The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-04-13
ADJUSTMENTS

a unique interesting and high class en-
tertainment is that furnished by the Ben
Greet players in connection with the Rus
sian Symphony orchestra. After witness
Ing the performance Of "A Midsummer
Nights Dream. which opened the en-
gagement at the Salt Lake theatre last
evening one IS in doubt as to which
should be mentioned first. the players
or the orchestra Probably q majority
OF those VINO attended. after due consid-
Grafton. Will give the honors to the or
chestrs- This Is no reflection on the act
ors. but il means that the orchestra is a
little higher in the scale Of musical or
carnations OF this character than IS the
playing company In comparison With 9TH
er similar aggregations. And vet there
are many who VIII dispute this. and so
let it be said that both are good.
A continuous musical comedy. book by
William Shakespeare. score by Moses
MendslssOhu, this production would he
STYLED in the program if it had been a
modern production Shakespeare's cele-
I brated comedy burlesqG ira va ganza
has been transformed into a continuous
procession OF selected scenes. altered TO
suit. and music by Mendelssohn including
many familiar selections has been adaDt-
ed TO this iibrettO
The effect is highly interesting
The Ben Greet PLAYERS. as is generally
known, make speciality Of al fresco per-
/ formances. and their productions are ar
ranged for background Of woods Last
evening there were no woods but cur
tain in the rear Of the stage formed a
substitute. and the drou curtain never
was down curing the nearly two and one
half hours Of steady performance. Had
| 1t not been for the relief furnished By the
orchestra. this could not help prove
wearying. despite the excellent quality of
the acting As it was. the strain was
rather severe, especially on those who
I like between acts to study the persons
in the audience and gossip thereon.
MT Greet has developed his production
on the stage along low comedy lines. with
touches Of extravaganza. which is prob
ably the way Shakespeare intended but
which brought out numerous iuconRrliotis
effects which might shock intensely seri-
Gus WorShipers at the shrines OF the
genius playwright and the genius COM
] poser. For example. 10 was rather start
I ling to sec an acrObatic Puck reminding
/ one OF the Devils Auction I'm his gen
eral methods. grimacing and turning con
tOru0nistic soIneTsault TO a Mend elssohn
ScherzO or Nocturne. Then again the
name of this great musician has never
4 been associated with buffoOnery. Yet the
Greet production or the scene Of the
cloWnish players before the duke is bur
lesque so broad and so extreme that II
makes one think OF Murray and Mack
while the instruments in the orchestra
/ even though they are following the score
of the sacred Mendelssohn in the main.
utter loud outlaws. All Of which. as has
been stated, is probably the way shake
speare meant it, but is startling. never
eiAtfeS9s u lllpSt WHO leel fuat soulful
mental attitude should always be assumed
IN connection with anything either of the
| two geniuses might have done.
The orchestra was perhaps at its best
IN tne overture. although It reused the
greatest applause with the ''Spring Sonz .
accompanying a dance OF fairies and rem
dered with great delicacy and expression.
/ and in the Wedding March" both OF
| winch are more generally familiar
"A Midsummer Nights Dream" will be
/ the oil until Wednesday evening. when
Inc Tempest viii be produced. closing
the enga cement.