Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-11-07
ADJUSTMENTS
Belasco.

An extraordinary array of the classic
drama distinguishes the week which
opened last night. Regulations OF
stellar significance stand forward in
the artistic competition, which has the
great advantage over the political con-
tention just now occupying the public
mind in that in order to secure a
triumph 1t is not necessary to destroy
a rival. While Bernhard represented
the literary spirit of the old world
theater and brought to attention a
| reputation backed bv NV ~
achievements, a new star was revealed
as an exponent of the classic kngisn
stage in an entirely native spirit.
Tom Wise has proved to be one OF the
diamonds of talent that have been
jumbled along with the pebbles Every
body has admired his work in the past,
his creations being regarded as those
| OF homely and direct humor. genial. but
not especially profound. That his
| Falstaff is better than some Of his
! other creations. we'll studied and con-
| obvious conclusion. That it is more
| fame-compelling Is unQuestionably a
fact, for sheer as the cynic may at
Shakespeare. and in spite of the doubt
which scholarship casts even over his
authenticity, Shakespeare remains the
king of our drama. If he is a fiction,
| a creation of the imaginations of many
1 minds. king of shreds and tatters. 4
king he is, none the less. with patents
of nobility at his command.
Much as playgoers have always liked
| and admired Tom Wise, it remains for
| Shakespeare to confer the touch of
| authority and bid him arise. Sir John
Falstaf." 1t might be imagined that
spearean mind. The cipher man may de-
rive comfort from the study of the
name FaIstan as establishing rela-
tionshfp with the stair that falls
draw conclusions according to his own
viewpoint in the great controversy
UT Sir John Is a beloved on his own
account and cannot be 10 ced back
into abtruse literary discussion. A..
Falstaff is not Shakespeare in the
| higher and poetic sense. 1t is an
| illustration of the marvellous creative
| genius which was able to reflect hu-
mainly in its loftiest sentiments an
n its least dignified expressions.
In the abstract Falstaff is not a
| pleasant character. He is an ienob =
| and frank exponent of the advantages
| Of genial cowardice and incapable or a
consistently loyal impulse. In the COZ
| crete he is a merry and irrespons' Die
| drifter on the crest Of the passing
| wave of time. taking his companion
ships where they will contribute to
his advantage or pleasure and living
oIlly loT TIC udy. IIc 40
| cause he is human. and to play him
| ell is a distinction that an actor
| may we'll enjoy because it proc a - s
| his sympat hetic intelligence; his ability
| to study the type for the types sake
and reveal it without personal effort
| to moralize.
| Mr.. Wise's Falstaff is delightfully."- free
| from personal assumption. The chuckle
of his voice and the twinkle of his eye
| are flashes of spontaneous truth He
| does not labor with the part but lends
| himself to il and let's it carry him through
| its moods with ease and competence. So
smooth Is his reading of the part that
1t becomes almost colloquial and the i'm
preston becomes, for that very reason
| very intimately human.
! The production, which brings forward q
new manager as well as a new star in
Sylvio Helm. heretofore identified largely
| with presentations for which he composed
the music, is one of beautiful sufficiency
in scenery, costuming and cast.
| The merry wives are important factors
| in the play. Constance Collier and Isa-
bel Irving sustained the merriment and
| won the audience to a joyous participa-
| ton in their gale of laughter which rep
| resented as important an element of their
| performance as the speeches themselves
Responses to curtain calls were pic
| turesquely devised and they formed nc
inconsidera BILE element of pleasure as they
| were shared in by the entire company
| from time to time. ].