Widnes Examiner. — 1907-08-17 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

ROYAL COURT THEATRE.  Mr. Allan Wilkie's Shakespearean Company.  The enterprise of the proprietors of the Royal Court Theatre in arranging foNthe visit of Mr. Allan Wilkie and his Shakespearean- Company deserved well of the public, and we are pleased to state that full appreciation has been nightly manifested by large audiences. The production of Shakespearean plays in these days is often regarded as a hazardous venture, but Warrington has its Shakespeare-worshippers, and to the credit of the town be it said that there is a growing demand for stage representations of the works of the bard of Avon. Mr. Allan Wilkie stands in the front rank of English tragedians and though, weibelieve, he came here as a stranger, his reputation had preceded him and many were anxious to form their own estimate as to the faithfulness of his versions of leading parts which have gained him distinction elsewhere. When the curtain rose on "Hamlet " on Monday evening the theatre was filled in almost every part. The unfolding of the grim tragedy was followed with tense interest, and that the performance gave satisfaction was evident from the repeated calls " when the curtain fell. Mr. Wilkie's Hamlet is a fine, realistic conception. He takes the part as to the manner born. He is melancholy, but not oppressive,and there is no tendency to the monotonoul3, for he infuses a welcome vigour into his representation. The soliloquie,s were delivered naturally, bat With the requisite emphasis,and in the fiercer passages of the play he rose to fine dramatic heights. Mr. Wilkie is blessed with a deep and pleasantly flexible voice,and not a word virlit lost to the audience. Of the whole company it is possible—to speak in terms or p,oi " badly played would quickly develop boredom, but Mr. Wilkie's company rose to the full demands upon them, and the tragic note was sustained throughout, the most being made of the many dramatic situations. Miss Carrie Baillie gave a powerful and touching pourtrayal of Ophelia, and was particularly effective in the scene where this hapless maid, after Hamlet's mad rejection and her father's tragic death, loses her reason. Mr. Alexander Marsh scored a triumph as the ghost, his recital of the Circumstances of the murder being sufficiently weird for such a strange visitant, and *Wing the assembly. It is ironical that most of the -little humour •in the play is forthcoming from gravediggers, and the way in which they-cracked jokes and made merry while following their gruesome trade quite , tickled the audience. These parts were admirably taken by Mr. George Munro (who was also a capital Polonius) and Mr. .Edwin Beverley. The duel between Hamlet and Laertes (Mr. Paul Lovett) was no halfhearted affair, but an exciting bout Which worked up enthusiasm to a great pitch. On Wednesday evening we witnessed a capital performance of "Romeo and Juliet," in which the ti e rot es were taken by Mr. G. Alexander Marsh and Miss Carrie Baillie. Mr. Marsh was exceedingly well suited in his part, and whether pouring tender love passages into the willing ear of the fair Juliet or fighting a la mort with Tybalt he was equally good. Miss Carrie Baillie again enhanced the high opinions of her acting. A special note is due to Mr. Paut Lovett, whose Mercutio was a masterpiece. 'Twas the cause of general regret when the exigencies of the play and the sword of Tybalt terminated his merry career. 2,11. Allan Wilkie had a light evening for once, the part of Friar Lawrence not being very exacting. On Tuesday, the " Merchant of Venice " was performed, on Thursday "The Corsican Brothers" and " The Bells," and last night" Othello." Mr. Wilkie's strong conpany has greatly distinguished itself, and won deserved popularity with the Warrington audiences who have crowded the pretty Court Theatre. To-night, "King Richard