"TWELFTH NIGHT."

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1743, 7 May 1913, Page 8

"TWELFTH NIGHT."

"Twelfth Night" may not bo tho most broadly popular of all Shakespeare's comedies—for that jwsitiou is probably held by "As You Like It"—but there is more diversity in its elements than exists in the charming pastoral comedv mentioned. Its passages of boisterous humour and delicate wit have a complete counterfoil in thoso delightfully poetic lovo scenes between tho Duke Orsino and Olivia, and the piquant flavour lent by •the entrance of thoso dual personalities 'Viola and her brother Sebastian,cleverly enhance the argument. It is a comedy that lends itself to a public reading, and the Wellington Shakespeare Society, which essayed tho task at tile Concert Chamber last evening, succeeded entirely in pleasing their auditors. . Tlia earlier scenes were rather depressing for want of animation, and a rather distant idea of how to express Shakespeare conversatiou--1 ally without losing tho rythym, but with the entrance of those gay dogs. Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew Aguecheek. and tho eccentric Malvolio, a different spirit was lent tho reading. Several of tho scenes went quito trippingly, notably the bailin" of Malvolio by Maria and the Bacchanalian knights, and subsequently tho amusing duel between Aguechecck and Sebastian./ Mr. Harry Nicholls made a. capital Sir Toby, to which character he lent a world of unctuous humour, and never once did he miss a point or overreach himself in tho comedy scenes in which he was concerned. A notably intelligent reading of Malvolio was given bv Mr. VV. Glyiine, a new-cnmer. who is "ifted with a "serviceable voice and commendable elocutionary powers. Sir Andrew Aguecheek was capably read by Mr Cyril Tanner, whoso high piping voice ami ludicrous antics gave rise to much amusement. Feste_thc clown was iauntily read by Mr. L. Buckeridge, but occasionally his articulation wa ? nono of th» clearest. Mr. W. Godfrey read Orsino intelligently, and with good dramatic emphasis. Mr- J- C. \\ebb w<is nlto"cther too subdued as Antonio, wlio is a rough old sea-dog. imperilling his iif,> bv his presence in Illvria. Some of the vocal vehemence Mr. Webb uses as a skin on the bowling green might well have been employed in enunciating the lines of the sea captain. Hie Sebastian if Air P. A. Morns lacked the buoyancy of 'vouth. As to the ladies pride of place must bo given to the Viola of Miss liettv Ptirdom, whose charm and mtelli"eiice lifted every scene into prommi„ which she was. concerned. MlO ras particularly effective 111 her scenes with Orsino and Olivia. .Miss Corliss ...ther overdid the lackadaisical 111 the Lady Olivia, and her dawning love for Viola (when masquerading as the youth Cesario) was hardly «« «;<= 1 conveyed 111 ovM'cJon. vocal and facial, as could be lnsired Miss Putnam was quite brisk ■Jnd lively as the roguish Maria, and her readin" was n marked improvement on 1 his young lady's former eflorts. During ?he reading Mr. Buckeridge as Fcplo, sang tho incidental songs. Oh. Mistress Aline" and Come Awaj. Death, artistically. Miss Ilardnige-Mallby called the '•relies.