The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-06
BEN GREET ACTORS PLAY TO CROWDS
Twelfth Night" and "Mac. beth" Were Excellent
 Iy Produced
SPLENDID PERFORMANCES

Twelfth Night" and Macbeth. Shakespearean comedy and tragedy respectively, were presented by the Ben Greet players at Wilby High school auditorium yesterday after noon and evening. The auditorium was crowded for both performances and the players were received with enthusiasm. It is long time since Waterbury has had chance to see q first class Shakespearean production and this was made possible yester- day by the Teachers Association of this city under whose auspices the plays were given. And 1t is many years. also, since the Ben Greet Play CTS were seen in Waterbury. Sir Philip Ben Greet, producer and actor, is past master in the art of producing Shakespeare in the true Eliza bethan fashion. He is still the great actor and his performances possess smoothness, not alone in his own portrayais which are masterly but i,i the acting of his entire company.
 The comedy and tragedy chosen for presentation yesterday afternoon and evening are well enough known to please everybody. The roistering comedy Twelfth Night or (What You WilD is succession O. riotous fun making with now and then serious turn, and great to do about nothing much. It is some what lengthy comedy but does not pail. The clownings of the various characters involved serve to amuse but do not become tiresome as they might in the hands of less skillful actors. Macbeth, on the other hand, presents more serious acting. 1t is so familiar play that prac- :. l. |. ones tongue before the actor speaks his words; nevertheless their was mo- thing of stiltdness in the recital of the lines of the company last night.
 The comedy of the afternoon, in its title, has no particular meaning other than 1t was written on the oc- casion of Twelfth Night Very excel lent performances were given by Russell Thorndyke as the habitually saturated Sir Toby. Thorndyke was Macbeth in the evening show. His companions in in- ane joviality also gave superior performances; and the object of their jests, that is one of the ob- jects, MalvoliO, steward to the lady Olivia, was in the hands of Ben Greet, who made the most of this ridiculous. strutting person The letter scene, if one might call 1t such, was artfully done. Another scene deserving of special mention was the tipsy scene in which the plot is matched to make greater fool than he already was. of Malvolio. The part of the fool was finely done by Reginald Jarman. The love ele- ment coupled together the Duke of Crsino in love with Olivia, who spurns his attentions to favor the txNl. Jt.Nx, as such. and Sebastian, brother of a doctor in Macbeth"
 Muriel Hutchinson was Viola. She was perhaps happier cast in the per- fnrmancc of Lady Macbeth in the evening. Enid Clark was a charming Olivia, playing small role in the evening performance. Adela Fergu- son was saucy Maria in the com edy and in Macbeth" one of the three witches. Frank D. Newman as Sir Andrew Augecheek, and Peter Dearing as Fabian also fitted into their parts nicely.
 The settings for both performance es were in accordance with early Eliza bethan productions, little or no scenery, the same setting through out and very short intervals, so that hoth plays were run off with fair speed. The costumes too were in ac- cordance with the early period. The music for the afternoon performance was of the period. The scenes in Macbeth are Scotland and England, while the comedy Twelfth Night" is supposedly city in Illyria near the sea coast.
 The complete cast of Macbeth" in the order of their appearance fol- lows:
 Three Witches
 Victo- Watts-Weston
 Enid C'1arx