ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15110, 28 September 1912, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

ASCHE-BRAYTON SEASON.

"THE MERCHANT OF VENICE."

The second of the Shakespere plays in the repertoire, of the Oscar Asclie company, "The Merchant of Venice," was presented at His Majesty's Theatre last evening to a crowded house. Many . had gone, doubtless "to see what is admittedly one of the favourites among Shakespere , comedies upon the boards, with high anticipation}!, and whether previous acquaintance with the play came from studying it during school days, from independent reading or from seeing it upon the stage, it is safe to say that there was nothing in last night's performance to disappoint the most extravagant expectations, while in the latter case the production at His Majesty's could not havo invited invidious comparison. The play itself is not so simple to handle as a casual reading might cause one to imagine, there being more in it than mere comedy, and in the interpretation of it revealed to the audience last evening not ' only was the high comedy handled with a duo appreciation of its import, but the undercurrent of something more significant was not obscured. ' In Shakespere the comedian we never entirely lose sight of Shakespere. the philosopher, even in his most/ joyous and irresponsible moments, and upon a due appreciation of this fact turns success or nonsuccess in the production ■of his : plays. This applies with more force to " The Merchant of Venice" than to any* of the earlier comedies, and equally as strongly to it as to the comedies produced subsequent to the period in which he wrote his great tragedies. Consequently the_due appreciation of the element in the play reverted to above is more important than might at first be thought.' • It has been stated by . a critic that Shakespere has no heroines, the meaning being that the interest in his plays centres so continually upon the hero that the feminine interest tends to become obscured. This statement admits of some proof, but there are many exceptions, and "The Merchant of Venice" is one. of the most important. The interest- in it-centres chiefly around Portia and Shylock, the-lat-ter, perhaps, taking the greater share of it. Whether Shylock was intended to be a comic creation or not is a question upon which critics in 'the. past have wasted much time in discussion, • but the verdict is nowadays strongly in favour of the negative, and the portrayal of that diffi- i cult and complex part given, by Mr. Oscar Asclie is in favour of the modern acceptation of the character. Intensely self-cen-tred, and in moments grotesque, the Shylock of Mr. Asclie is never intentionally comic. The satiric vein in which he is j shown as alternating between grief-for his ! daughter and for his ducats may ' strike j the audience as being in a sense ludicrous, I but to the man as represented by Mr. : Asche it is palpably not so. Moreover in the passion with which he declaims the wrongs of his " sacred nation," and his own wrongs, there is a dignity " which raises his character above the. ludicrous, and saves him from being merely loath-, somely vindictive. It gives one a glimpse of his point of view, realised by , the keen insight and universal sympathy with which Shakespere portrayed mankind, and makes one put him on a plane far above that of the mere "villain of the piece." In detail Mr. Asclie's rendering of the part was, in sympathy with the most artistic conception of Shakespere's intention in creating it, distinctly Oriental. Voice, gesture, ana bearing were ■of a man apart among the people amid whom he lived and moved, and his total collapse at the culmination of the " court scene" is in keeping with the fatalism of the Eastern people. It is, in fact, only his nationality' and his religion which prevents- one from expecting him to pronounce the sign of accepting his lot by exclaiming " Kismet." Next to Shylock in this play without a hero comes Portia, handled by "Miss Lily Brayton. This part, * too, <is an exacting one, embodying, a virility of intellect, and a; masculine strength and tenacity, of purpose combined with a maximum of feminine charm, and Miss Bray ton gave a rendering of. the part in no wise second to that of Mr. Asche as Shylock. Her greatest opportunity came, of course, in the trial scene, and this- was also her greatest triumph, the bailing -of Shvlock being achieved in a style which displayed at once a. keen appreciation of the. possibil- ! ties of the moment, Und an unbounded power of making the moat of them.' ' The i great denoutment in this scene, was in fact one of . the most, notable moments' in the production. The tension of the opening stages, assisted by the grave and deliberate tones of the Duke, tho- execrations of the crowd howled at Shylock, capped by Portia's magnificent but futile appeal, to the better feelings of . the Jew, made a splendid preliminary to. the moment when with merciless finality she exposed the weakness of the case against Antonio, and proclaimed the final doom upon the Jew, which he only escaped by an alternative more -bitter than death itself. Upon these two parts hinged the whole play, but the other characters were necessarily well-sustained in order to complete tho success of the production. Antonio, as handled by Mr. H. R. Hignett,. was dignified and lovable, in spite of the unexplained tinge of melancholy running | through his lite. Bassanio. the man who really caused tho whole trouble, was played j by Mr. Frederic Worlack as just such a thoughtless and perhaps irresponsible young [ man as Antonio would feel himself ■ bound to watch over and assist to the uttermost. Tho parts of Gratia'iio, Salanio, and Salarino, were all equally well sustained, the reading of the former by Mr. Lan Penny forming _ a good contrast in his irrepressible noisiness to the staid and melancholy . Antonio. The charming sub-plot of the elopement. of Jessica and Lorenzo was handled by Miss Olive Noble and Mr. Alexander Onslow, the revolt of the latter against the austerity and ignominy of .life, in her father's _ house, and her subscqunt expansion in more genial surroundings, being vividly shown. To make much of the scenery in a play such as " The Merchant of Venice " is to give too much prominence to an element in tho production which, after all, is only secondary. Suffice it to say that while elaborate and beautiful, the setting of the scenes always satisfied' the eye without diverting the' attention from the play itself. One scene which deserves to be singled out is the " Moonlight Scene" in Portia's garden, where the play lingers for a moment that- Shakespere may let his fancy play round the age-old theme of lovers in the moonlight. This, scene was very beautifully conceived • and mounted, and paved the way well for the closing ecena of the artificial quarrel and ! subsequent re-union of the lovers. . Thp production may be summed up as a notable performance, and a triumphant refuj tation of the theory that- the plays of "Shakespero havo outlived their appeal' to the world as dramas to be put upon the stage. There will be two more performances of "Tho Merchant of Venice," a matinee this afternoon, and another performance tonight, while on Monday it makes way for tho broader comedy of*" The. Merry Wives of Windsor," with Mr. Asche as Falstaff, and Miss Bray ton as Mistress Ford.

