New-York tribune., 1922-12-31
The Theaters
War6cds Actiug Is Great, Eucn if His ShYock Is NOT
BY Percy Hammond

oan professors seem to be of the opinion that Mr.
warfcds Sbyock is everything that it should o excepting %
70 Is not great" "a fine and studous Accomplishment
marked m am intelligent rhythmic reading Of the lines and much c
q pautominc and business 1t IS satisfactory onSH
moro credible than performances Of the oa character
tn rather than an impcrsouston It also "ra Shyk But
the judgment Of the rcdagogucs and Others it IS not great
THIS dissemination breye Mr. Warheid with the ngness ram
nor tc Sho IS cxpcabc lie lacks the sweep the stride the
boom and the sstcn regarded essential the big deneauons lie
not tall and i'm his majestic rcsonarces he don
mates the scene subugae it. Therefore though ne Is inc
most living Of he Shylocks, nc is not great
Of perhaps like little spendor IN our SnakespcaIean
acting In the larger roles for deepbayed eocuton
modified Of course still bit ostentatous Shylock must nari and
~ and curse and himself be by cheap Christians
Rao lie must have mean hatred for the sentimental
noneyndng lie must scheme depaoe revenge
other He must be religious VndcuVe ogo
Ills anguish concerning the loss Of his ducats must DC o
ever sorddn and pnes demand glamour Of altitude ana
uencc not entirely with his questionable soul Mr. Wahed
He does not addlc though idea that his
acting great" but that his Shylock is not
Mr. Warfed as you know gift being b explicit and
employs facility times in his Characterization
The transaction with the Christian Merchant hress Bassano
oft photograph Of such proceeding deft
putting it cunning customers Syoc this incident is
uS ON bos murderer and YOU wonder why his victims though
ingenious penetrate dastardy designs But Mr. Wahed
negotiations that feel that you yourself would bor
money what the bond There few moments
pantomme that fascinated Pors for the r
stage the proceedings and ascending the das
Whispers myseouy the Duke of Venice This gives Mr. Warhed
chance the craest of the hstons he watches them
with mingling Of hope and suspicion
After the third act Of the opening performance the excited dram"
torcgahofcd the lobby eXchanged Neroc on
fields delivery speech beginning Hath not Jew eycs 1t
the impression Augustus Thomas that had he heard so
moving exposition of the of the medieval Jew and was
Mr. Wsrfd there both Shyock and great actor
The words seemed be Shkcspcrcs but Shyoeks and
Wsrfeds as well
Since Mr.. Beso knccng before this
shrine for twenty their attitude production rcyerens
M bos acting version compact and smooth Of movement intro
ducng bizarre innovations the Shyock
house omitted in other editions small detail illus
ratng the Beco touch As for instance silent monk who
fronts Shock with eruehx the beaten Jew the Of
The less spectacular than Of
1t of devout and unparalleled richness
prodgay IN minor resAbc Brunug, for example and
A. Z. Ason the Duke Miss Mary
Poa because she supccrupuou ouon and so
ngshed in her bearing But she i'll night and
Besco explained she played brsyy and temper
Mr. Ian Mscaren TO be unnecessarily damp as Antonio
and Mr. Philip Mcye by the ngrsson of his personality causes
the mercenay Banio be less obnoxious than really IS