka-
BE for his pretensious than for his artistic accom-
rlishrnent Mr. Greet announces a pressatrnent or
Shakespeare's plays rs Shakespeare wrote them.
That 8 tklES not desirable 70 b lone 4he
PLAYS OF Shakes2e as Shakespeare wrote them
contain vulgar words eCd vulgar coloQues; several
obs.e!ties several coarse and Earbarous Incidents:
and considerable quantity Of unnecessary ian
EuaFe that unnecessary language having been
used by the author order. IN Il measure, TO sup
piy the place Of suitable scenic illustration. AIRY
per=o. who desires TO become acquainted with tho
.yersa OF Shakespeare they written can
-esdl!y satisfy that desire by reading them The
prescntreut Of any Of his plays precisely rs 1t
stands upon the printed page must, necessarily, in
tGs modern theatre be always tedious and some
times offensive. What. for example Is gained. in
presentation OF king Lear" by using Scene OF
Act III-speaking fl Il is written. and acting It
as. of course. It should be acted II spoken7 What
IS gained. IN performance OF The Merchant or
Venice" by the retention OF tho whole Of Scene
of Act "? At least two OF the plays OF Shake
sneare moreover are not suitable for public rep
resentation n aI.-namely Measure for Measure
and "Pericles Prince OF Tyre; the former with
It's hideous portrayal OF loathsome lust. and tho
latter. with !ts Instructive" picture Of life In
hro;hei As 10 Titus AndronIcus." and some other
swset-scented things in which the Bard was more
or less concerned less IT is TO DO hoped. comment
IS needless.
Intelligent actors in making productions Of
Shakespeare. have always cut and adapted his
plays for presentation in the modern theatre.
emitting the superluities, and making use OF seen
cry and other accessories essential to berate and
heighten their dramatic effect. The ministrations
of Mr.. Greet have been represented education
al at least they have been described I'm com
munications. seemingly authorized that have, from
time to time. reached this paper: and Mr.. Greet has
been received with some favor at various colleges
and schools tn different parts of this country. Mr.
Greet however is not educator. is no
theatrical manager. His position is that Of show
There is no reproach in that pursuit or that
designation, but the pose OF scholarly superiority
and educational purpose on the part OF Mr.. Greet
savors somewhat OF humbug, and 1t might wisely
be dropped. Such success as that performer has
obtained in America rests on the production of
''Eiveryman" with Miss Edith Wynne Mathison in
the leading part and II Is understood that tho dis
covery and resuscitation Of "Everyman' We're orig
inal with Miss Mathison. who. It has been init
mated, obtained a copy OF that antiquity from
either the British Museum the Bodleian Library
at Oxford and mainly instrumental in procur-
ing its presentment
As an actor Mr. Greet possesses the advantages
Of considerable theatrical experience combined with
a respectable endowment Of commonplace talent,
and those equipments reinforced in him by a
somewhat exceptional complacency of self-asser-
ton. His tone. from the first. has been that OF
condescension and patronage, alike of our Stage
which have been seen in this city, made
uuate as to cause feeling of astonishment at his
temerty in presenting them. His performance Of
Tony Lumpkin for instance. might be mentioned
as a signal example OF professional incapacity: II
was distinctly an object lesson Of what not to do
Last night Mr.. Greet appeared as Shylock. II Is
not an obscure character. and, possibly. Mr. Greet
understands it. He did not, however give any In
dication OF doing OF intrinsic power and force
Of character he made no impairment but from time
10 time he made considerable noise. He looked and
behaved like a Jewish man in the street'-Baxter
street His utterance was execrable, being some
times puddng-voiced sometimes high. thin and
nasal and at all times Insignificant. During the
scene with Antonio and Bassano he continually
1ngled coins In his pocket When he spoke Let
me see the rate lie drew figures on the ground
with his walking stick-probably having heard OF
Keanes business with his sword in the tent
scene OF Richard III But detailed consideration
OF this exhibition would be a waste OF time. Mr..
Greet might. perhaps. act Moses. in The school
for Scandal Shylock is as far above his reach
is the moon The performance of the entire
company is not acting. Il is defamation.