Evening star., 1936-10-18

Evans Is currently appearing as Ma.
poleon in the quiet r. c. Sheriff.
Jeanne de Casalis study Of the last
days of a conqueror. "St. Helena"
and that Mr. Gielgud Is presenting his
studious and sensitive Hamlet for the
admiration Of the playgoing populace.
Both are distinguished actors, giving
distinguished performances in diff
cult roles. and there is no particular
reason for choosing between them. 1t
is my firm conviction, though, that
not only is Mr.. Evans task more COM
plex, but that he manages his portrait
with more brilliance than even the
eminent Mr.. Gielgud Is able to pro-
vide
Obviously Napoleon and Hamlet are
the two most alluring roles that an
actor could dream of reveling in.
Both characterizations provide the
player with the greatest number OF
conceivable problems in satisfying the
judicious playgoer, and both reward
him by offering the ultimate in salts
faction to his exhibitionist complexes.
The star playing Hamlet must con-
tend against your memories of every
portrayal of the role you have ad-
mired and perhaps idealized, which
is no minor handicap. but the imper-
senator of Napoleon must battle every
legend that has grown up about the
most famous and fabulously conceived
conqueror in history. Mr.. Gielgud, as
excellent as he is, does not succeed In
causing one to forget the superb per-
formance that John Barrymore, the
greatest Hamlet of our generation,
provided in the classic role, nor does
he bring the eloquence to the part
that a playgoer who had read but not
seen Hamlet" would have conceived
as he pondered the Incompatible
speeches in print. Mr.. Evans, on the
other hand, never fails to present
completely convincing physical pic
ture of Napoleon, and adds to that
achievement an amazing ability TO
capture something of the aura OF
greatness that inescapably surrounds
the Corsican conqueror even to those
of us who hate the romantic legend
about him. 1t Is for this reason that
I would set down Mr. Evans achieve
ment as the acting feat of the season.
Gielgud's Hamlet, it is not that l
lack admiration for it. Unquestlon-
ably it is a distinguished characterl-
zation. 1t is sensitive, sympathetic
and always intelligent. 1t has at least
-, Taal
quality of nobility and uniqueness.
His is the only Hamlet recall that
gave to every speech the feeling OF
real contemplation and brooding, the
| feeling that every line uttered came
from the mind of the speaker and
was the result of poignant debate
going on within his brooding soul.
Furthermore, his is the only portrayal
, of the role that has the proper pathos
and sense of gentleness warning with
bitterness that belongs to the drama
Of a young neurotic In a situation
calling for a strong man of action. Yet
cannot escape the impression that
Mr.. Gielgud is, on the whole, inferior
not only to Mr.. Barrymore, but also
to Mr.. Basil Sydney. who played the
respondent Dane in the modern
clothes production 10 years ago that
New York thought of as a stunt and
found was an exceptionally fine per-
| Torrance. 1t would, of course, be i'm
possible to compare the conventional
Gielgud Characterization to the satir-
ical picture of Hamlet as sly and
ambitious schemer which the Russian
actor named Goronov contributed to
| the fascinating production of the play