The Washington herald., 1913-11-30
BY JAMES $. aiETcALF.

Forbes Robertson has not added great.
iy to his laurels by his production OF
The Merchant of Venice or his i'm
personation of Shylock. Those who re-
member the exquisite mounting of the
play given TO us by Sir Henry Irving
must have found the present setting
r5ther commonplace. 1t Is sufficient, but
only sufficient. Nor does the stars por.
/ tTayal of the Venetian usurer compel
9eat enthusiasm. This Shylock is not SO
much deeply embittered Jew, who re-
sents the contumely and oppression that
the Christians heap upon his race, as
money-lender who seeks revenge upon
competitor in his own line of business.
Take away from Shylock the racial. re-
without dignity. and, in spite OF all ms
charm OF tone and diction. this is the
defect Of Forbes-Robertson's Shylock.
Gertrude Elliott's Portia is done IN
ksocular vein and without the gay, sweet
and tender dignity with which its best
Interpreters have sought to endow the
part. Forbes Robertson has been at
Pains to say that he regarded The Mer-
chant of Venice entirely as comedy,
and it is evident from her performance
that his consort has taken him completely
at his word. There is hardly line she de-
iivers, not even the quality of mercy
speech, that does not carry with 1t the
suggestion of smile. None Of the other
members of the cast bring novelty or dis
tinction to the entrusted task, so The
Merchant of Venice" as done by Forbes
Robertson and his company, may be dis
missed as an agreeable. but by no means
noteworthy performance.
MIR. Maude's New One.
Mr.. Cyril Maude, in spite of the handi-
zap of being at an questionable theater
and appearing in plays that were not
new to New York, has been gaining in
popular appreciation, and with 'Grum-
py," a new piece here, bids fair to gain
the recognition he deserves as a finished
comedian, using the word in something
ether than its usual application to dia-
lect performance in a girl-and-music
show. He is a comedian in the sense Of
Iehe word that implies education, peri
sonal charm. and technical fineness.
Grumpy" is a sort of comedy-crime
play. Its hero is an old London barrister,
retired from the practice of his profess
sion, but who all of a sudden in his quiet
country house. and despite the infirmity
of his years, finds himself forced into the
solving of a great diamond robbery,
which has occurred under his own roof.
The play itself is ingenious, but on rather
conventional lines in its mystery and its
comedy situations. rs We know such
than our machine-made dramas intended
to exploit the abilities of some particu-
lar star.
Mr.. Maude's part is that of crochetty
and irritable old gentleman who, under
his petulant exterior, conceals a sense OF
humor, tenderness for the young per-
sons Of his blood, and, in spite of the
Enfirmities of his years. a keen brain
competent to cope with very expert
criminals. OF course, this is all very
STACEY, and TO enjoy it one must get into
that curious English frame of mind
which makes one really want to be
amused instead of taking our American
pose of amuse me if you can.
; Granting the necessary premises, Mr..
Maude gives us a thoroughly delightful
impersonation of the grufT and designedIy
whimsical old gentleman. 1t is obviously
ICting and obviously fooling but if we let
ourselves go the least bit We are bound
TO yield to the magnetism and personal
humor of the man in the part. His
little daughter" as he describes Miss
Margery Maude in his curtain speeches,
is a slender girl, hobbled in fashionable
gown, ,>~bsIt -chiPper,- bird-like. and suffici-
znt to the playing of the well-bred young
English person Just past the fiapper age.
rhe rest of the company is so English as
10 be not unde rstandable in some of the