SHAKESPEARE CLUB

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7928, 11 October 1911, Page 4

SHAKESPEARE CLUB

READING OP "OTHELLO.” Tho public reading of "Othello,” given in tho Sydney street schoolroom last night by the 'Wellington Shakespeare Club, interested ninny patrons of the club. The schoolroom was well filled, although there was room for more. The club merits support. It is doing much to cultivate a taste for tho works of the great dramatist, and by its mceings gives opportunity to its members to improve their knowledge in a worthy direction. In appearing before the public, the club is naturally faced with the difficulty of suitably casting the characters of a play selected. Shakespearean parts —and a thorough conception of their requirements—are not as a rule easiJy haudled by tho aspiring student, who too often fails to "live” in the atmosphere of tho scenes and incidents depicted and lacks the necessary dramatic instinct. Thus one looks for no more perhaps than a pleasant renewal of acquaintance with tho dramatist's finewritings at these public readings. This purpose was well served by the Shakespearo Club last night. The outstanding feature was the scholarly presentation of Othello by Mill. E. Nioliolls. He is a keen student ol Shakespeare, has mastered well most of the works of the playwright, and brings to bear on all his interpretations not only ripened study but considerable dramatic power. This ho was enabled to amply show in his conception of Othello. It was a very creditable interpretation upon which he must be complimented. lago (Mr W. Godfrey) was overshadowed by tho strength of Othcl-i lo; he was very pain££aking throughout.! Desdcmona (Miss S. Rapley) spoke her! lines intelligently and gracefully. Missl E. S. Baldwin appeared as Einila. The' other characters were distributed amongst Messrs E. XL Baldwin, ,T. C. Webb. L. Bucteridge, T. D. Kendall, AV. E. l-'uller, C. 1). Mill, and Miss T. Reading, the latter giving promise of still better work.