"CORIOLANUS."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1495, 18 July 1912, Page 7

"CORIOLANUS."

On Tuesday evening the Wellington Shakespeare Club gave a public reading of "Coriolanus" in the Sydney' Street Schoolroom. The performance -was both entertaining and instructive. "CariolAnus" is'not among the most familiar of Shakespeare's tragedies, but the plot is simple and powerful. The trfigedy. is the history of a brave soldier, Cnins Mfircins, afterwards "Coriolanus," who eariis the public, suffrages of I?ome, but despises them. For his too plain contempt, of, the popular voice, he is condemned ' to banishment. Infuriated by the sentence, lie leads the Volscian army' to the gates of his native city, plundering And terrifying ns he goes. The forces whiilh mirest his vengeance are the mother whom he luis worshipped all his life and the wife whom he tenderly loves, and the VolScians disappointed of their expected triumph, assassinate the Romnn who hhs thrown over their cause. A most, faithful interpretation of the part of Voluiuniu (mother to Coriolanus) was given by Mi*s Hardingo Mnltby. Mr. E. S. Baldwin interpreted the part of Coriolanus exceptionally well, and the dramatic art was really fine in his scenes with Volmnnm. The interpretation of tlio character of Menenius Agrippa (friend of Coriolonnsl by Mr. 11. 10. Nichollft wax quite good. Mr. W. 11. Bock, as Coniinius (a Koimin general), and Mr. \V. Glynne, as 'i'ullus Aufidius (the Volscian general), also brought excellent elocution to their respective parts. Other parts were taken successfully by Miss Vnlerie Corliss (Valeria). 'Mrs*. Dowling (Virgilia, wife of CoriolaniK), Misses T. Heading and He Van Staveren, Messrs. I'. A. Morris.(Titus Lartins), W. K. Fuller, W. Godfrey (tribunes of the people), H. Ilnmilton (_a Koman Senator), K. K. Shornev, I!. W. Tanner, T. 1). Kendall, l(. Jirx, G. I'. Dixon, and Master Douglas Marie. The reading was under the direction of Miss Van Staveren.