The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-02-03
Canada from coast to coast.

This will be Mr.. Mantelrs first appear
ance in Birmingham IN nearly a decade.
1t has been eight years since the TRACE
dian made a southern tour, and his en-
sagements in New Orleans, Atlanta,
louisville, Nashville and other cities
have been veritable triumphs. For two
weeks he drew such crowds into the Tu-
lane theatre, New Orleans, as that house
had not witnessed even in the days OF
Booth and Irving, breaking all records
for a classic tragedian. The triumph
was repeated in Atlanta during the
past week.
Mr.. Mantell brings with him a company
of SO Players, carefully trained in the
reading of great Shakespearean lines,
and chosen from the best talent available
on fhe stages of England and America.
This company is headed by the young
and beautiful Genevieve Hamper and the
hero Fritz Leiber. He carries with him,
too, complete and elaborate scenic pro-
auctions for all the plays in repertoire
more extensive and formidable than any
habitually presented by a tragedian
since the death of Booth.
'RICHELIEU" TO BE PLAYED
Six of the plays in the Mantell roper
toire for Birmingham are Shakespearcan
and the seventh is the "Richelieu'' OF
Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton drama
century ago has held a prominent place
in all great serious repertoires.
The engagement opensswith THE Mer-
chant of Venice perhaps the best known
and most widely read Of all Shakespeares
plays Mr. Mantell is credited with the
greatest Shylock that has been seen IN
America in decades. Indeed, one COM
Tetent critic, Robinson Locke of Toledo,
Wnose memory extends back to the "gol-
den days when Boecf and Irving ware
in their prime, considers Mr.. MantelPs
Shylock the geratest of them all. He
gives it touch of sympathy which
heightens the tragic effect, making Shy
lock not heartless monster, but suf-
fering human being driven to evil
measures by intense wrongs. THE Mer-
chant of Venice" will be repeated Sat-
urday afternoon, this being the only
repetition of the week.
There will be no Tuesday night per-
torrance, out of Difference to the wishes
of the United States fuel administra-
ton that Tuesday be observed as
''heatless holiday in the theatres
special Thursday matinee performance
ct "Richelieu'' will be given instead.
"Richelieu" is particularly timely fust
now, in that 1t deals with a period OF
storm and stress in French history sim
liar to that in which the war-wracked
country is now involved. The story is
highly romantic tale of love and intrigue,
built on conspiracy that sought to
overthrow tho cardinal-statesman, ana
Involving his young and lovely ward
and her handsome lover.
The popular Wednesday matinee per-
formance of Romeo and Juliet will be
of special interest to women in that it
exhibits the youthful and charming Miss
Hamper as the most picturesque Of all
Shakespeare's heroines. Miss Hamper,
by reason Of her classic grace and
beauty. is becoming widely popular with
the feminine half Of playgoing humanity.
A SCHOLARLY HAMLET
Mr.. Mantelrs Hamlet" of Wednesday
night is perhaps the most scholarly of
all his performances, being the result
of quarter of a century of constant
study and Interpretation Of the most elu-
sive of all Shakespeare's character crea-
tions. Miss Hampers Ophelia was
ranked few weeks ago by the critics
OF Louisville. the home of Mary Ander-
son, right alongside Our Mary's'' own
historic embodiment
King Lear" in which Mr. Mantell