THE PRINCESS THEATRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8793, 1 May 1890, Page 3

THE PRINCESS THEATRE.

"THE MERCHANT OF VENICE."

At the Princess Theatre last night Shakespeare's popular play, " The Merchant of Venice," was produced by Mr G. C. Milu's company in the presence of a very good house. The character of Shylock was, of course, that which was impersonated by Mr Miln himself, aud an unusual degree of interest attached to the impersonation, inasmuch as it had come to be supposed that a novel reading of the part would be given. This can hardly be said to have been the case. It had been publicly advertised that Shakespeare's " immortal defence of the Jewish race," aud his " exposition of the wrongs of the Jews" would be the prominent features of the performances, and Mr Miln certainly emphasised very strongly the desire of revenge for the accumulation of insults that had been offered to his tribe as the clief element iv Shylock's character. In this, however, there is nothing that is either very new or very Btartling. It used, undoubtedly, at one

time to be considered that hatred of Christians, and hatred of Autonio in particular, were the ruling instincts with Shylock—hatred of Antonio because by what he calls low simplicity he destroys his business, because he lends out money gratis, brings down the rate of usance, and lost him half a million,—and the Jew used to be represented as a man of a mean type, such as might be placed on a level with the low villain upon whom, in the modern melodrama, the execrations of the audience are bestowed. In the opinion of Dowden there were one or two narrowing and iuten?a passions iv which Shylock was absorbed, these passions being love for bis money bags and hatred of the man who had scorned his tribe, insulted his creed, aud

diminished his gains. Another Shakespearian authority places avarice as the dominant passion of the man, and, after it, regards the desire to avenge the wrongs and indignities heaped upon the Jewish nation as being the strongest spring of action. The weight of belief, however, appears to be that Shylock was no less,

if not more, siuued agaiust than sinning. After remarking that in proportion as Shylock has ceased to be a popular bugbear," baited with the rabble's curse," he becomes a half-favourite with the philosophical part of tbe audience, who are disposed to think that Jewish revenge is at least as good as Christian injuries, HazHtt observes :

"Hesuems tha depository of the vengeance of his race, and though the long habit of brooding over daily insults and injuries has crusted over hi 3 tuinper with iuvcterate misanthropy, and hardened him against the contempt of mankind, this adda but little to tho triumphant pretensions of his enemies. There is a strong, quick, and deep f.enso of justice mixed up with the gall and bitterness of his resentment. Tho desire of revooge is almost inseparable from tho sense of wrong, and we can hardly help sympathising with the proud spirit, hid beneath his ' Jewish gaberdine,' stung to madne«s by repeated undeserved provocations, and labouring to throw off the load of obloquy and oppression heaped upon him and all hi* tribe by one desperate act of 'lawful' revenge, till the ferociousness of the means by which he is to execute his purpose and the pertinacity with which ho adheres to it turns us against him; but even at last, when disappointed of the sanguinary revenge he had glutted hia hopes, and exposed to beggary and contempt by the ltttor of the law on which he ha>l insisted with so little remorse, we pity him aud think him hardly dealt with by his judges." It was Kean who first discarded what had come to be traditions respecting the character and who first made a martyr and a hero of Sbylcck. This was regarded at tbe time as a forced and unnatural conception of the part, but it has been more and more acknowledged sines that tiruo Ih-.t Shylock is to be represented as the avenger of a nation's wrongs more than in any otaf-r light. This is the view wbich Mr Miln takes of tincharacter aud to which he guvc ivt-ry prurniufuce in lih impersonation. Tlitro :>n>, doubtless, many persons who decline to accept this as being tho proper view to take, but this class of people must agres with (hose who 1 believe that the character of Shylock is to be

) j regarded nr. tinted iv according to Mr Mila very digli praiso indeed for hw performance. Kia acting wn'l never feeble, and at times it wan must powerful. In tliu end of tho second not nffor Jossici has fl>xl during her fath«r't abst'nie, n g mil and imusuul effect was produced by Kiiylock eiituriu.i; mid fruitlessly knocking twmis (it his door bi-foro ilia curtain foil. In tlio n-st ant Mr Miln appeared to very consiiit ruble ii.!vj\ntng<\ hN grief at tho loss of hid only and bulovcil child, miugUd with his satisfaction p.t (ho receipt of the news of tho losses incurred by Iho hated Antouio, was portrayed with exceptional force; hut in tho trial sceuo Mr Miln's artintio abiill.y fouud evtu [{-eater proof, his powerful acting, when Shylock'u insistenco on rigid and inflexible justice haa recoiled ou his owu head) and placed him at ttio mercy of his enemies, producing a tension on tho part of tho audience which, upon his exit, obtained relief in loud applause. Mr Milu's skilful impersonation was recognised by a couple of calls, in tho latter of which tho several other performers joined. The support which was afforded to Mr Miln by his company was generally of a much more satisfactory character than it was in " Kichard HI." Miss Kate Douglas had a severe task set her in tho representation of Portia, than which even Shylock is not a finer or more finished character, and it is no disparagement of tho actress to say that her impersonation tell a good deal short from being a completely successful ono. Iv many respects Miss Douglas acquitted herself admirably, and that matchless pieco of oloquence, tbo speech commencing " Tho quality oE mercy is not strained," in tho trial scene, was powerfully delivered. In tho eamo Econe, however, Miss Douglas fell into tho error of vehemently proclaiming tho trump card which she held, in declaring that not a jot of blood was Shylock entitled by the bond to take. She thus made Portia to asaiimo tho character of an advocate rather than of a judge, and the effectiveness of tho situation was marred in consequence. Of tho other characters tlißt of Bassanio, as performed by Mr W. J. Montgomery, was tho most satisfactory, and was indeed an excellent representation. Mr Douglas was cast as Gratiano, but was so imperfectly acquainted with tho part as to seriously interrupt the smoithuesa of the play; and Mr Dobsou's Antonio possessed no fpeciolly noteworthy features. Mr Nunn has a capital appreciation of . tho character of Lauacelot Gobbo, but the small part of Old Gobbo, as portrayed by Mr Carle, was even better represented. Mr Wakefield's Lorenzo is deserving of mention as being a well-studied part, aud Miss Daisy Stratbmore, who impersonated Jessica, appears to be a promising youug actress of whom something good iilay yet be heard. Tko remaining characters wero sustained in a fairly satisfactory manner. The piece was well mounted, but some slight anachronisms were noticeable iv the dressing. A Bmall but efficient orchestra, led by Mr Schacht, contributed a number of selections in an acceptable rn'nner. " The Merchant of Venice " will be repeated to-night

—In all the large towns iv Sweden " the fashionable barbers' shops arc kept by women. Tho haircutting and shampooing is done by men, but only women share."