HERR EAIMUND PECHOTSCH'S CONCERT. A grand concert will bo given by Herr Raimund Pechotsch in the Town Hall on October 19. Herr Pechotsch will play '.bo famous Prelude, and Fugue by J. ' Sebastian Bach, and Brilliant Fantasia by Artofc. Forty-five of Herr and Madame Peckotsch's pupils will take part in the monster programme, also Mr. Harold Gregson at the grand organ- The accompanistis Mr. Leo. Whitakor.

TINY TOWN. The little organisation known as Tiny Town will open its Auckland season at the Town Hall 011 Saturday next. Tiny Town is the company of miniature men and women that has set Australia talking during the past eight or. nine months. The amazing little people have played in all tho leading cities, of the - Commonwealth,

and in Sydney alone V NEWS. v:> 120 performances. Ti; ■ • ' ■given by the-midget wieTT™. ono which would be consider _ . ... presented by full-grown peopT 00 r -" v '~ is remembered that the heights*.' .>■ mites arc from 30in to 38in, t!iK ~„. ' ' ance is little short of remarkable, xfiD,/ * ■{ .. t V;. iv-y: OPERA HOUSE. '•' X " | A large audience witnessed the vaucK villa performance at the Opera House jastx • -3 night. An enthusiastic reception was acr \ corded Miss Elsie McGuire, and several ,S other members of the company were'well applauded. A matinee will be given thi* afternoon. 1-

PICTURE ENTERTAINMENTS.; _ The Queen's Theatre pictures still continue to attract large crowds. The. revival of the photo-play " The Battle Hymn of the Republic has proved extremely popular, and other pictures, including " The Colleen Bawn " are well received. Tho present programme at the "Lyric Theatre is of an exceptionally high standard. _ ''The Lady of the ..Lake" was greeted with much enthusiasm last night. A matinee will be giver, to-day. West's Pictures will be . repeated at tho usual matinee and evening performances to-day. The programme, including - the mining romance, " The Vengeance of Fate," contains a number of "admirable subjects. An excellent programme of pictures was shown at the King's Theatre last night. "The Ship of Lions" . and ".The . Sunset Gun proved the most popular of the long list of films. The usual matinee will be 'given, this afternoon-.'

ROYAL RINK. - "Vy A successful children's carnival was" held at the Royal Rink l last night.-'.' A' large / number of young skaters filled the floor, \ and a number of adults, who were not v'.j; allowed on the floor till.'nine' p.m., watched .-; the proceedings. These took the form of. J competitions for skaters, the.prize?winners being as follows .- —Most graceful, skater (boy), Master Olsen; most.. graceful :; skater (girl), Miss Joan Briffault and Miss Burns; best-dressed boy. Master" Mar- . \. ; - riage; best-dressed girl, Miss Olive Clark; smallest, child on skates, Master. Mc- - Douga.ll (21, years old), as Baden-Powell; -3 most graceful couple, Miss Ada Hunt and -. i?' Mr. Trover Davis; finding the . ball, Master Benjamin Raven; finding the doll, -y? Miss Ada Htmt. Every child in the rink, :' whether skating or otherwise, also received a Japanese present from the Japanese fishponds, presided over by 'Miss : Betty 'Sherman. he whole of the arrangements for the evening were carried out successfully under the suncrvis\'on of the new floor " manager, Mr. Hutchison. ;■■■-*

ORPHANS' CLUB CONCERT. • An attractive programme lias been pre-' { 1 pared, for the concert to be tendered to ■ f -Mr. C. Muston (the honorary conductor of the Orphans' Club orchestra.); in'the Town ' Hall on, Wednesday next.. The ? orchestral numbers to be presented include compositions of the beat masters, and the reputation of the orchestra is sufficient guarantee4l f. of a capable and intelligent interpretation, :.,V ; of them. '. /The, vocalists include some of Auckland's most popular artists; ' and.;'. Madame Bertha Anstis, a lady : of whose ■ artistic ability very flattering notices have ',"4 appeared .in , Home papers, will make her 5H first appearance here., : 7 " . , * CONCERT AT LEYS INSTITUTE. - ' A popular concert, arranged by Mr." J. „ H. Philpott, will conclude " the winter course , at the Leys Institute on Fridav ; next., An attractive programme of vocal ' and instrumental music - has been, pre' pared. •• '',••• \ V:; : ; GRAFTON ROAD .CHOIR CONCERT. The Town Hall concert arranged for ' Monday,. evening _ next by the . Graftoi: Road choir promises to be a great success. Mr. Horace G. Weber, organist.of ■ iNapier Cathedral > (who has been''"specially engaged), will play several .organ.selections,'^ including: Chipp's " Fantasist on the Austrian Hymn," which was so much appieV : ir ciated on a former occasion; ; The choir is to' render choruses and" part songs. '- Tfiero 'K will also' be specially selectedb's6ioS||byjf[| Signorina. : Martinengo. and Miss Gardner, musical monologues by Mr, Thos. Harris, ; .and quartettes' by I the Lyric Four. Seats-y-i; axe being booked very rapidly, and a largo audience is fexpected.'KfeSf&l^Sl^^l '. . >