The Washington times., 1920-10-20
Hdmbden GredtHdmlet

'us raise our voice against the deca-
dence of the audience that witnessed
walter Hampden's superb chsrsetsri-
Istion OF Hamlet last night
The thestsr was filled with two
classes Of piAygosrs serious, Appse-
ciAtivs folk who came TO feast their
eyes and ears. and turn over In menu
ory the associations and eounotstions
that only . great play can call 70
mind and. secondly, there was q
dsiuse OF Tapping misses from the
seif-styled finishing schools OF
Washington.
Perhaps in the catalogues of the
institutions in which these young
ladies are interned by dotinx parents.
there 10 q long blurb about q course
In EiiEAbethan drama. and II fol-
lowed naturally that the teachers
should send their over-dressed and
mentally undernourished charges TO
shakespesrean productions.
Movie bred since childhood. these
young ladies Of Is and IL years came
as near to spelling a piece OF dra-
matte art as the thoushtiessness OF
ill-bred hearers can. They had
laugh for every line In the play. TO
them II was q relief to get away
from the erotic offerings of the 'si-
lent drama" with its weli-known ser
themes and enjoy a good hearty
evening giggling and chroniciing
small beer.
They even met with raucous laugh
ter the pathetic and pitiful scene
wherein ophciia loses her resson,
certainly the most poignantly sorrow
ful of all OF the Bard OF Avons
players. Let us hope that the pre-
ceptors OF these "nnishing" schools
A.. k..~ MI -
going while Mr.. Hsmpden is here.
or else they will hold extra classes
in common. every day decorum until
the small hours of the morning. be-
fore buying more tickets to any
thinE more stimulating than Mr.
Chaplin.
Walter Hampden deserves all the
laureis that can be hesped upon poor
Hsmlets head. With a tittilating aud
iencf to greet every sublime moment
OF The play with q sally of giggles.
ne carried his portrayal to the heights
OF dramatic art. His Hamlet is that
OF the student. stirring. dynamic.
magnificent. Few actors can seize
upon q character such as he docs and
carry II along at top speed. calling
into service marvellous depths of re-
source efulness and power.
Essayin9 part that. until the
movies, every high school child could
anticipate, he gave the audience every
color and line of Shakespeare's i'm
mortal Dane. His sonorous voice and
powerful acting culled all the beauty
of the most potent lines in the Eng
lish tkeater.
William Sauter. as Horatio, is con
tent to be a perfect background for
his PythiaA and in his contentment
gives the cast a part that is we'll
nigh perfection We should like to
see Mr.. Sauter use his resonant voice
in some part more called upon for
speech.
Miss Mona Morgan. as Ophelia.
played far better towards the end OF
her action than at the outset. but
no doubt Miss Morgan was stunned by
the impact Of the giggles that met the
rising OF every curtain. and needed
time for recovery.
The entire cast is well portrayed,
and particularly Allen Thomas as
Polonius. Ernest Rowan as Laertes,
and ]. Harry Irvine as the King Of
Denmark. should be mentioned.
Mr.. Hampden will be seen again in
Hamlet next Saturday afternoon.
Those who wish to hold the play in
| new fields of memory should not fail
, to see his masterful portrayal. for
| he has brought new laurels to the
| American stage.