The Washington times., 1914-03-17
Robertson
= First Bill
Hamlet

=, NOS an audience of many types
at assembled at the Belasco TEeater
&C, NIGHT TO welcome ana 10 say rare
III ia Sir JohGstCn Forbes Robertson,
bo bersn an engagement of one week.
bich will mark his last appearance
n the stage in Washington
They came from all walks of life, and
hiIa showing the.r utmost 2pprecIa-
ON of his magnificent portrayal o.
IamIet, an underlying atmosphere vi
.,dness pervaded the theater.
In choosing Hamlet for his opening
IN Sir Johnston save the only Shake
-pearean offering which he will play
ring his engagement here. His Ham
Il has lonC been given first place
monc the Hamiets OF all time. Just as
. is recognized as the greatest living
f.urIish speaking actor. so hne
hin, IS -thist Hamlet. however, I'M
..roves as the years go oF. ara VIZ, VIZ,
=, hich an intellect such as his is oouhu
20 give anything upon which II Norhs'
,ecomes his Hamlet OF last night. "hich
yas the best we have ever had.
Sir Johnston OF all ohakespeasI.as s.as
actors, is the one 10 me "no nianes ,,,es
iamlet-both play and character, scms-
hing real, human. II is not over
urdened with mystery or esoteii.
meaning, but Is a PLAIN. common -neia
iay Hamlet, the principal figure IN
moving tragedv in ID; well constructed
pay of thrilling interest, as IL "ouIu
nc billed on broadway IL Il were ~
produced with modern c!otheS dItu
scenic invcstiture win e:s. rorpe .iueost
cons treatment Hamlet becomes allnosI
:; mooern drama, absoroinGly interes-
7Dr every moment. and as plain anu
understandable as a Ninth street NOV
ing picture scenario ...
h, y,hr mr.
nj clear and realistic exposition Oh
me plot as anv author. dead or alive,
would wish to see his play presented.
With such treatment IL is not neces-
sary to be classified among the so
allej true lovers oil Shakespeare IN
Srder to enjoy a performance Of Hamlet
bv Forbes Robertson. Probooly this
81 i'll not be anything in the way OF eA-
lusive information, for either forbeS
Robertscn or his manaSers, because
noticed on the program that he is play
.aE Hamlet again at the Wednesaa!
matinee and il has never been before
The habit of Shapespearean actofs 10
,ut on this play for matinee bill.
Forbes Robertson does not depend
.pon a great scenic production to NIL
ne eye and hold the attention. There
are no spectacular features: no Sensa-
Iionalism- There Is. however, most
tarticular attention given 20 every es-
sential detail. to all that bears On the
he text Not only does this apply to
ne role of Hamlet. but ito tthe enact
Inent of every role i'll the play Inc
tagging, the business, the action, as
well as the speeches of all concerned.
.yere controlled with a dominating In
.slligence to make plain and real and
seeming as a picture of life, with
.ctual people concerned in natural IN
,idents. ::
AS Forbes Robertson plays him, the
fe hnH inn
OF sympathetic humanity. He has made
MIN the most intimate figure which L
nave ever seen on the modern stage
The absence of elaborate scenic sf-
iect not only expedited the performance.
but allows the keeping i'll OF several
important scenes usually omitted in lat
ler-year presentations OF the play
These included the always effective cne
presenting the arrival of Fortinoras
IN the finale
Robertson was the most interestingly
PLAYED role. HIS conception seems easy
and simple after one has seen II. but
he is without question the first to have
realized such possibilities. 1t is super
.ative comedy
Gertrude Elliott's Ophelia was full of
sympathy and was done with the same
effective methods which governed the
work of the two Robertsons. She did
best in aer mad scene. Adeline
through her uncommonly ssoDd work.
and she, too, made the queen human.
others worthy of special mention were
Walter Bingham as the King, Charles
Graham as Laertes, :. \. CookSon as
Horatio Montague Rutherford and L.
y. Ross as Gilderstern and Rosen-
Crantz. Percy Rhodes as the Ghost, II.
-Athcl Forde and :. T. Pearce as the
r7rst and second gravcdiGgcrs, and
;rendon Bentley as F'Ortinbras. All
rha ct 4 fa.aT.tps ANA
Iood work
rs noted above. Hamlet will he given
gain on Wednesday afternoon, and it
win also chose Sir JOnnston's engage
ment on Saturday night. Tonight and
Failed'' will be the bill; on "Wednesday
right and Saturday matinee, The Pass
fng Of the Third Floor Back.-' and on
thursday night Mice and Men
\. II. l..