The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-14

other. Therefore. the presentation OF
shakespeare Rabelaisian farce by the
| Stratford- Upon-Avon Players at the
Academy of Music last night was not
only q delicious exhibition Of classic
tuu making, but, in view of the
memorable representation OF the life
of Richard the Boar on the previous
night, 1t WAS u brilliant display OF the
art OF acting.
| For whore these men ard women had
mado of the tragedy q dreadful page of
England's black history OF the War of
the Roses. walking with the majesty
and pride Of mighty lords, or shrinking
with the hopeless awe of doome
figures, and reading the weighty lines
OF thoir parts with lyric beauty. giving
to every word It's full value. they
shaped the comedy into sheerest farce,
moving with the freedom of uncon-
sidered commoners, sometimes quaking
with a wholesome fear OF n sound cud
ceiling, and. this time, speaking almos,
invariably with the colloQuialism OF
everyday converse.
As wildly AS tho plays clash in theme
and treatment. SO yividly did these ao-
tors transform themselves from
| tragcdians to comedians. No type nc
tors they; no distinction apparently
/ between this man who plays we'll for
/ comedy and that who puts over =
heavy part, or between that one who is
a competent romantic actor, and this
who is clever al character work. And
why? Because they are actors. men
| tesslon. an art. as opposed to chorus
men elevated from the ranks OF the
high -hatted ones who surround the
star. or to urskilled. unschcoled boys
chosen from some dramatic academy
because Of their good looks.
cd tod s,I,
their profession and doubtless, judging
from their speech. In other branches OF
learning. AT any rnte. they are school
ed in acting and--they make them
selves types. instead of waiting to be
born types. And the word men" is
used Eenerically. TO signify tho mem
bers OF the company. both men and
women.
Last night william Calvert. who
had played with quiet dignity the
small part of Lord Stanley in Rich
ard" rolled on the stage In the char
acter of Faistaff. Big, paunched. Gar
Eantuan IN dimensions and instincts
he leered and rolled . wicked, lick
erish eye at fair Mistress Page and
honest Mistress Ford. He staggered
and trembled, laughed and groaned
twirled his brave gray mustachios anu
covered his deDraved old head with q
womans bonnet, all the while convey.
experience the irritating. contemplate
amusing personality OF Shakespeare .
Tat, brasgart rake-a performance
that viii long be remembered by thos,
who were so fortunate as 10 witness II
IT, r. Benson. who was Ri@har4
himself the night before, was Tho
Frenchman. Doctor Caius 1t was hard
to realize that the man who flew int
RACES so lightly, who ambled so mino.
insiy In his dandy costumes. who EN-.
oraced stclid Englishmen so enlhusi.
asticaily, and who spoke with so con
sisteht and sustained an accent, was
Inc same who had appeared so tcrrlbl.
a igurc in the tragedy James stan.
hcrs. whose superb deep voice h.u
ADDED distinction 10 his grave am
manly department as the lieutenant OF
the Tower, was the Slenuer In a goou
many years OF theatrc-going, | have
seen no sucn performance OF an c,.em.
maze part as he gave.
| IN voice, IN manner In resture oyor
IN inc very expression OF his face n,
WAS faithful 10 the most minute aeln,l
ana he ana not step out of the charac.
ter Tor an instant. Murray Carring1on
the nne actor who had played Clarence
SO pfteousiy, was equally earnest and
/ e1ective In one OF the few serious roles
IN the play-that of Portland Rupert
l.. Conrick, whose Richmond was ex.
celient during the brief moments OF its
apptarance, was happily cast as Page
for that matter. they were all hap
/ ply cast" because they can play any
thins. Frank Cochrane. whose work
as the second murderer had contributed
largely to the admiration that had
| prompted the suggestion--of some lev
ity-that the murder scene in the Tower
might make n vaudeville SKETCH dis.
played his versatility by an extremely
clever representation OF old Shallow
Dorothy Green was laughingly win.
some as Mistress Ford-she was in.
tensely appealing as the Lady Anne
and Ethel Mcdowell. a very pathetic
Queen Elizabeth. was a charming Mis-
tress Page But, again. II is mpossi-
bic to go through tho cast. just as II
is to describe the beautiful setting,
and perfect costumes
They played The Merry Wives o.
Windsor" for farce. and made II {
thing Of bubblng delight.
An mi important an member Of Kunslik.:
valet ii Sos Vlolnst
any one mentions Africa in his hearing
Is what he says of the race from which
II have never seen him sad but once.
SAYS Knbelik. and that was ono da,
hotel and the clerk said: or course yo,
can't keep your servant here. Daw.
TO say, we moved along to nnothe,
civilization in the world insuitcd by tn.
Ono of Dawsons most important
duties is 70 guard tho Emperor. ISube
n tns siS nso which ns bs is Ssns
Company. on Broad street. kubeliS
Is greatly ATTACHED to the Instrument