SHAKESPEARE CLUB.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1560, 2 October 1912, Page 10

SHAKESPEARE CLUB.

KING HENRY IV. The Wellington. Shakespeare Cln'j gave a public rending of "King Homy IV, l'art 2," at the Sydney Street Schoolroom last evening. The attendance wns, considering the rain, good. The stage was.simply hung in green, and daintily decorated with white flowers in front. i Henry IV is one of the most popular of Shakespeare's plays, as it abounds in witty dialogues and pert sayings, the.best of which are met in the part of. Falstaff— one, if not, the greatest, of Shakespearean characters. • ■ The" reading was, on the whole, very good, but it is questionable if it would not have been better had the ."acting" .been, omitted. The acoustic properties of tho hall are not good, and this must have handicapped the participants somewhat. The part of iliumour. the Presenter was taken by Miss M.tProndeville', who spoko her difficult lines clearly, and aptly. Sirs.' Darling directed the reading wi:h'studied promptness in admirable taste. The part of Sir John Falstaff was taken .by. Mr. }\. E. NichoHs. It is the most arduous part in the play, and one that can very easily be burlesqued or marred by ill-placed enthusiasm. Mr. Nicholls, however, secmt'd to thoroughly undors'and- tho. part, and repd his Hnes in that bombastic, intonation of voice that the best actors have decided is required to fulfil the requirements of the character." His. gesticulations' and expressions were likewise fitted to tho part, and it can only be re.grotted that he was dressed in twentieth, century evening clothes, and not tho doublet, customnrij to the time of Henry IV: Hiss B. I'u'rdom, as Doll Tearsheof,' appeared to know her part almost by heart, and seldom had recourse to tho book. She managed her part—a by .no means easy one—with particular charm, and spoke in excellent accents. The tavern scene in the second act was conducted in professionals' style. The dialogue between Doll ' Tenrshept, • Mistress Quickly (Mrs. E. S. Baldwin), and Sir John was the best of Ihe evening's entertainment. Miss I'urdom showed herself to have talent and grace far above the average amateur and seamed to clearly comprehend the character which she was impersonating. Mrs. Baldwin, as mistress, quickly spoko with great intonation, but was rather over-strained in Ihe hpated parts of the tavern scene. Mr. \V. Glynnc, as the Prince of Wales, rather overdid the- part with .seriousness and stiffness, otherwise he spoke clearly and precisely. The following is the cast of eliaracterst-'-IJumonr,• Miss. M. I'rcndeville; King Henry the Fourth, Mr. E.S.Baldwin; Henry, Prince of Wales, Mr. W. Glynne; Thomas. Duke of Clarence, Mr. F. A. Morris; Prince John of Lancaster, Mr.- K. E. Shorney; Prince Humnhrey of Gloucester, Mr. H. Hamilton; Earl of Warwick, Mr. G. F. Dixon; Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. E. D. Cacheniaillc; Gower, Mr. G. F. Dixon; Lord Chief Justice, Mr. J." C. Webb; Servant of tho Chief. Justice, Mr. K. ]!ex; Earl of Northumberland, Mr. W. E. Fuller; Scroop, Archbishop of York, Mr. W. D. Gorham; Tx>rd Mowbray, Mr. H. Hamilton; Lord Hastings.'-Mr'.' F. A. Morris;. Lord'Bardolph, Mr. F. A. Morris;. Morton, Mr. K. E. Shorney; Sir John Falstaff. 'Mr. 11. K. Nicholls; his Page, Miss V.: St. John; Bardolph, Mr. F. W. liowley; Pistol,. Mr. C. W. Tanner; Poins. Mr. H. Hamilton; Peto, Mr. F. A.-Morris; Shallow. Jlr. W. E. Bock s. Silence... Mr. W. Godfrey; Davy (servant to Shallow). Mr.. P. B. Eastham; Mouldy. Mr. K.- E. Shorney; Shadow. Mr. E. D. Cachemaille; Wart. Mr. H. Hamilton; Feeble; Mr. E. Pes; Bullcalf, Mr. P. B. Eastham; Fans, Mr. C. W.Tnmvor; Snare. Mr. P. B. Eastliam; A Drawer, Mr. H. Hex; Lady Northumberland'. Miss B. Lynch; Lady Percy. Miss E. M. Hina; Mistress Quickly, Mrs. E. S. Baldwin'; DpII Tearsheet, Miss B. Purdom. Director, Mrs. Darling.