The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-01-31
Julius CAESAR"
APPRECIATED BY
LARGE AUDIENCE

1
FIRST PERFORMANCE GIVEN
LAST NiGHT At SCOTTISH
RITE CATHEDRAL.
Hundreds Greet Efforts of ShrIners
for Benefit of Day Nursery
Repeated Tonight.
4 large and appreCiative audience
greeted the first performance OF
: Julius Caesar. given last evening
under the auspices OF Osiris Tempe,
Mobiles Of the Mystic Shrine, at inc
! Scottish Rite Cathedral The second
! performance will be given this ev-
! cning.
There was no disappointment in the
, presentation of the great tragedy,
each member Of the caste carrying
; the part assigned in such manner as
To make it difficult 10 eXtol any one
, above another. This was not sur
/. prising, however, in view Of the isng
and painstaking preparation and re-
! hcarsing under The direction Of Mrs.
Lima Hcnnig Sherman. assisted by
! Mrs. Alma Wilson Shafer.
! Ben E. Hamilton, in the title roll,
! displayed dramatic talent entirely
surprising 10 all but his most init
mate friends. The character of Gaze
|
| Shakespeare. Under the influence OF
some Of his speeches we find our
selves in the presence of one Of the
master spirits OF mankind; other
scenes in which he plays leading
part breathe nothing but the freblest
| racillation and weakness. II is the
! business Of character Interpretation
10 harmonic this contradiction; il
is not Interpretation at all 10 ignore
one side Of it and b. content with
| describing Caesar as racllatlng. The
force and strength. of his character
is seen in the impression he makes
upon forccful and strong men as in
The case Of Brutus who feels that
the grandeur Of the victim gives
dignity 10 the crime. In dclInlalinE
the character Of Caesar, Mr.. Hamilton
was especially forceful in the inter
probation Of his lines both in reading
and action.
| MIR. Carrigan as Brutus.
Hon. Chas. +. Carrigan as Brutus
gave a most creditable interpreted
i ton of the famous character. Even
| in this time. so long after the lines
were penncd by Shakespeare, it is
not clear TO students as To what sort
Of character he meant his Bruius 10
be. And yet the character Of Brutus
! in the play, as in history, is full Of
| beauty and sweetness. high minded,
generous, brave, his honor as white
us the new fallen snow OF course.
as here represented, Rrutus could on
| ~ be what he was and do what he
| did under some kind Of dclusion. And
yet this very delusion may be justly
said 10 have the effect Of ennobling
and identifying his character. mas
| I; tof-o hi, nd
| him only through his virtues. His
Judgment of Caesar and his conse-
Quent action was based not upon
what Caesar had done but what he
might do or become if crowned.
Mr.. Carrigan carried this view of
Brutus' character across the foot
| lights 10 his audience with a clear.
ness that left no other interpreted
ton to be ConSiderod.
| Portrays Difficult Character Well.
Perhaps the most difficult charac
ter Of the piece to properly portray
is that of Cassius. a born leader or,
rather. manipuplator Of men, the
head prompting the heart, his watch
{ full jealousy making him fear the
worse that might happen and with IT.
ritability Of temper added 10 his in
veteracy Of purpose, his patriotism
I
! ture of his motives made him filter
10 contend with bad men. The vices
are never so we'll employed as in
combating with one another. Tyran.
ny and servility arc to be dealt with
after their own fashion; otherwise
they will triumph over those who
spare them. and finally pronounce
their funeral panrgyEic, as Antony
did that of Brutus. DR.. W. S. Ham
iIton easily carried The honor of the
caste in his maSterful presentation
Of the difficult character. A we'll
read student Of Shakespeare, with
full knowledge Of stage requirements,
a natural dramatic ability. he seem
ed TO actually live the part Of the
great conspiratOr and held the atten-
! ton Of the audience closely TO the
! theme al every point.
| Robert Darrah. as Marc Antony.
left nothing TO be desired in his part.
In his deep grief, in the careful con
ccament from Rrutus Of his real in
| tent TO avenge the death Of Caesar
so far as was in his power, in short,
in all that the part requires 10 make
a maSterful presentation. Mr.. Darrah
was lacking in none. We doubt If
his work could be eXCclled by many
professional actors Of the present
day.
Stage Settings Elaborate
The stage settings. the coStuming,
lighting and other features Of the pre-
Srntaton were all that could be do.
sired.
Mrs Lima Hennig Sherman an
peared as portia and Mrs. Alma vii
son Shafcr. as Calpurnia. both carry
ing the parts with their we'll known
ability. The former has worked I'M
tiringly for weeks in drilling the
cast while the latter gave much
time and effort toward pcrfectinS the
grand triuEphal entry of Caesar and
tho numerous features connected
Herewith. Mr.. Paul Bcymcr presid-
cd al the organ.
Tho performance will be- repeated
this evening. and there yet remains
few tickets on sale al Davis. Burk-
ham & Tyler's store.
! \ device to be- attached 10 plug
of tobacco TO bite off pieces and
thereby save its users teeth. has been