Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-03-19
The Holy City"

''The Holy City, was presented in
Chandler Music hall Saturday night by
Clarence Benefits company of actors,
who brought histrionic ability of more
than the usual order to the difficult per-
Torrance of tragic scenes from the New
Testament. Costumes, evidently the result
of careful study of the period of the Cos
pei story, and no mean attempt at stage
reproduction of the gorgeous magnificence
of Herod's court, gave the piece an admir-
able setting. The greatest skill in stage
craft, how ever, is weak and inadequate be-
fore so sublime theme as the Gospel mar
rative, and it is proof of the innate relig-
ious sense of people that the awful
death and sacrifice of the Son of God and
the martyrdom of his followers should
seem beyond the reach of dramatic art
and the purposes of an evenings enter
tainment.
Mr. Bennett was cast for the roles of
John the Baptist and Judas Iscariot and,
in the latter, perhaps, gave the greater
satisfaction. Certainly his portrayal of
the passionate, jealous-spirited traitor,
tempted by his anger and cupidity and
tormented by his fears, was mastery
impersonation. In his conception of
John the Baptist, Mr.. Bennett seemed to
have more in mind the mild, diyiner tenn
permanent of the Master than the forceful,
denunciatory nature of the Forerunner.
Capitola Marshall as Elizabeth was
strong in the tragic requirements of
part that gave more prominence to Eliza
beth than a strict following of the New
Testament account would warrant. The
mothers grief and fondling of the sew
cred head of her son had a naturalness
that robbed the scene of some of its
chs tlu nd 81 10
curse upon Herod and his court with
force which rose grandly above violence
to suggest prophetic vision.
Salome was played by Edna Marshall,
who made the daughter of Herodias re-
veal in every move of leopard-like grace
the untamed nature whose fierce cruelty
could demand the head of a prophet as
the favor of a dance. The dance itself
was the poetry of motion and might well
charm king. Though the beautiful
princess was not a character to admire,
one could not withhold admiration from
the art that so consistently betrayed the
depravity lurking behind her loneliness
of face.
Harry l.. Arnold assumed the role of
Herod, the petty king OF Galilee, with
truly majestic mien and bore himself
with regal dignity in moments of pomp
and splendor. Equally well did he show
forth the cowardly monarch cringing in
fear and trembling or rioting in his cups.
Andrew, as represented by Morris Dom
naliy, was winning personality, meet to
be Zone of His disciples" His gentle
aspect was in perfect keeping with his
professions and his earnestness had the
charm of seeming unaffected.
George V. Dill made gallant young
Roman as Marius, and Norbert Myles
presented Caiaphas with true apprecia-
ton of the scheming vengefulness of the
naughty high priest. Louis III. Bostock,
as the centurion Longinus, Frank Atten-
burg as st. Peter and Elizabeth Alien as
Mary Magdalene were other worthy
members of good support.
As the company remained in town over
Sunday, Mr.. Bennett, who is 32d degree
Mason, was invited to address the local
fraternity Sunday evening at Bethany
church. He took for his topic the
Brotherhood of Man," and endeavored
to dispel the popular idea that good
works alone can save man without the
faith from which such works should
spring.