'MERCHANT OF VENICE'

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2876, 14 September 1916, Page 7

'MERCHANT OF VENICE'

ALLAN WILKIE COMPANY "The Merchant of Venice," a comedy by William Shakespeare. Cast— Sliyloclc •' Mr. Allan Willdo Tho Duko of Venice Mr. Landor Antonio ...4..Mr. John Cavo Bossanio Miy Walter Hunt Gratiano! , Mr. Vivian Edwards Salanio Mr'. Bontley Bussell Salarino .......Air. Henri Dora Tho Pi'inco of Morocco ...Mr. Fred Kehoe Mr. David Bolhridgo Tubal , .' ..Mr. P. V. Scully Launcelot Gobbo ... Mr. Edward Landor Old Gobbo Mr. Ronald Honlcy Leonardo Miss Ituth NorVoys Stephano ....Mr. Fred Patey Balthazar '. Mi.ss Doi-othy Green Jessica • Miss Jihryji HaiTey Nerissa Miss Valentino Kidney Portia; ...Miss Frwliswydo Hunter-Watw "Tho Merchant of A'euico," capitally performed by tho Allan Wilkio Company at the Grand Opera House last evening, is properly' classed as a comedy tliougn tliere are tUoso wno Uave classed it as something more serious, and have treated it accordingly. Tho literature o£ tho play shows that in the autuoi-'s own day, the Jew, Shylock, was played as a red-headed buffoon, and was so played by .Richard Burbage, in wijoss company bnakeapeare himself acteu. . Mr. Allan Wilkie makes tuo Jew a very virulent, truculent, and deadly revengeiul person, as lusty in his malicious nato of the Christian merchant as lie is in voice and personality, yet lending the. character an innato dignity, tnat was not without impressiveuess. This treatment of tho famous role sat well upon the actor, and the result was a well-studied, scholarly, and- entirely interesting exposition that held tllo attention of tho audience 'firmly throughout the first four acts. His first scene with Antonio and Bjissanio was romarkably well handled, it first the' Jew is sober and deliberate, with a firm hold on his natural prejudices against tho inan who has reviled him and his ways, but as tho memory of what he considers his wrongs return to him ho declaims vehemently against his ouemy, until he bethinks. him that his quarry may. escape him, when ho becomes servile again, until tho pact is sealed. After his daughter's desertion-r-whick is prettily arranged with tho aid of a gondola—Mr. AVilkio becomes absolutely ghoulish 'in his desire to have Antonio's life blood. Tho court scene finds him vindictive to the last. Even after Portia, as Balthazar, lias pronounced tho sentence of the court, depriving Shj'lock of all, he makes a pass at Antonio wih his knife, and still with malice glinting in his eyes, staggers slowly out of cpurt, slimmed oven by his fellow Jew, Tubal. One escollont feature in Mr. Wilkie's composition is his line clarity of speech, and the ripe in. telligence with which ho makes the meaning clear to the dullest auditor. In that ho is a good instructor in Shakespearean dailogue, never onco lapsing into tho sing-song utterance which so often mars tho music of the Bard's blank verso.

Mr. Wilkio was admirably supported. Portia, the. beautiful lady of Belmont, was hardly such an effective study by -liiss Huntor-Watts as was that talented lady's. Ophelia in "Hamlet," though her freedom from anything that savoured of theatricalism, her inherent refinement ■ and restraint, made her quito acceptable in a role that does not present great acting possibilities. Her acting jn. the casket scene was prettily suggestive of her desires, but the obviousness of her femininity, when posing at the advocate, did .not tend to make "the eceno very convincing, neither did sho speak the beautiful lines in the mercy speech so effectively as was possible; indeed, hor address in this famous speech was almost perfunctory. Her best work was done m 'the' Belmont scenes, whon in. Portia's more melting moods. Antonio, as played by Mr. John Caye,.waß a' full-fleshed Vonetiau, who could well have spared a few pounds of himself without feeling its loes in any marked degree. His lines were, however, admirably spoken throughout.' 'i'ho Gratiano of Mr. Vivian Edwards was among the best-played parts. .Mr. Edwards has a fine presence, is blessed with a full, round voice, and he speaks his dialogue with perfect understanding. Another good Shakespearean is Mr. Walter Hunt, who made a graceful and unobtrusive Bassaiiio. Mr. Fred. Kehoe, as the Prince of Morocco, ranted and "sawed tho air" to a distressing degree. Mr. Edward Landor made the curious aiid somewhat borcsome humour of Lancelot Gobbo acceptable, and old Gobbo was capitally dono by Mr. Eonold Henloy, Miss Elwyn Harvey made a seductive Jessica, and' Miss Valentino Sidney figured as Nerissa. ' Tho comedy was well-mounted, the Venetian sot of the first two acts being characteristically picturesque. Tho music provided by an orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Gilchrist, was interesting throughout. "Tho Merchant of Venice" will bo played again to-night and ■ to-morrow night.' _ ______