The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-17
ADJUSTMENTS.
Mantell as Hamlet.

THE CAST.
Hamlet Mr.. Mantell.
Francisco, soldier, Mr.. Charles Kean.
Officers
Bernardo, Mr.. George Gould.
Marcellut, Mr.. Hugh Jeffrey.
Horatio, friend of Hamlet, Mr.. Guy
Lndsley.
The ghost of Hamlet's father, Mr.
George Stilwell.
Polonius, lord chamberlain, Mr.. AL
fred Hastings.
Claudius, King of Denmark, Mr.. Henry
Fearing.
Laertes, son of Polonius. Mr.. Fritz Lei
Der
Courtiers:
Rosencrantz. Mr.. Casson Ferguson.
Guidenstern Mr.. Oscar Pnefferle.
An actor, Mr.. Stilwell.
Another actor, Mr.. Harry Kearns.
An officer, Mr.. Frederick Baldwin.
A gravedigger, Mr.. Edward Levers.
Another. Mr. Pfefferle.
Osric, courtier Mr.. Howard Bartz.
A priest, Mr.. George Anderson.
Ophelia, Miss Marie Booth Russell
Gertrude Miss Genevieve Reynolds.
The player queen, Miss Agnes Elliot
Scott.
The crimson curtain bearing the mono
gram Of Robert Mantell was lifted at
the Jefferson last night on the ghost
scene in Hamlet. The play throughout
was admirably acted, many OF the scenes
being up to the highest standard of
dramatic art in detail and portrayal.
For centuries scholars have analysed
this, the greatest play ever written. Its
philosophy, sophistry and wit are I'M
surpassed and has been the despair of the
student and the critic, so subtle and COM
prehensive is the story of the mock
mad Dane.
There is nothing of the conventional
life in it and yet through the whole
warp and wool there runs the thread of
human nature acted but that never was
really lived. The poetic tone, like dark,
rich red wine moves the mind and heart
and impulses of our latent selves until
we are saturated and realize the mastery
power of a great actor, such as Man
tell IL.
The insanity of genius is the master key
and the lines:
THE plays the thing
w neIeWltu II CdlCtl Tie COHSEltHCe VI
the king
In the ghost scenes Mantell showed the
most intensely natural but artistic rem
dering; and the dropping from the actor
to the instructor IN the part with the
players was orignN-the contrast serving
to emphasize the stronger parts. His
stage movements are graceful and free
from strut. His splendid voice never
at any time ran to ranting, and rounded
in the soliloquy and the stronger phras-
ing. In the part with Ophelia he bore
himself with that abstract indifference
which strongly marks the trend of his
mind among things to the serious bust
ness before him.
Laertes as played by Fritz Leiber, the
young German actor, was highly credit
able. With fine physique, q splendid
voice and genius that promises well he
has a brilliant future.
Edward Levers as the gravedigger
made the most of the part and is fully
up to any who have done this weird but
witty part.
Miss Russell as Ophelia-a vision OF
beauty in white with golden hair and
blue eyes, graceful and soulfully appeal
ing in her madness-was all that could
be desired in this pathetically sad part
There have been better Polonius thar
Mr.. Hastings, and Horatio as played by
Guy Lindsey Is somewhat lacking in the
inspiration OF dramatic genius.
Tho ghost, George Stilwen. was wei
acted.
The Claudius of Henry Fearing and the
Queen mother, Miss Reynolds, were fair
ly good.
The scenery and staging were up to the
very highest standard and the play waf
all in all by far the best seen in Bir-
mingham in several years.
The attraction for the matinee this aft
ernoon will be the romantic play, Romeo
and Juliet" and tonight the Merchant Of
Venice" will be presented. The people
Of Birmingham end students especially