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Show Antony and Cleopatra By one who never gets nearer than the back row. The "Antony and Cleopatra" of the Charles B. Hanfard company pleased a large audience at the opera house Monday night, but none with discrimination discrim-ination will claim that the production was aught but an artUtic failure. It most reminded one of a dress rehearsal rehear-sal of Corianton, or that first night with the Lady Imhaus and Alphonz Ethler in the title roles; though God forbid that we should compare Mr. Hanford with the mouthy Alphonz, or the Antony-Cleopatra production with the later Corianton. In scenic splendor, splen-dor, lighting and stage effects, music and ballet, of which press notice made much, the production Monday night is not to be mentioned In the same class with Corianton, and In comparison with various other presentations pre-sentations of this spectacular Shakes-perean Shakes-perean tragedy, the Hanford production produc-tion was very tame, though Hanford himself, as Marc Antony, may be passed without criticism. Yea, It may even be said of him that he is ever more acceptable than Louis James, but as for Miss Alice Wilson in the I role of Cleopatra, she never once arose to the brilliant opportunities offered. She has a voice like a funeral and put Into her Cleopatra the lite of two funerals. She Is as a tire that has never been lighted, as liquor without the bead; her characterization lacked all that It required keen Intelligence, voluptuousness, sensual suggestion, brilliancy, sirenlc attraction, passion; in fact she gave ample evidence that she has no real conception of the character char-acter and lacks the ability to make the part. And wtiat Is Antony and Cleopatra without Cleopatra? While Marie Drofnah, Mr. Hanford's wife, lacks much of being Ideal, one can not but wonder whether It Is a divorce or merely an Interesting family event In prospect that has caused him to substitute sub-stitute Alice Wilson in her stead. Something critical and unavoidable, rather than good judgment, must be back of the change. The Julius Caesar of Alexander Mc-Kenzle Mc-Kenzle was acceptable, likewise the Enobarbus of John M. Cllne. Mc-Kenzle's Mc-Kenzle's claim on a place in stage history his-tory will rest wholly on his ability to assume an extraordinary dignity for so short u man. Cllne's Godliku physical perfection and sonoious voice commend him, though methtnks he likes overly well to hear his tones. Caryl GlJIln, as Mardlan, a, slave and a clown, may be mentioned favorably, though his parts were very minor. The production as a whole was not bad, and was enjoyed by the audience; nevertheless it was not what one bad a right to expect. Many enjoyed, the moving picture scenes of Egypt and Rome, given as a preliminary. |
