Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-02-26
Wanted: A
Radio Shakespeare
Never Heard a Successful Radio Play,
Says Writer

| Never Heard SuCceSSTui hdoio ray
Says Writer
"One of the problems which vex
radio program managers is the dis
| covery of suitable text for dramatic
recitations". writes Edgar III. Felix
! in a letter to Radio Broadcast maya
] zine. More frequently than not, the
I broadcast listener finds the efforts of
| would-b be dramatic artists program
| of confusion because so much that is
essential is either missing or requires
7 the bolstering of tedious announce
ment. One outstanding exception is
| found in the prolific works of Shake
! speare. which offer a repertoire to
| meet the needs of every conceivable
! kind of dramatic talent.
| shakespeare contended with the
very problems which make broad
! casting performances fail. He, too,
was practically limited to the sense
of hearing in his presentations, be-
cause stage lighting and scenery
were not developed in his day. A
| few uncertain candles, which hardly
; served to guide the almost unseen
i actors to their position on the stage,
, We're the only sources of illumina-
. ton. There was no scenery; color
! ed Grapes indicated the surround
| ings; green a field, blue a sea. and so
! forth.
"Appreciating these handicaps,
! Shakespeare always worked into the
, actors lines all the essential Informal
/ ton which makes an aural rendition
both understandable and enjoyable.
There is a wealth of description
which performs the function now
served by stage setting. scenery, and
! illumination, and which permits of
complete appreciation through the
medium of the microphone."
"By way of checking up on Mr..
Felix's very interesting point, re-
marks John Wallace in the March
Radio Broadcast magazine. 1--WE pick
ed up a volume of Shakespeare-it
happened to be Hamlet-and found
in the first ten lines examined.
demonstration of the truth of Mr..
Felix's suggestion that Shakespeare
always worked into the actors line
all essential information.
HAMLET
Act One Scene One
El ssst1e A Platform before the
Francisco at his post. Enter to him
Bernardo.
Bernardo. Who's there?
Francisco. Nay, answer me: stand
and unfold yourself.
Bernardo. Long live the king!
Francisco. Bernardo?
Bernardo. He.
Francisco. You come most carefully
upon your hour.
Bernardo. IT'S now struck twelve;
get thee to bed. Francisco.
Francisco. For this relief much
thanks: tits bitter cold. and I am
sick at heart.
Bernardo. Have you had a quiet
guard?
Francisco. Not mouse stirring.
This play was probably first pre-
scented in broad daylight, in a circu-
lar. roofless building Gas this sort Of
theater preceded the walled in,
candle-lit type). Doubtless a hot
monday sun was beating down on
the actors while they recited their
lines. Probably there was no scenery.
Yet all necessary information was
conveyed to the audience of London
citizenry and not in an obvious and
uncomfortable manner. First they
were told the names of the characters.
Secondly they were informed that it
was twelve o'clock at night. Thirdly
they learned that 1t was bitter cold.
And fourthly, that the death-like
silence of midnight prevailed (though
probably the theatre was echoing
with the noise Of boisterous late
comers).
"Mr. Felix's Immediate point, and |
a well taken one. is that Shakespeare !
be drawn on more frequently for
dramatic recitations. AS a matter of |
record, this has occasionally been |
done. We have happened on a couple
of instances. The ITO be or not to |
be" soliloquy was recited by Basil |
Sydney. the star of Hamlet In Mod
ern Dress, over WOR some time ago.
This station also presented a group |
OF readings, by whom we've forgot
ten, from The Tanning of the Shrew.
and Macbeth. Station KOA had a
program in which one John Connerv
portrayed the various characters in
the grave-digger scene from Hamlet.
However. even at best. it seems /
unlikely that recitations will ever