New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-26

were prepared for his good perform
ance. IL is n performance which ranks
above both his Wolsey and his Shylock'
"The Merry Wives Of Windsor" with
the somewhat decadent Falstaf OF
those pages. Ia Sir Hcrberts hnal pro-
duction I'm his present series OF SHAKE
sperian revivals. As production ~
is quite unimportant, but IT IS marked
by fine acting on the part of num-
Der OF performers The rollicking
helpmeets are plifed by Henrietta
Crosman and Constance Collier, and
played exccllently. Miss Crosmnn du-
plicntes her good performance IN MT.
Hackett's production. and Mins Collier
finishes not n step behind her. Lyn
Harding accomplishes great ieai WIN
Ford, and only occasionally does ne
resort to blusteringly boisterous meth,
DDS. Among the minor characters gooo
work is done by George Hayes, az
Slender; G.. w. Arson. as Bardolph, and
George G. Carr. as Simple. Also pres
ent is little Reggie Shefheld, again
playing Robin.
The liberties which Sir Herbert IL
accustomed to take with a Shakesperian
text arc considerably less in this pro,
duction than in king Henry VIII. ana
"The Merchant Of Venice" IL IS true
that he has put the play into three acts;
but he has retained eleven scenes, ana
their order has been but little altered
SO far as arrangements are concerned
in fact, he adheres more closely 10 the
text than did Richard Ordynski IN the
Hackett production. OF course, cnhr-
actors are awarded the customary Tree
license of strolling in and out whelner
they have any business in the scene or
rot. Sir John is thus seen hlrtlng WIN
Mistress Ford in the opening scene,
whereas Mistress Ford does not enle,
the Shakesperian text until the secohu
act
Tho nlav il given quite frankly as
hilarious farce and never as COMEDY
There arc moments. indeed, when II
seems TO take on some OF the charac-
teristics Of a production from the hey-
Stone studios. The duel bowen Dr.
Caius and Sir Hugh Evans resolves IT
self into an acrobatic encounter; every
one on the stage falls down, rolls over
and otherwise emulates the technique
Of a knockabout film. II this scene is
20 be PLAYED at all, however, that is
probably as good way TO play IL as
anv Last night the method drew
number OF laughs, hence /. was not
thus acted in vain. This slapstlck,
near-Elizabethan style OF acting is hd-
hered TO throughout occasionally IN
the matter of small bits OF business,
at the sacrifice of good taste.
An unusual amount Of humor vai
injected into the buckbasket incident
Roth Shakespeare and Sir Herbert
were at their farcieal best in this
scene. The approach OF Mistress Page
Ands Sir John seated in chair rom
which he cannot rise, being tightly
wedged. His endeavors to get into the
basket are attended by much falling
down. and at one time both OF the
merry wives are seated atop him. FOL
lowing Falstaff's discontinue and exit
the wives turn their funmaking upon
the Jealous Ford, and, by leading him
70 believe that he has discovered Fat
staff upon the premises, succeed IN
adding considerable merriment to the
occasion.
So far as the scenery - concerned
the production might have been made
in 1875. although the street scene IN
Windsor il not without merit.
Virginia Fox Brooks, who would MOI
have been omitted from the paragraphs
appertaining to the players " 1t were
not necessary TO write theatrical re-
views AZ furious pace, made heII
Shakespearian debut in the role oil
Anne Page. She was pretty and ador'
abie Anne at all times.