New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-19
Shakespeare Production
Surpasses Usual Male
Chorus Girl Ensemble.
GRADUATE ACTORS
SHOW REAL TALENT
Falstaff, Minus Believing, Re-
nounced by Resonant King
Scenery in Vivid Color.

FOR nineteen years the Harvard chap
ter Of Delta Epsilon has given yearly
REVEALS OF old English plays with con
siderable seriousness and success, but
never has anything so serious and
elaborate been attempted as the pro-
duction Of the second part Of Shake
speare's king Henry ~" given yes
terday afternoon and evening at the
| Century Lyceum. incidentally, It was
the first performance Of the play given
IN America for ninety-four years.
AS the production was under the
1 direction of Professor Richard Ordyn-
ski, director for James X. Hackett, and
as the cast WAS recruited from gradu-
ates as we'll as undergraduates, it
should be judged by somewhat higher
standards than the average college pro-
duction, Just as IL is a more significant
attempt st serious drama than the av-
erage college ensemble Of male chorus
girls and snappy music. And. judged
by even professional standards, the
/ performances came off with credit.
Able Actors in Leading Parts.
The three most important characters
In the play, Falstaf, the King and
Prince Harry, were taken by three
graduates Of considerable experience
and exceptional ability-Messrs. Weth-
erell, Wilmot and Hume. respectively.
That they stood out far above the rest
of the cast was, of course, due some
what to the fact that they had most Of
| the important lines, but had they taken
| the parts of the three recruits they
would have dominated as surely be
cause they had the art Of unconscious!y
clear dction and easy poise, without
which the reading of part in Shakc-
| speare is like a grammar school recita-
| ton
Mr.. Wetherell played Falstaf at all
times with q restraint that made the
/ Fart a real Characterization instead OF
/ the loud believing Of longshoreman's
plcasantries that il might easily have
/ became. In the last scene, where he Is
renowned and banished by the new
! fective in his almost pathetic willing
and half-hesrted bravado.
Prince Harry Real Delight.
As King Henry " Mr.. Wilmot gave
what was perhaps the most artistic and
| impressive work Of the performance
/ his rendition Of the soliloquy on sleep
in Act III being wellnigh faultless
teading of a difficult passage. In has
mai scene with the Prince he divided
the honors with Mr.. Hume. whose res
onant voice and easy presence made
the part of the prohlgate son dellgnt
throughout the play. Mr. Hume was
especially good in his coronation scene,
where he speaks from the steps oI
I Westminster Abbey, turning aside from
| his old WAYS to the serious duties Of a
| king. When one considers that Mr.
Hume took up the part Of Prince Harry
| only a week ago, to take the place OF a
member who was unable TO continue,
/ the finished nature of his work IS all
/ the more exceptional
II is perhaps unfair to the under
graduate members of the cast to COM
mare them with men OF experience.
| But there IL no denying the tact mat
the voice of the average undergraduate
| is not suited 20 an impressive delVery
Of Shakespearian lines, nor IS ms de-
lightfully loose method OF daily speech
easily adaptable 10 the well concealed
artifciality necessary for twentieth
century reading of blank verse.
Low Comedy Done with Grimace.
Furthermore. there seems to be an
/ immersion, not confined TO undergrad
yates by any means, that Shakespear-
/ ian low comedy can he best interpreted
/ bv eager grimacing. wagging OF the
head and walking with Waddle' WIN
/ frequent falsetto notes introduced INTO
the speaking voice. Perhaps TINS was
the prevailing form Of witticism in the
sixteenth century. but surely once IN
/ a while there must have been com
edv character who dispensed with his
waggery quietly and standing erect
The Undergraduates. however. were
GOOD. particularly X. 7. Twitchell as
/ Bardolph, W. !. Tibbetts as the LORD
] Chief Justice, w. T. Enright as Doll
( Tearsheet and A. W. Clark as Justice
/ Silence.
The scenery was adequately effective
and of the more modern type, suggest
ing in bold effects rather than depict
ing in detail. The scene by the hre,,
place in the Archbishop's palace and
the room in Westminster, where the
King spends his sleepless night. were
especially fine. The color Of the cor.
onation scene made 1t a picture OF
striking vividness. The scenery was
designed by II. +. Weston, 1o.
List of the Players.
Professor Ordynsh was assisted in
the production by Everett Glass. The
cast follows:
/ i.ln'..--- L IL II