The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-06-03
\ II A M A TIC
u S 6 RE
By the Usher

After hearing Henry Lawrence
Southwicks reading of King Rich
ard the Third n cannot help re-
greeting that the play apparently has
been shelVed by American actors. AL
though the tragedy is properly con-
and although it is essentially a one
man production, it contains a num-
Der of strong scenes that make it APP
peal to tho broadening and rising taste
OF the American thcatcrgoing public.
1t contains enough tragedy to sup
ply a dozen aspiring playwrights With
plots, Murder stalks acros the stage
hand in hand with Richard. The play
opens With the funeral procession of
iilfhard. With cat-like villainy, dis
patches friend or relative at will.
Even the dour Macbeth-in blood,
stepped in so far that returning were
as terious MS ge o'cr"-could not con-
jure up the crimes of Richard.
Mr., Southwick's reading taught the
evils of ambition. when not held in
check by moral restraints. Every
chafact'rlstic of tn" tiger king was
brought out with truly artistic vivid
ness. His deforlnitv. his continual
Schcmlng and his restlessness were
GraWn with wonderful i]nterpretative
power.
but ii was in the last act that Mi.
southWick brought out the real
strength and the real glory of his
work as an interpreter of Shakespeare.
The dream. in which Richard saw he
spirits of his victims. II then the
last stand on the hattletield--the only
Iedeemins feature OF a character
stepped in blood-were depicted. with
All heir sadness. With all their fury.
IN a ann thar may nu,-a Lao,,
eq"aled, but never surpassed on a
local stage, a reader more thorough
y up to his art than is Mr.. Southwick
in Richard is hard to imagine.
In his women characters, Mr.. South
WICK again demonstrated his WONDER
lul ability to portray feminine roles
Wl1h"ut losing. his own personality.
50 many mel readers in characterize
ing tnclr women, become effeminate
and the effort to make the character
succeed Is obvious. But with Mr..
SouthWick this is lacking. The wom-
TN stand out AS truly feminine char
artef<, hut behind it all there is the
strong personality Of the reader.
= X X r
nc curtain has been rung down on
the 19lf-1912 theatrical season. The
stock companies are now in
lull swing, and during the warm
lpohths Will occasionally launch a new
pay. Several plaNwrights will have
thelr dramas tested by the best of
'hese companies. nc if they prove
successful in stock they will he launch
ed IN New York next fall. The Belas-
60 STOCK company of Los Angeles will
make several such tests Of plays by
Well known playwrights during the
next few weeks.
1he past season has been an ex-
c~"ptionally successful one, although
fhcrr have been "a number of disau-
pointing productions. According TO
lsnr' compiled by the Dramatic Mir.
for there we're 400 plays produced
during the year as against $3.50 last
season. Of this number 163 We're new.
Pr"dnctlons, or thirteen more new
niaNs than We're presented last YEAR.
SlStS-tWo of these plays received more
than fifty performances. while only "a
were given more than one hundred
OF the 1913 new plays. onlv nine
We're able tn weather the storm of
.oo-and.more performances. One of
these plays. The Pink Lady" was
given its initial performance last year.
can scarcely be included in the
!lst. In getting down to fine points,
the Hippodrome must also be taken
rom the scroll. This leaves the fol
lowing sever plays. which can really
pc called successful: Bought ard
i,ail For. "Bunty Pulls the Strings"
D~lsraeH,' The Garden OF Allah.
The Quaker Girl The Return nf
Peter Grimm" AN The Woman"