Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-20
CROWD CHARMED
BY STRATFORD
PLAYERS
Merchant Of Venice" Well Pre-
scented at the Atlanta Theater.
Usual Booing in Gallery.
BY TARLEToN COLLIER.

by lAhLE ON LOE y En-
In this day Of reforms, particularly
where tho theater IL concerned, there
is nothing which demands a REFORM
er's heavy hand so much as the boo--
ishness OF some OF the numbers Of tho
gallery audiences in theaters OF At
lanta
Thursday night, for instance, at the
Atlanta Thcater the throngs upstairs
took 4 great deal from the enjoyment
Of a charming and conscientious per-
Torrance OF THE Merchant of Ven
ice" by the Stratford Memorial Play
ers.
But even with their rudeness and
clanking Of soda water bottles there
WAS no forgetting the fact that the
play was worthy entertainment, full
Of color. truthful OF details--even TO
the smaliest--and studiously sympsS
thetic of treatment.
Shyloek Too Plsintive.
There Is an intellectual quality
about the work OF the Memorial Play
ers so that you realize their claim TO
eminence as students and as the eE-
tablished administrators of Shake
speare's heritage IL pretty well
founded.
Mr. r. r. Benson leads the COM
pany. His studious Shylock was
rather too plaintive and too tenderly
sympathetic, II seemed There was
IRE enough and vindlctiveness enough
in his lines OF the first two scenes,
and then there seemed to come n
slight waning.
But perhaps the impression came as
much because OF a wiStful and for
lorn facial expression not at all that
- GhzrIAgl.au nv
thing else. He must be an admirable
Jacques or Hamlet
Miss Green Plays Well.
The young leading woman, CT the
solid sounding British name OF Doro-
thy Green. was a dainty Portla. She
loved with true passion. she played
ENORMOUSLY. and she was as stubborn
a legal referee as any lover OF the
law would care 20 meet. Altogether,
she was charming and capable, as
Portla was meant to be-the most
charming woman of them all. per-
hsps. unless II Is Rosalind.
Murray Darlington was a stalwart
and handsome Bassanlo-and. hap
PLY enough, a vigorous and manly
Bassanio. BY MISLEADING motive
here and there, II would be 80 very
person altogether. In the same way,
Henry Caine made his Launcelot
Gobbo a human sort OF fellow ;.
Splendor In Stage Setting.
The company has a volatile Ora
tiano in y. Randle Ayrton, and
dignifed martyr of an Antonio In
Rupert l.. Conrick In fact. one Of
the charms OF this English company
is the unfailing satisfactory duality
OF its acting, In even the smallest
parts. While there are no stars there
are as well no sticks.
A splendor OF setting was attained
by surprisingly simple expedients and
by the romantic vision of the cos
tuner There was n wealth OF rich
color, not the least note in which was
the curtain OF royal purple bearing
the poets coat of arms. that hid the
stage between scenes, In lieu OF the
regular green plush drop that is the
theater's.. a
The Memorial Players will give
The Merry Wives OF Windsor Fri
day night, LAS You Like II" satur-
day matinee and Hamlet" Saturday
night.
Three Pavlowa Performances.
Because so much interest has been
manifested in the appearance next
month at the Atlanta Theater OF
Anna Pavlowa and her company and
orchestra, the management OF this
famous danseuae has arranged 10
give the city three performances in
stead OF two. Besides the night per-
formances. on Monday and Tuesday,
March and 10. there will be spe-
cial matinee on Tuesday For each
performance a different program will
be presented. and all the numbers
will be new 10 Atlanta. Furthermore,
Atlanta will see the very biggest pro-
auctions of tho Pavlowa repertoire,
on Monday night the "Orientale" will
be presented, with scenery and cos
tunes by the renowned Russian fu-
turist. Leon Bakst Tuesday NATL
nee. The Magic Flute" and THE
Invitation to the Dance" together
with advertisements. viii be present
ed. Tuesday night there will be an
other futuristic offering, THE Pre-
ludes" with settings and drsperies by
Boris Annisfeld. of St Petersburg,
''Paauita" viii be the companion piece
with The Preludes"