Show Shakespearean Players Planers Depart After ama Drama Treat Minute Detail Originality Boost Boos Success of A Midsummer sum Mid mer Nights Night's Dr Dream u uBy By LOUIS JUDGES Originality of stage direction exemplified ex ex- in clever details was th the keynote to the success of A Midsummer Midsummer Midsummer Mid Mid- summer Nights Night's Dream presented present present- ed by the Stratford-on-Avon Stratford players play play- em ers s Thursday night in Kingsbury hall haIl In their final Salt Lake performance performance performance per per- per per- the players were greatly great great- ly applauded by an audience composed composed composed com com- posed for th the most part of stu stu- stu- stu dents The characters played their parts with excellent grace but i iwas it was the play by-play that brought out the full comic effect of the ridiculous ridiculous lous situations Particularly in the farcical final scene was the thc thie originality originality of the director Bridges Adams evident Roy Byford in an amusing portrayal portrayal portrayal por por- of the naive Bottom duplicated duplicated duplicated his fine performance of Sir John Falstaff in King Henry IV Ernest Hare as Lysander and R. R Eric Lee as the impetuous Demetrius Demetrius Demetrius Deme Deme- acquitted themselves well Hermia in the person of Dorothy Francis and Helena played by Cynthia Bridge were outstanding characterizations Puck the robin goodfellow among the fairies was well played by Geoffrey Wilkinson Wilkin Wilkin- n- n son as were the characters of the several Athenian handicraftsmen All in all however it would be difficult to set one character above another in performance the entire cast filled their roles with finesse Mention should also be made of the lighting ef effects which so enhanced enhanced enhanced en en- the natural lyrical and fanciful fanciful fanciful fan fan- tone of the play lay Heralding A triumph for the tle age ge old barof bard bar of upon Stratford Seldom has Salt Lake City been en witness to so masterful a n dramatic display display display dis dis- dis- dis play There was no doubt after th the first performance by the Stratford Stratford Stratford Strat Strat- ford upon Avon Festival Company Company Company Com Com- that it is the pany greatest aggregation aggregation aggregation ag ag- ag- ag of its kind AYRTON OUTSTANDING AS OLD KING LEAR LEAK Randle Ayrton's portrayal of Lear on Tuesday nigHt was magnificent magnificent magnificent mag mag- in every detail The monarchs monarch's monarchs monarch's monarchs monarch's mon mon- archs arch's pitiful seeking of affection his contrasting moods his blind impetuosity and finally the ab- ab of his reason were al conveyed conveyed conveyed con con- with unerring skill Mr Ayrton was particularly effective in that gripping interlude when the king a broken and infirm old man slowly sinks into horrible insanity The picturesque and storm scenes were perhaps the most memorable in the play The scene wherein Lear meets the loyal Cordellia after her long absence absence absence ab ab- sence from him is a thing of shimmering shimmering shimmering shim shim- mering beauty accentuated by the swift strains of music Hilda Coxhead the roll roIl rollof rollof of Cordellia with a quaint charm and dignity The other two daughters who were once the jewels of King Lear were well weIl personated by Dorothy Massingham Massing- Massing ham lam and Dorothy Francis Of the other men in the cast it t would be difficult to single out any anyone one for individual excellence But one must mention Geofrey Wilkinsons Wilkinson's portrayal of Lears Lear's fool who constantly relieved the tenseness of the great tragedy and yet allows no inordinate lightness lightness light light- ne ness detract from the und underlying theme ROSALIND SHRINES IN N AS YOU LIKE IT The heavy burdens of the plot of ofAs ofAs As You Like It were entrusted to o Fabia Drake in the role of Rosa- Rosa lind ind By air extreme th the imagination one might visualize her ler as the youth she was intended to o be in the forest sc scene ne but her delightful womans woman's personality was constantly evident and through the he powers of her kind she dominated dominated dominated domi domi- the almost willing Orlando Rosalind's father the banished Duke uke was particularly well characterized characterized charac- charac by Gerald Kay His makeup and lines were important in n his success The production tion of As You Like It It t has several pieces of incidental music and these were well cared for by Amiens and the foresters The songs provided delighted interludes interludes interludes in in- to the comedy ROGUE FALSTAFF PLAYS COMEDY IN HENRY IV King Henry the Fourth superb Fourth superb in n revival Roy Byford shines as Falstaff Hotspur valiant Hotspur-valiant valiant and true to his convictions Playgoers and devotees of the Bard who have met that rotund knavish and craven knight Sir J John ohn Falstaff only through the thc medium of the Merry Wives of Windsor supposedly written to order order order or- or or or- der for Queen Elizabeth had an opportunity Wednesday evening tomake to tomake tomake make the acquaintance of the on- on ori- ori ginal far more comical and spontaneous spontaneous spon- spon fellow in Henry IV The scene in the second act where Falstaff is called upon to mimic the king and pass judgment on his own fat self proved to bethe be behe bethe the he outstanding comedy of th the play lay In conclusion each dramatic presentation was an outstanding success long to be remembered The he players acted in harmony and the result was even and well balanced performances The lines I were vere spoken with distinctness and proper emphasis and as a consequence consequence consequence conse conse- quence true lovers of Shakespeare were vere given iven a genuine treat In Inthe Inthe the he third place the simplicity city of oftie the tie se settings tings was effective without distracting attention from the pl plays lays ys themselves an original setting setting set- set ting ing for each play is an achievement achievement achievement achieve achieve- ment General speed and dispatch were remarkable and is praise praiseworthy worthy J. J By E E. E J J. J G. G Jr |