The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-02
AmHsenlentS
New Lyric.

Robert Maptell Is a master Of pauses.
Like the painter uses his backgrounds,
his vacapt spaces to emphasize his fig
ures, his scenes, his conceptions, SO
does the actor, so does Mantell, and
never was this more eIoauently m
phasiEed than at the performance of
THE Merchant Of Venice" Thursday
night, when, after Shylock's exit at the
end of the trial scene, the audience,
perforce, burst into tremendous, i'm
petuous applause, Shylock had not
said a word for full 80 seconds, but his
pent-up emotion, his desire for revenge
against the taking away in the flesh
OF his daughter J~essica, his centuries
old adherence to the traditions of his
fathers, his clamor for the fulfillment
Of his bond, his aims all thwarted, he
did not need speak to portray the Bit
ter disappointment, the tragedy Of de-
sire untulfilicd, the heart-ache the
scene afforos,
III its heavy phases-more dramatic
ally gripping perhaps than previous
productions Of the comedy, THE Mer-
chant of Venice" never was given under
more suspicious circumstances never
was seen in Memphis by u more APP
preciative audience than that which
greeted Mr.. Mantell and his most eN-
,cellent company Thursday night,
With its alternate play on the tragic,
then the comic, strings Of the human
heart, 1t perhaps brought more storms
Of approval than any performance OF
the week, although not dramatically
the equal OF Lear or Of Richelieu.
The rich conception OF Shylock, not
too sympathetic in his favor, not TOO
harsh IN his censure, seems 10 be MIR.
Mantelps desire in his mirroring OF the
jew. Admiration for his sheer ability
Y,At-Nt az ttnanR l,zr., apgu4AA NaA wN,fNab
approval for the character, but at the
same time Mr.. Mantell sticks close to
the best traditions Of the part. He
makes. Shylock the money lender, per-
haps the uSurer, but none the less so
than was the wont at Venice. He
makes Shylock, Of course, bound by
tradition in his prejudices of his race.
Mantell clearly draws the distinction
that it was only after his own flesh
and blood had been taken from him did
the Jew arise to the ecstasy of despair
and desire for revenge.
The Portia Of Miss Geneyieve Hamper
was a gentler Portia perhaps than any
seen here before. Her reading of the
trial scene was not as satisfying dra-
Of other Portals of the past, Her love
scenes with Fritz Leiber as Bassanio,
however, were more distinctly tri-
umphal for her, Leiber's Bassanio, like
his other parts during the engagement,
mark him as the ideal romantic actor,
n who really does live his assigned
parts. rather than in u stultifyinB way,
act them.
Miss Virginia Bronson as Nerissa
brings laurels 10 that part not often
given. Her enunciation is clearer, per
haps even than that of Miss Hamper,
Edward Levers puts the brightest
touch Of the week IN his Launcelot
Ea4R Ia IaA4 80
Gobbo, they dominate the scene before
Shylock's house ana inject some real
Shakespearean comedy into the sadder
episodes Of the play,
OF Couh5e there was JessiCa by Miss
Caroline Kohl, who must be a jewel Of
q child. She sang some people in the
audience almost asleep III Brutus' test
scene as Lucius in Julius Caesar Tues
day night. Given the very pleasant
task of playing the sweetheart to John
AleXander's Lorenzo Miss Kohl could
have secured many Lorenzos from
members of the less deadlier sex gath
cred in the seats from A to X.
The musical setting Of the Merchant
Of Venice" under the direction Of Louis
Maurice, was Thursday night perhaps
tho most brilliant e the engagement.
"Geneyieye Waltz, dedicated to Miss
Hamper, brings out the directors APP
parent feeling and tribute to the beau
ty Of the leading lady. Prof. SaSby's
orchestra, II 1t could be multiplied by
three or four times Its number, could
do all the musical settings Of Mr.. Man
tells performances much greater JUS
tice,
Friday night Macbeth will be pre-
sented. Saturday afternoon Julius
Caesar" again VII be the play and the
engagement VIII conclude with Richard
III. Saturday night,
NED COURTNEY.