New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-19
THE DRAMA.
THE sOTHERN-MARLowE SEASON.
"The Merchant of Venice"

n the Lyric Theatre last night shakespeare,s
.-aat comedy 81 THE Merchant OF Venice was
-spresened. Mr.. Sothern appearing as Shyoclz and
,res AIarlowe appearing as Portia: and the same
-err7rrance viii be repeated this evening as also
:. 7r5u ne according TO present announcement on
he evening OF March g when those popular nlavers
nil say Farewell. Mr.. Sothern IS not possessed OF
stber the mental force. the personal authority the
.o-rid consuming passion. or the physical mower
.Ast are inperativey essential FOR a true persona
.,or II ShyIock, and consequently the actor &c
oLIfte-Ated BY the character Fanny KeubIe-yyho
kne7g something about Acting-sonaewhere spealSs
nf those rare gifts OF nature without which art
.lons IS g dead body" In Mr. SotherD's perform
.ncs Of Shylock there ere results or study aud de-
notenents OF ART but his ideal Of the character IS
incorrect and his execution OF Il is comparatlyaIv
Ineffective He strives 10 make ShyIock \ szr7na-
ghetto person. 10 invest him with the attributes Of
the ahectIonate. though austere father and of the
Injured suffering. IongendurinG victim OF persecu-
,ior and likewise with the characteristics Of q
majestic representative Of Hebrew religion In all
that he follows copious example-onIy there is
10 Justification for il in the text OF Shakespeare
shylock IS a malignant villain-picturesdl and
SPLENDID his vilany. but all the same villain
snd thai is the end OF the subject. But whether
majestic Internal the part IS completely beyoad
NJ sotherns reach. and he would be wise to let #
alone
IT, however. Shylock IS to be retained in his
repertory. when he appears in London, where they
know something about this subject and possess
sandard Of ccriticistn, Il might be judicious for the
actor remember. and practically apply the re-
rerlbranCe, that i IS not we'll to use draperv IN
such a way 10 stunt short figure: nor 10 nut
40 much hair on Shylock's face as TO obscure its
EXPRESSION, nor 10 try 10 endow the Jew with
thick nasal, pudding-voiced utterance; nor 20 let
shyock paw Antonio: nor 10 convert the scene
Jessica's fight into either circus performance or
concert: not even 10 allow Shylock TO assume
sitting posture IN the street scene. which should
h al passion and action ana which AIr. Sothern
makes feeble and fatuous by bobbiHg up and down
IKE 4 jumQing-jack; nor, in initiating the stage
business Of Henry Irving. 10 II by striving to
s.hstts- Tho instruction
Mss Marlove's performance Of Portia IS not
If her decisive victories for the obvious reason that
+rs mart does not arouse her enthusiasm; At least It
d. noq seem 20 do on this occasion Miss Mar
rive is not light actrers who be serious. but
= serious actress who can be light. Her highest
mood is serious. She Is sympathetic with passion
and romano She Is closer TO juliet than 10 PoTa.
Her arch ulayf-iless. nevertheless. very
s1hEhty and winning. She was at her best when
err the situation became grave and such might
7-puss The s9lictude or tenderness Of the woman's
heart But there is no need 10 linger upon this
sgbiect lI~. S0thern's 7reseutmeut Of the old play
IS ambitious elaborate. and. the whole. tedious.
Some Of The auziiia- performances are particu-
lsrly wicked. Mr.. Rowland Blackstone. who tried
10 play Laucelot Gobb0 gave d performance that
Is mildly described noisy. vulgar. boorish. unin-
ieIligen-. and IN respect c0r-lcal. OLD CIob5O.
made up as a dirty combination OF Father Time.
old Methuzaleh and the Wandering Jew. vanished
into shylock's house (Which was conveniently 10
cztsd on both sides OF the stage. and never came
OF again. II seems the rule 10 take all sorts of
lfberties with this play. Mr. Sothern's version is
uatchvo-k The audience was numerous, and 1t
seemed 10 be happy