South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-19


Beginning a week from today.
what Is known "a a real theatrical
season viii begin IN South Bend. Mr..
Woods. manager OF the Oliver thea
ter. had planned 70 have what he
called Theater Week. but a. soon as
MS plans were made. he had a
chance 20 get hold OF half a dozen
other productions. and first thing
be knew, Go 10 Thsater Week" has
changed 20 GO 20 the Theater Three
Weeks"
And there - reason for going.
Robert MantelL one OF the best
known OF Shakespearian actors on
the English speaking stage viii be
here New. p and with him his wife.
Miss Genevieve Hamper.
New Ycrk's Shakespearian season
has just begun with Lionel Barry
morS Ia the leading roles, and South
Benders need not lament because
they can't commute 70 New York as
they almost can 70 Chicago 20 salts
fy their love for SHAKESPEARE. Mac
beth" and Julius Caesar viii be
given here al the oliver.
Another historical tragedy will
be given. 'Rlchelieu"
: It's 10 use saying anything about
the acting Of Robert ManteH, for the
simple reason that we know nothing
about &. never having eeen him. The
FAULT with too many Shakespearean
actors is that they attitudinize and
strut until you want 20 stick hat
pin In their tights after the fashion
OF our vulgar American comedy,
nJst 20 see them act a little natural.
Another great fault - the trick OF
aecaming rather than speaking
their parts. Spoken naturally. the
PLAYS are mast erpieces. But de-
claimed with pulpit voice. and the
only thing we can think OF Is the
ringing Methodist accents o. our
English teacher In first year high as
she read for our edihcatiOn and i'm
hatlon the most glowing bits of
Macbeth and julius Caesar. We
must confess that she, and other
Shakespearian actors just about
spoiled julius Caesar for US.
The very fact that we had TO
memortze so much OF Il stuck IN our
crop. go TO speak, and the way we
saw &c acted, reminded us OF bur
lesque melodramas.
Macbeth we didn't go to see Just
so that II would not be spoiled. Even
the moral emphasis which our teach
er laid on this tragedy didn't dampen
the thrill we felt on reading OF Mac
beth's horror.
What Mantell viii do with this
part, we don't know. but in spite Of
au dlscouragement in the past. Wen
take a chance Macbeth is on our
calendar for next week.
To refreshen your recollection.
this play was performed some time
between 1903 and 1910 for the first
time The prophecy OF Macbeth's
destiny and that OF Banquo's issue,
and the influence OF Macbeth's wife
have a legendary or semi historical
foundation in truth. Shakespeare 5
conception OF the supernatural were
well beyond the superstitions and
beliefs of his period. and while based
on E- 1ieval witch lore. revealed
ideas which were not amplifed along
an, .i-E Ike direct or scientific
Hp.- a. hundreds of years later.
II is what the press agent says
abu.. - MauteIIs acting:
IT possible TO paint in words
me picture ~ dramtic artistry which
Robert r. Ganteu lends TO the part
Z Macbeth" He shows US no mere
william and grant wading through
hutcheriss but a man Obsessed, a
mind diseased a soul into which the
powers of darkness creep slowly, at
first. 10 strange all conscience and
~ last to deaden and kin all emo
t.On. II is "a dagger of the mind
that Manteu shows us he voices
he hears. the apparitI0ns he sees
are woven into his tone and step
We watch fate's moving finger writ
ing IT'S dread Inscriptions on his
Countenance and in his whole de-
meanOr. His eyes deepen IN their
sockets, wrinkles and gauntness and
nallor are stamped upon him; his
hair. bright and flowing i'm the first
act. grows grey and constantly dis
heveled. The tragedy steals over him
IKE the eclipse Of some exorable
disease; and. looking on. we feel the
sickness and blackness that are swal-
lowing up this soul"