The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-24

twill you see the players well bestowed?
K eAhey are the abstracts and brief chron-
icles of the time"
tks M Hamlet
YPROPOSE to give series of brief
sketches, or pen pictures, of certain
1 tragedians who have most proudly
won the applause of the world, as they
have blended the graces of histrionic art
with an analytical Interpretation OF the
psychological complexities of the master
play, Hamlet
For this pleasant task I am nos Also
tutely united In the first place / have
/ students knowledge of ''Hamlet.' In
my early childhood l was led to read
Shakespeare and to learn many of his
lines ''by heart" Later In life became
critical student of the maSchless plays
Ind thus intensified my love for them
Ind my interest in their correct in
depreciation
In the second place. I have always
known men and women in the Sock and
Buslzin' profession, and have ever given
willing ear to stage annals and tradi-
+ hons- 1 have, also, published historical
Ind reminiscent sketches of the stage
and of Its people, which am enabled to
10 by following their fortunes and mis-
fortunes through many years with a
Kindly and sympathetic interest, born of
personal acquaintanceship in many in
stances. Therefore, / say, that am not
Absolutely untitled for what have called
"a pleasant task" t,.as
The list of really great Hamlets Is
short one Not that the character has
fIa-t- r,frrt,f
! bf the Buskin, for It has 1t is the am
bition, indeed, of every actor to play
I Hamlet Even number of women have
\ attempted It, as witness: Mrs. Shaw, Mrs.
Battersby, the Bateman sisters, Miss
Charlotte Cushman, and even Madam
Bernhard with her almost shadowless
tenuity, and others But only few
players have achieved brilliant success
Ind lasting fame as the Sweet Prince
6oratios dear friend
The reason is quite patent The charac-
Ter of Hamlet is SO varied, ranging from
the emotion of intensest horror to the
level of lightest levity; from the tender
est sentiments of the soul to the stormiest
Hhirlwind of passion; from the material
10 the IDEAL from the commonplace to
the profoundest philosophical reasoning,
and in all these complex sensations the
actor is to maintain the dignity, the rer-
bonality and the ideality of a prince.
Then too the Hamlet of the drama is
10 appealingly pathetic in his affliction,
DO gentle in his quiet moods and or SO re-
lined a nature, that unless an actor par
take inherently and essentially OF these
qualities. his Hamlet win lack spontanei-
ty and thus be "stale, fiat and unprofita-
ble." Indeed, have sometimes thought
that only a gentleman, one born of gen.
he blood, should essay the part, but in
this suppose am in error, for several
successful Hamlets came from the hum
blest walks OF life. But for the most
part. he who is lacking in birth is apt
1t some point to show that he is not "ey-
cry inch a prince Of Denmark
The greatest actor that America gave
10 the stage to play general tragedy was
not a great Hamlet speak of Edwin
Forrest. Though 1 was a child when
saw him, I still remember him well He
was typical virginius. a peerless Spar
ticus thrilling Coriolanus, the most
eonsummate Iago, princely Othello, an
ideal Ingomar and matchless as the mad
King Lear. His thunderous voice in pas
sion was like the roar Of a storm and
the strides of his colossal body across
The stage seemed to make the theatre
trelnble But as Hamlet he was not EN-
lncnt. Nor was John Mccullough, For
rests under-study Both were at their
best In massive-heroics
The first actors 10 play Hamlet were
Joseph Taylor and Richard Burbage; but
We know but little of the defects or ex-
oellence of their work.
GARRICK.
OF course. David Garrick was the Ham
1et. par excellence, of his times. He was
slight of stature, youthful In appearance
and socially as refined as a courtier. His
! voice was marvellously flexible and with
oat artifciality; he could adapt it to the
expression of every emotion of the soul.
&He could wear the ''sock'' or the bus
xSiny with equal facility. His fame is