Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-07-29
THE NOTED BEN
Greet PLAYERS
Communication From Rev. Metcalf,
Who Recently saw These
Artists in Chicago.

coming 10 webster ClCy, anu tu6 uu-
usual treat for lovers of the best in
Shakespeare is made possible by this
years local Chautauqua program. It
is Ben Greet's distinction that he
has revived the drama in its origin
al mode Of open air presentation. 1t
will be remembered that the early
English plays were given in the
open air, with very crude stage
properties and with little or no
scenery. In those days the effect
upon the audience depended wholly
upon the skill with which the lines
were acted. Nothing was added for
the eye by painted scenery; every
thing depended upon the words and
the acting of the play. The Ben
Greet players are an English COM
pany, and they have won for them
selves fame by their out door pre-
sentation of Shakespearian plays
and other worthwhile roles. TWEEN
ty-five years in England and nine
years in the United States, these
modern "strolling players" have, in
a large measure, reproduced the con-
ditions under which wandering
bands of actors entertained gala
multitudes in the spacious days Of
Queen Elizabeth, when Will Shakes
peare, himself ''strolling player"
was presenting to the wide world
his wonderful creations. Everywhere
Ben Greets work has met with sig
nal success, and he has built up in
ternational fame upon these unique
reproductions.
The writer of this note recently
saw the Ben Greet Players in one Of
their favorite roles. 1t was in the
immense Auditorium theater at Chi
cago. There they we're one of the
most popular attractions Of nota-
BILE house famous for staging only
the very best And the house was
full There in Chicago one might
pay the price of Webster City sea-
son ticket to see one performance o.
the Ben Greet players. The play
that night was, Midsummer
Nights Dream" one of the plays ad-
vertised for the local Chautauqua
program: That evening. will never
be forgotten. In Chicago the plays
ers had the doubtful advantage of
elaborate stage settings which made
the play fairy story. But after all,
these accessories to good acting are
apt to divert the attention from the
real and abiding interest of the
play, and the advantage may really
lie with the original plain outdoor
stage without elaborate settings.
Those who have seen the famous
miracle-play 'Everyman', which is
presented upon a bare and open
stage such as for which 'Everyman'
was originally written, are uniform
in their testimony that the dramatic
interest is intense. Press notices
following the Ben Greet players uni
formly say the same of their presen-
tations THE plays the thing" and
not the stage or the scenery. The
writer has seen nothing superior to
the presentation by the Ben Greet
players of Shakespeare's "Midsum-
mer Nights Dream"
What is good enough for the Chi
cago Auditorium surely ought to be
a successful attraction for the Web
ster City Chautauqua. Midsummer
Nights Dream and, "As You Like
IT, 1t is understood are to consti-
tute the Webster City program. One
play will be given in the afternoon
and the. other in the evening. No
body in Hamilton county can afford
to miss these entertainments. The
entire area of the ChautauQua
grounds ought to be covered by the
audience which will see these plays.
This note is written TO warn the
public OF unique opportunity. The
playing cannot be spoken of too
highly nor advertised too widely.
Webster City people are to be con-
graduated upon the opportunity to
witness this first class metropolitan
program. and everybody ought to
see the plays.
Many other superior things are on
the approaching Chautauqua pro-
gram. Notable among these is the
lecture by the widow of General
Pickett of Gettysburg fame. 1t hap
pens that the writer has heard Mrs
Pickett's address and that he can
commend It to the public. "Pickett's
Charge at Gettysburg" is the title
of the address. Mrs Pickett carries
one with her across the death-swep,
field, where men were moved into
windrows and left dying and dead
and she halts not until her handful