The Washington times., 1920-04-20
At The TheaterS
This Week
GARRICK.
Walter Hampden Opens
Week of Shakespeare.

To grace the immortal lines or
Shakespeare with the human Impulse
OF human beings, Is an art. waiter
HAmpdsn. as Hamlet last evening At
the GaTrick Theater, brought sig
nally alive and prlnoeiy human
Prince OF Denmark into the list OF
notable Hamlets who have left their
impress on the public mind.
THE CAST:
cisudius. King OF Denmark. - ,.,,,.
Hamlet, son OF the late ana nephew to
the present King. Walter HAmpdsn
Poionius. Lord cham6erlain. Allen Ihonss a,ss
HorstIo. friend To Hamlet. William sAuter
Laertes, son TO Polonius. Ernest hoxsm
RosenerantH ''''''''''''''; MsIe csV,'n LooDea.
ouildonstern. ..'''.'''''' jerome SoIaoi SonI.,
Marcelene. onieer John william Baker
Bernardo, OniceI .......,..G. T. Hsmlltoh
Francisco, a Soldier Laurence Langdon
Reynaldo Servant to Polonius,
Franklin Thorne
Player King .........G. y. HAnnum:Clark
Player Queen ...... Elsie Herndon kearns
Lucianus .......,........B Bernard Aerriek
first Grave Digger .........Allen Thomas
second Grave Digger, @, +. Hannum-Ci
mother OF Hamlet. ,...... Mary Hall
ophelia, daughter TO Polonius.
Ghos, OF HamIers Father. Richard Abbott
Some say that Hampden's Hamlet"
Is nearest akin TO Booths. This Ham
let is indeed a man. His words.
words, words are always matter OF
great pith and moment. No idle
phrasing comes into his reading, no
stilted theatrical strutting. And he Is
young, for withal that he Is overcast
with his grim tragedy of circum'
stance.
FSx Il "A.
plicity. it's dominent color schemes
serving to emphasize the drama re-
vealed upon its stage; while the effect
OF atmosphere, the unfathomable mys-
terry of night upon the parapet when
ghosts stalk forth from their graves.
made the apparition of his fathers
ghost as Elusive and as compelling as
the dread presence itself This key
note to the tragedy was more con-
vincingly wrought than is the custom.
The group of friends brought sin
certify into their emotion. the Lord
Hamlet with all his awe welcomed
this message from the dear departed
with that intimacy that deep love
robs of its uncanniness.
And the ghost OF Hamlet's father,
in his admonition to his son, was given
by. Richard Abbott with the dignity
that left it's impress on the high re-
solve of his son.
In humanness, too, the Polonius of
Allen Thomas was notable. This gar
rulous, kindly old man, was most low
able in his hands. Simpleness Of
heart, a cheer that his simplicity
alone could retain In such untoward
happenings, lifted the heaviness Of
heart and brought into his equally no
table readings a paternal tenderness
of charm. In his gleeful giving OF
the First Grave Digger he gave one
Shakespeare" that makes all the
world his friend.
The fair Ophelia was fair to look
upon. winsome and wholly unaffect-
ed as played by Beatrice Maude.
Modest. sensitive, she was, with that
pure soul that could be so sweetly
deranged when Fate SO cruelty
wronged her.
The Horatio of William Sauter was
sincerely read -Snd pictured. He was
the dependab1eEfr friend. Less com
plement to the scene and reading were
the King and Queen of ]. Harry
Irvine and Mary Hall. Mr.. Irvine had
one forceful moment of remorse, but
the Queen of Miss Hall was a jarring
note in an altogether harmonious en-
semble. Laertes rather read well the
part than looked IT. The spirit of
manhood came out valiantly in tho
small role of the Bernardo of G. T.
Hamilton.
The death scene Of Hamlet, in this
drama brought to gratifying accen-
tuation of high moments and elimina-
ton OF the unnecessary by the ar
rangement of Walter Hampden him
self, left the Prince of Denmark and
-. =.
stage. The old traditional slaughter
was so devised as to be off-stage in
the picture.
Seated on a high-back royal chair.
against the deep blue behind the
arched portal. Hamlet spoke his last
words consummating the aloofness
of his human pilgrimage with the