The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-08-20

With voice and action excelienty
suited to his task, Montaville Flowers,
well-known lecturer, gave an imper-
sonation of Hamlet" of Shakespeare's
tragedy before a large and apprecia-
tive audience at the Chautauqua last
night. Nothing of similar nature has
been heard here this year.
Sunshine" Hawks, platform mana
ger introduced Mr.. Flowers, saying
he is the best interpreter of Shakes
peare on the Chautauqua platform and
warm welcome was given the lectur-
er when he stepped forward.
Hamlet Not Insane.
He preluded his impersonation with
brief discussion of Hamlet. Since
practically all criticism of Hamlet cen
tcrs on the question, WAS Hamlet
Mad?" Mr.. Flowers answers the prob
lem in the negative, saying:
Hamlet is treated as a boy. Is he
insane? No. And we of the twentieth
century can appreciate that he is not
better than those critics who lived in
earlier centuries. He says he intends
to act so as to deceive his uncle whom
he suspects, practically knows is the
murderer of his father, the King of
Denmark.
Hamlet is a young man, sensitive,
gentle, universally loved with extra
ordinary brilliancy of mind and pos
sessing an extensive vocabulary of
words and phrases which often make
him misunderstood by his less intel
lectual friends. Horatio, Hamlet's bos-
ON friend thinks he is mad, his moth
er and sweetheart, Ophelia, cry
aloud that he is insane and Polonius
asks him that significant question.
do you know me-" and believes him
mad when Hamlet answers: Excel
lent we'll: You are fishmonger"
Play in Three Parts.
Mr. Flowers gave the play in three
parts, outlining it after the first ap-
pearance of the ghost of his father.
The impersonator displayed his ap-
preciation of the root of the tragedy
of Hamlet by emphasizing the most
affecting point-the ruin and downfall
of ahigh and noble soul. 1t is this
the play that is the tragedy, he said.
Emotions Brought Out.
Throughout his production, Monta-
vile Flowers, brought out wherever
it came in the play, passion, anger, re-
morse, love kindliness, and other feel
ings and characteristic actions of the
players in the tragedy. With equal
81
wants and guards. He mimiced we'll
the deep toned utterances of the King,
Hamlets uncle, the plaintiff voice of
Ophelia and the conversation of Ham
let, sorrowful, sarcastic, angry at diff
ferent times.
Hamlet's emotions in the play are
varied and Mr.. Flowers impersonated
true degree The genius of Shakes
peare was shown in his task and his
audience was given true glimpse of
Hamlet's nature.
Dialogue and Soliloquy.
Bits of dialogue and soliloquy, diff
ficult for the speaker but imperson-
ated by him remarkably we'll arous-
S0 dIiOh VI HIS duuIcuCc. AL
ter each act he was enthusiastically
applauded.
Mr. Flowers on being introduced de-
clared that he had two lectures for the
audience to decide which they would
rather hear. Either the impersonation
of Hamlet or a lecture called the Col.
ored Guard and Picket Line. a discus
sion of Japan's foothold in the United
States. He said he preferred to give
the lecture but would leave il to a
vote The people decided for the i'm
personation OF Hamlet and so today
Mr. Flowers gave his lecture on ia
pan.
GIee Club Popular.
With each appearance the ability
of the Illinois Gle Club, composed of
four young Chautauqua singers, is
shown to better degree and they are
rapidly establishing themselves in the
admiration of the audiences attending
the Richmond Chautauqua- Each has
a voice of good tone.
Following is the program rendered
last evening:
In the Shadows and Soft and Low
The Bells.
Saldrus chorus from Faust and Way
Down South-Quartette.
Continued on Page Three)