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Show KELLERI) IN "Tim MERCILYNT OF VENICE". .' In tho "Merchant of Venlces" which tho eminent actor John E. Kellerd Is to present- at LyrlciTheatro Wednesday Wednes-day night thla distinguished actor finds ho,. character of- Bhylock on cof the most. notable opportunities tor tho display of talents which have won him foremost rank among tho company com-pany ot tbo master delineators of Shakespeare It will bo remembered that Richard Burbadgo was the original origi-nal impersonator of Shylock and when Burbadge died In Lent, tho 13th of March, 1618, his funeral elegy contained con-tained tho following referonco to his playing: Heart-kroko Philaster, and Amlntas too, Aro lost forevor; with rod-haired Jew, Which soght tho bankrupt merchants pound of flesh, By woman lawyer caught In his mesh; What a wldo world was In that llttlo space, Thynelf a orld tbf Olobn th flttost place." Th's In Intorestlti" -vb 't recalls the fact that tjo ear' '-vi-- nlway made Shylock a "red-halrod Jew" and emphasized tho comedy character charact-er of the rolo. In Mr. Kellerd'a able hands tho central character of "Tho Merchant of Venice" ls a sheerly tragic flguro, as it should be though Holnrlch Holno writes: When I saw. this play nt Durury La,np, Uiero stood behind mo in the box, a plain fair Brltton, who at tho end of tho Fourth Act, fell a weeping passionately, bov eral tlmos exclaiming "Tho poor man Is wronged" When I tlilnk of thoso tears I havo to rank Tho Morchant of Venice with tho Tragodles, and tho Poet meant tho play for a Comedy. It ls no comedy In John E. Kol-lerd's Kol-lerd's hands, but a grim and unrelent lng tragedy; full of tho flro of truo poetry and with tho fine lines of Shakcspcaro brought out In all tbo fullness ot their btfauty. |