The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-29


from Tho Folliss' BE- brought across
the street for its entertainment. in Shake
speare.
Aio Anslia's EHperiaeat.
When Margaret Anslin set out to play
repertoire Of Shakespeare throughout
the season. she began at once to pique
the appetite Of seasoned theatregoers.
In the first place. she followed some Of
the newer tendencies in the manner Of
producing these plays. The outcome Of
this part Of her experiment has been
most successful so far as two Of her
productions at the Hudson Theatre are
concerned. There arc some beautiful
effects Of color and space IN Twelfth
Night Tho opening scene with the
clouds driving across the stormy sky
lie In the darkness Of tho tempest by
the occasional flashes OF the moon was
vivid and realistic enough. but it was
above al beautiful Tho same IL true
Of the garden Of Offvta with its tawny
walls and stifliy trimmed hedges and the
blue nlyrian In the distance. the simple
but detached and shaded apartment
Of the loving Orrno with the light glow
ing beyond its portals a. II the grandeur
Of all the Orient might lie without. and
the room in the palace overlooking the
taperins cypress and minarets Of the
town over against the East. a. we'll as
terraces. Livingstone Plat and Miss
Anghn had devised all these scenes IN
just the way to contribute in the best
way to the production Of Shakespearian
play to-day. The scenery stimulated
the Imagination. its mechanics made
the performance Of the plays easy and
swift and there was only cause for praise
Of the success Of this newer manner in
Twelfth Night and The Tanning Of
the Shrew.' There was nothing either
new or especially commendabls In the
manner Of acting As You Like It.
Then Miss Anglin has selected IN Cd
mirabls company. Her players Aho "
how easy it is for an Intelligent artist
ike herself to find the actors who can be
moulded to her needs. Nobody can cay
that IL Ia impossible to find competent
players OF the classics here 20 long
as there are to b found such actors a.
she has assembled. II Is not Necessary
to name them all. but it il true that Ruth
Boucicault stands we'll the difficult CON-
parsons that always fall to the woman
Who plays the second roles In Shake
spearian plays. In Sidney Longsereee
there = certainly . future FdIstan when
one II needed. presumably one who can
recrests the humors Of the fat knight a.
spontaneously - no actor since Victor
Msurel has been able TO do. and Pedro
do Cordoba may after . while learn to
tell his love with somewhat greater
warmth than he b able TO awaken now
from the depths Of his romantic melan-
choly. There 70 admirable talent in the
company and Miss Angiin's artistic con-
troll Of il forces has dsv slopsd into An
interesting and competent organization.
So there are no grounds for any criticism
Of tho actors associated With Miss Angiin.
II The New York public has bean in
different to Mis Anglin and the event Of
her enterprise has not altogether satisfied
h.r ambitions. ~ fear the reason u the
ssms that in IN earlier and less exactins
A., made It impossible for actors merely
h.ss,,ss they wsrs ambitious and intelli-
gent and sxpsh0csd TO indulge their
ds.irs, 70 cot the plays Of Shakespeare.
Thsrs must be some special genius in the
snuipmsut Of the man or woman who
wants 70 b accepted for any length Of
time - IN interpreter OF the Shake e.
spearisn ohAraoesrs. No amount OF cure
f,L preparation Of the players or Of
beauty that will appeal 10 the eye IL going
70 accomplish any permanent result in
sseAbliahins tho popularity Of an actor
for am enduring period. Tho same 10
true q the clever and accomplished
actresses who undertake the dramas Of
Shakespeare. There must be somewhere
IN their Interpretations the touch Of genius
II they arc going to be accepted perua-
neatly - the incarnation Of the hsroines
- H. sr>>H ulnvvriRhk