Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-10
HAMPDEN'S HAMLET
RICH IN MERITS
Both Dramatic Substance and
Poetic Spirit Traits OF New
interpreters Portrayal

Shakespeare which spells ruin. a'-
cording to the box Office estimation OF 'h"nN
commercial arrangements, mas eVluehtE
changed its photographed traits, lhdeins
by the very considerable audience when VIII
messed the revival of Hamlet at special
matinee yesterday in the Adelphl theatre
The production seemed to spell success cor
rectly. both from the fuancia STANDPOINT
and that of artistic satisfaction on either
side of the footlghts.
II deserved house packed to the doors
on the several counts of the rarity "i
Shakespearean revivas on the contemP"
rary American stage. the many merits "i
the performance. the aspiration OF the pr"
Queer to make dramatic art coequat WIN
thea atrica commerce. and the opportunity
il offered the younger generations whose
"Hamlets' have been seldom, 10 KNOW
Shakespeare in his proper environment OF
the stage and to witness sterling lmper
sonaton of the title character that compared
favorably with the best interpretations OF
the last quarter of n century at least. lhat
there were some rows of empty seats III
the rear of the Adelphi is due to surh
factors as the lIcnten season, the brlel perlod
between the announcement of the perform
ance and its rOnsummation. ana the fhc'
that 1t was casual matinee and not
regular engagement, all extraneous to the
repetition of the revival tomorrow afternoon
at the Adclph. and it is understood that
if sufficient appreciation is shown the com
pany will give additional performances later
in the season. But those who 60 Friday
will make sure of seeing this interesting
and adequate revival of one of the master
works of the drama. They only MAY have
additional opportunities Of enjoying it.
They will see Walter Hamp1en as the
incumbent of the role which has stimulated
more eruditr discussion than any other Of
ShakespearcS characters. Mr.. liampden
will be remembered as the Manson of THE
Servant in the House. as leading man for
Madame Nazimova. and as member of
1.-The Yellow Jacket company. But his
experience has not been limited by these
engagements. and his entry into shake
spcarcan acting has not. by way of a tenn
porary 'fyer.' as he received the in
cstimablc grounding in classical drama to
be derived from long connection with the
Benson Players.
The outstanding characteristic. both of
the stars personation and the acting of his
company was freedom from conventions.
There was little or none of the formal ca
denccd clocuton which once was considered
canoncal for reading blank verse. of grandly
empty gesturing. of futile pomp and cir
cumstancc of heroic attitudinzing There
no attempt to 'bOmbaSt out II deCa
syabe.'' as some Elizabethan critic bit
ingly accused actors at the Globe of doing.
There was no concession to the old con
vcntion of the 'apron stage which vain
glorious players once pre- empted. as nova
days they try to monopolize the "SpOtlght.' y
There was. in fact. spotlight for Mr..
Hampden any one else.
For the drama proceeded naturally and
inevitably through its grave issues to its
tragic climax within the frame of the ''pic-
turc' stage. There was definite aud
usually successful endeavor toward what is
now known as teamwork" which ever
kept perspective and proportion in mind so
that the texture of the dramatic fabric was
uniform and the pattern unified. AS for
the lines, they were spoken. as the play
has it. with good accent and good dis
crction.' They had the values of real
speech beneath which rose and fell the surg
ing measures of the playwright bard,s
poetry.
, Metrical swelling beneath beievable hu-
man speech was especially pcrccptibe iu
Mr.. Hampdens delivery. His conception
of Hamlet is highly intellcctualized-the
man of action. consciously bent on revenge;
not melancholy: not mad. but Stimulating
madness, or rather eccentricity as q means
of his sworn ends. He is not at all the
neurasthenic Hamlet. full of intrinsic
WITNESSES and dark moods. nor the phil
osophcal Hamlet.s But always he is the
poetic Hamlet.
Albert Bruning. remembered from |
'Strife" and other new theatre productions.
was an elder statesman of meddesomc- !
ness and verbosity, but his PoIonius was
never made ridiculous by straning for comic
effects. Charles Webster as Laertes !
Harry Irvine as Horatio and Mabel Moore |
as Ophelia realized their respective roles.
and if the other members of the east did |
not quite reach the levels of these prin
cpals, their portrayals were satisfying.
The staging was simple but without any
Ben Greet affectations of reproducing Eliza
bethan conditions. Consequently there was
chance to forward the dramatic narrative
without tedious waits while "realistic,
and Spectacular scenery was heing
shifted, and, what is more important. there
was welcome opportunity to permit tbe
audience to set the scenes in its .'mipJ.S
eye from Shakcspeare's poetry. and fms
to enjoy imaginative participation in the
drama. !" TIE