MASONIC DRAMATIC CLUB.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9093, 18 April 1891, Page 3

MASONIC DRAMATIC CLUB.

"MACBETH."

The resnscitited Masonic Dramatic Club with a venturesomenesß probably inherited from its foreronner, the Masonic Shakespeare Dramatis Club, which existed, if it did not actually flourish, some years ago, produced that greatest of tragedies, " Macbeth," last night. Whether it Was that the public desired to see local amateurs in the representation of characters in which some of the bsafc known Shakespearian actors of past and present times have failed to make their mark, or whether it was that there was a widely felt desire to augment the Kakanui relief fund-and, now that the differences of opinion have commenced with regard to the distribution of that fund, the latter is hardly bo likely as,the former, to prove the actual factor—the Princess Theatre was filled in every part. The audience, however, was a divided one. There was a considerable section who had apparently gone to the theatre with a fixed determination to applaud everybody and everything, and thete_ waß another section who saw reason for merriment where do such etate of mind shonld have been produced,—who, in fact, seemed to incline to the belief that it was a comedy that was being produced before them. Now,'" Macbeth ' was not written by Shakespeare as a comedy, but then it is probable that Shakespeare never contemplates that it should be played by amateurs. If such a thought as that had ever occurred to him he might have consigned "Macbeth to the flames and not have given it forth to the world at all. It was not so, however, and thus we have the Masonic Dramatic Club producing the play. There is more than one way of judging of the success of the production. Ihe charitable object for which the performance waa given is likely to benefit to a large extent, which is good, and the audience that witnessed the performance derived a considerable measure of nmußement from so doing, which also is good. In that way, the production may be said to have been a success: but in the other sense—when the production h looked at from the histrionic point of view—opinions may differ as to whether it was a success or not. There is no standard of criticism for am&teur performances, and it will doubtless be Baid that it is most unfair to measure them by professional performances, yet • when plays like " Macbeth" are chosen for renresentation by amateurs reasonable criticism is distinctly .challenged, but in respect of the principal chsractersintheplay-thoseofMacbeth and Lady Maebelh-it is a difficult matter to know whera the line of reasonable criticism is to be drawn. The character of Macbeth, for instance, has been the touchstone of many an aspiring actor, but it has never been altogether attainable by any but the greatest tragedian*, such 09 Edmund Kean, who achieved in 1814 what was admitted by most (but not all) critics to be a complete reproduction of this wonderful portraiture, and by euch as Bnrbage, Bettcrton, and Qarriek—and even the performance of (*arrick as Macbeth has been somewhat contemptuously described as "being full of long pauses, 'heart-heavings,1 piteous looks, with •a"Black carriage of body!"' Booth, Quid, Mossos>, and Barry failed, it is said, in its representation, some altogether, and all m some great aud indispensible requisite. Henderson s Macbeth was a very fine, impressive performance ; Kemble, '•nho was excellent in all that there is of Btateliness in the character," could not," according to Leigh Hunt, " forget in the more impassioned scenes those methodistical artifices of drooped eyes, patient shakes of the head, and whining preachments which ever injured his attempts at heartfelt nature;" Blliston gave a noisy rendering of the Thane's despair in the last scenes, but wanted all the deep thinkiDg pertaining to the character in the former ones; and, in avoiding the two extremes referred to, Young became sombrous and Cook rough and unimpressive. With this record before us, what manner of criticism is to be anmied to a representation of Macbeth by an amateur, even when that amateur is so experienced an actor and so careful a Shakespearian student as Mr A. Barrett, who, moreover h»B had the advaatage of playing Macbeth before 1 Mr Barrett is an elocutionist of undeniable ability, and were elocution all that was rf quisite in a successful impersonation of Macbeth, Mr Barrett would stand almost beyond the scope of criticism. Even on this point, however, one may take exception to portions of Mr Barrett's work. He adopted, for example, an unusual reading of, the opening' of the soliloquy before the murderthat is certainly inferior to the generally accepted leading. After the first line—"lf it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twero well" —Mr Barrett paused as if that line constituted a sentence, whereas the reading that makes the. words "it were done quickly," with which the seoond line opens, the conclusion of the sentence is decidedly superior, and the punotuation in most of the editions of Shakespeare's workß shows I hat it iB the reading that is intended. The successful representation of the

character of Macbeth requ.rcs, however, more that, what on the whole was an admirable effort of elooution, and Me Barrett failed iv most of these other essentials. He rarely succeeded in making the audience loseß>gb of Mr Barrett; he proved inoM'^le of sinkiDC his individuality in tune or tne Thane of Oawdor. As an amatour performanco of a subtly diversify character, it 19 for all that, deserving of much praise. Miss Home, who easayed the part of Lady Macbeth, has earned distinction erethisbyherperformance of Desdemona and some minor parts ; but even a fairly good representation of Desdemona does uot imply an ability to represent a charocter of such complexity as Lady Macbeth. In pra.seof Miss Home's attempt, it can bo said that she knew her part thoroughly well, and spoke her lines distinctly. Her acting was artificial, though; and if in other respects Bhe did not | succeed in conveying to the audience a sense or an adequate conception of the character, she gavo at least as satisfactory au impersonation aa was given by the laJy who undertook the part for tho professional company that played the last Shakespearian season in Dunedin. Of tha other characters, that of Macduff was undoubtedly the one that fared best at the hands of its representative. This part was played by Mr A. C. Haulon. whose performance confirmed in a certain degree the good opinions that his Shakespearian readings have won. He was not afraid to make his voice heard, and threw himself into tho part with any amount of spirit, but his simulation of emotion in tho scene, when word is brought to him of the slaughter of Macduff's wifo and children, was rather weak. Mr R. Felton was cast as Duncan, but there was nothing stately or dignified about his performance. Mr E. A. Joels Malcolm was amusing, chiefly on account of the performer's insignificant stage presence, which caused Malcolm to look like a midget-along with his ally Macduff; bnt it was also amusing because of the volco which MrJoelasßumed, and which would almost lead one to suppose that he had had the words set to music. Mr G. Springer was a fairly good Banquo, and was gorgeously costumed.posaessingas nedid a suit of mail armour which was evidently bequeathed on Banquo's death to one of his iriends, for another character subsequently appeared encased in it. The three witches were crditably represented by Messrs Villiers, J. Goiter, and 0 David. The introduction of Locke's music was an attractive feature-almost tho most attractive feature—in tho play. The music whioh is of a quaint, but pretty description, was admirably interpreted by an efficient orchestra, conduoted by Mr A. J. Barth and led by Mr G. H. Schacht, and by a chorus of eioging witches, the principals beiDg Mr A. Hunter, Miss Cooper (who obtained a vociferous encore for her rendering of a solo), and Mr J..Blenhinßopp. Of the characters in the play that have not be6n mentioned, it will perhaps ba advisable not to say anything. They would all have perfectly well represented if the representation had been on a similar Bcale of completeness to the costuming, except in tho case of the physician, whose tweed trousers were a glaring anachronism. Owing to the desire to band over aa much money as possible to tho J£akanai relief fund, it was decided to make shift with the stock scenery at the theatre, and not to prepare any scenes specially for the occasion, and the produption no doubt suffered from the want of proper accessories. The awkward pauses that occasionally occurred in the progress of the play might, how* ever, have been avoided. On the other hand, the intervals between the 'acts were commendably short, and indeed the audience would probably have not objected to their being longer, if it would have enabled them to have had additional selections from the orchestra, which in the matter of its strength and efficiency waa a considerable Improvement upon what ordinarily obtains at tho theatre. " Macbeth " will ba repeated this evening.