Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-16
ADJUSTMENTS
POLPS-Richard III.

| All the blood and thunder. all the
color, all the fanciful murders that
Shakespeare could have wished for were
put into Richard III" which Fritz
Leiber and his distinguished company
presented last night as the last of their
weeks repertoire. Thoroughly spectac-
ular in every way, replete with the fire
Of such acting as has not been dupl-'
Gated on Shakespearean boards here in
many q day. Mr.. Leiber guided his
brother actors through the great
tragedy that climaxed q brilliant week.
From the first, now is the Winter
OF our discomfort" to the last terrible
scene on the battlefield, when Richard
knows that his crown and his head
are no longer his own, Mr.. Leiber built
as turbulent a picture of a turbulent
character as one could want. The cruel
Gloucester, led on by a demented am
bition, whose tongue, as he expresses
it, can wheedle to the devil" was
never more sly, more self-seeking more
cOntented with the channels of his
murders, than was the hunchbacked
monarch presented by Mr.. Leiber. Not
as horrible in appearance, perhaps, as
John Barrymore would have had him,
of twisted and warped mind that our
widest Nightmares Of the man could
have wished for.
The supporting cast lent Mr.. Leiber
generous help. Although only in q
secondary. capacity, Mr.. Cecil as Clar-
eTce, Mr.. Hall as Buckingham and Mr..
Burke as the unfortunate old King,
Henry VI, were faultless in every de-
tail-So were the two little princeSses
in "a SxyfkI int
by Miss Carroll and Miss Stevens
E. M.
"As You Like TT at Polls.
One of the three plays which Will
liam Shakespeare wrote that was sup
pressed" from publication was given at
the matinee performance at Polls yes
terday. "As You Like It." which his
torianS state. was probably written
some time before 1000 but was not
published until 1923. was the delightful
piece of entertainment offered. 1t
seems that "As You Like It." Henry
W. and Much Ado About Nothing
were withheld from publication by
caveat issued August 4. 1900. Soon
Tho two latter we're published, but
Shakespeare had to wait apparently
You Like It" to appear in print. At
that, in these days, it seems a droll
and fascinating comedy with a strong
tendency toward farce.
Although the story is said to have
been inspired by a novel, "Rosalynd,
or Euphue's Golden Legacye," by
Lodge, an author of 1890, Shakespeare
originated the three most individual
characters in his play. Jacques, the
role played by Fritz Leiber, who in this
part has those marvellous lines beloved
by the world-"All the worlds a stage"
ETC., and the equally famous Seven
Ages Of Man." is one of these. Mr..
Leiber gave these passages reading
so exquisitely simple that he created
almost poignant pleasure in his audi
ence's reaction.
Another of Mr. Shakespeare's orig
inalities, the clown, Touchstone, was
given the bulk of the epigrams to voice.
Robert Strauss did so, excellently. The
third of this trio the sluggish witted
peasant girl, Audrey, was admirably
impersonated by Marie Carroll
The more slowly roles Of Rosalind,
Celia. Orlando and Oliver were given
fine readings by Vera Allen, Virginia
Bronson, Lawrence Cecil and Hart
jerks, respectively. All the other many
roles that made perfect human mo-
sale Of the characters used to tell the
story and point the morals of this COM
edy, were excellently cast. The foppish
Beau of Thayer Roberts was particular
ly good.
There were few cuts in the perform
ance of this play, only two important
scenes being deleted. That is, these
scenes seemed important in order to
make the later action on the part of
Oliver logical. They were scene 2, act
II, when Duke Ferdinand discovers
Rosalind, Cecilia and the Clown, and
sends for Oliver to tell of Orlandos
whereabounts; and scene /, act III. in
which Ferdinand charges Oliver to find
Orlando and threatens to confiscate his
lands II. F.