Evening star., 1954-07-25
Festival Time
Strotford IS Excited
Conodo's Shakespeare Center Finds
Renown Greater Than Anticipated
BY WiIIiom Clover

and a big salmon-covered con-,
vertible for the road between.
Mason has found the great
personal satisfaction in the
title roll of the Sophocles
"Oedipus" which is being done
in the w. B. Yeats translation.
THE unearthly creepiness
with which we have to move
appeals to me strangely" he
confides.
There is little doubt that
for the viewer as well, the
masked "Oedipus" is the most
thumpingly exciting produc-
ton. Mounted and performed
under the direction Of Tyrone
Guthrie as a ritualistic rather
than naturalistic drama,
"Oedipus" besides being won-
derful theater is another ex-
ample Of the Stratford success
story.
Every one Of the i've plays
presented thus far-two last
year and Shakespeare,s
Measure for Measure" and
Tanning Of the Shrew," along
with "Oedipus" currently--1as
been an intriguing effort at
five different types of theatre
cal entertainment.
Director Dynamic
How many more types may
come UP Is hard to say. for
Guthrie (who has done four
Of the flve) Is q man Of
boundless energy, vivid imag-
ination and distaste for tradi-
tion.
Some Of the critics who have
seen his production of "Shrew"
expressed disagreement over
the spirit Of the presentation.
But Guthrie, believing strong
ly that Shakespeare is univer-
sal and not just Elixabethean
English, has made "Shrew"
into a lusty, rollicking romp
bedecked in q motley Of cos
tunes from no particular age
or place. He has also made
it fun. But at no place has
he violated the text.
Mason does not appear in
the 'Shrew" but does act In
Measure for Measure" o
dark and moody exercise di-
rected by Cecil Clarke, who is
also the festivals artistic di-
rector.
Seen separately or in three
some. the festical program Is
rich. stimulating theater
That the season offerings are
not even more triumphant is
because of one error in cast
ing. Performers in one en-
tertainment medium are
sometimes less effective in an
other. and so 1t is with Mason,
a slight jar in q scene of
otherwise complete dramatic
splendor.
His voice at times seems
lost In the requirements of his
two roles and is no doubt
largely responsible for this
spectators slightly unfavor-
able reaction.
Mason Is Pleased
Mason processes himself we'll
satisfied with his trip from
Hollywood. He explains his
threshold purpose was to get
a change Of pace from movie
acting, to participate in the
high purpose Of the Stratford
enterprise and to have a
purely professional exercise"
in other acting forms.
He found himself "very un-
happy" he told me, with his
f1rst-night portrayal in Meas
ure for Measure" his first
stage joust with Shakespeare
in % years, but feels he has
met the challenge Of 1t now.
And would he like to return
to Broadway for another 60 at
living theater Che appeared in
New York once before. briefly?
mot If I can possibly avoid
It," he replied. The reasons.
he added. are that the actor
must drive and slug all the
time" concentrate on one spe-
cialized type of theater and
meet the standards Of one
particular group Of critics and
spectators in Gotham.
II would like very much to
do a United States tour
though" Mason said.
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