Shakespeare Interpretations

New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 305, 27 April 1945, Page 12

Shakespeare Interpretations

BASIL MAINE is the latest artist in 3YL’s Shakespeare recordings. I heard a speech of Bassanio’s from " The Merchant of Venice" and one by Friar

Laurence from "Romeo and Juliet." The Bassanio speech was the most amusing, as it so vividly depicted the marked lack of respect felt by most moderns-I think not without justice-for that play and in particular that character. This Bassanio was a verbose young man, making a prolonged oration in somebody else’s palace on the subject of plain and honest virtue, and quite distressingly conscious of his audience and of his own pronounced failure to line up to his precepts. It is certainly the case that Shakespeare often displays an uncomfortable cynicism towafds his jeunes premiers; but I wonder whether he meant to treat Bassanio so, And into the bargain Mr. Maine extended something of this irreverence to Friar Laurence, though treating him sympathetically enough and vesting him with an interesting detachment from the field of his benevolent participation in Romeo’s troubles; thus increasing one’s tendency to wonder just how good a churchman the Friar was, especially as Friars were generally expected to behave with a certain latitude not enjoyed by their more regular brethren.