SHAKESPEARE BALL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1145, 5 June 1911, Page 9

SHAKESPEARE BALL.

GORGEOUS SCENE INDEED. Of the two thousand characters which figure in Shakespeare's plays, a large proportion will not be represented- at tho Shnkespoaro Ball, to be given at tho Albert Hall, London, on June 30, in aid of the Shakespeare Memorial National Theatre. 1 The characters which will be omitted are unsuitable for representation at the ball, on account of their uunttractiveness. A wide choice, however, is provided by the eight hundred name parts, and although many Of the more favoured characters will undoubtedly be repeated many -imes, the difference displayed in the conception of the costumes "and choice of colours is. expected to add to the interest nf tho company. Many ladies have, experienced some trouble in getting their male friends to take parts in Hie classical plays on account of the anticipated difficulty in gracefully manipulating tho flowing draperies worn by the characters. The favourite plays are naturally the Florentine ones, owing to their becoming costumes. Lady Tree has formed a quadrille party composed of Shakespeare's lovers; Lady Lytton has selected Shakespeare's Kings and Queens for a similar party; and others, it is understood, will be formed from the heroines and the musicians appearing in the plays. The dancing of these quadrilles is expected to form the most picturesque feature of the ball. Mrs. George Alexander's quadrille party, representing "Much Ado About Nothing," will be made up as follows;— Benedick, Mr. Georgo Alexander; Don Tedro. Mr. Fred Terrj ; Clautlio, Mr. A. E. W. Mason; Beatrice, Mrs. George Alexander; Ursula; Lady Price. The remainder of the characters will be represented by Jlr. .Tamos Cnrew, Miss Marie Corclli, Miss Dora Critchott, Mr. M. Critchett, the Lady Cecely Hamilton, Mr. and Mrs. Guy Laking; Miss Maclean, Miss Julio Ncilson, Sir Robert Price, Mr. Graham Robertson. Miss Evelyn Schuster, Miss Ellen Terry, Mr. A. | AVed'derburn, K.C., Miss Wedderburu, and others.

An exceedingly beautiful scene will present itself to the 4000 guests. The interior of the hall will be entirely transformed, so as to represent a Tudor garden laid out in the time of Shakespeare, and ssen in all the warmth and wealth of colour of u summer's day. To effect this an enoi mons cloth, painted to represent a bine sky dappled with fleecy white clouds, wilUbe stretched beneath the great dome, and illuminated from nljovc by 500 powerful are lamps. Below this will be suspended 15 more lamps, artfully screened, so as to throw ample light on the brilliant company in the arena. The balcony will be converted into a terraced lawn adorned with statuary and beds of flowers, and approached by a flight of stone steps. Between the arches of the balcony will be placed tall cypress ti-Fes, the prim effect of the old world garden being shown to best ndrantnge by a spepial installation of electric light all round the gallery.

The lower tiers of boxes will be made into arbours, in, which yew trees, clipped to represent peacocks and other designs, will form a distinctive feature. The graud tier will represent n stone terrace, with its hanging garden of luxuriant vines and trailing roses.' A .Florentine design, in which statuary and old-fashioned slindinls will peen from amidst the greenery, will be carried ont on the second tier.

.fudging by the sale of the tickets, the financial success of the enterprise is assured, half the available (tickets having already been sold. Only one or two boxes in the grand tier remain to bo sold fit 200 guineas. Four loggia boxes at a hundred guineas are still to be had. and seven in the suecial grand tier at the same figure. About half of the boxes in the second tier arc sold at 30 guineas: and there are a few special second-tier boxes to be disposed of at 20 guineas.

"So long as I ran get two hundred guineas for a grand tier box." said Mr. G. Sherwood Foster, the organiser of the ball, "T can induce or-e or two holders of these tickets to give them un for the ?ood of the cause; for it must nnt be forgotten that the primary nbiect of Hie ball is to swell the funds o{ the .Shakespeare Memorial Theatre."