SHAKESPEARE PLAYED TO THE HILT

On the heels of America's only permanent Shakespeare company come the Stratford Players, with the proud position of representing Shakespeare in his native city, and the prestige that the patronage of the King of England gives to them. "Much Ado About Nothing" is no mean touchstone of their dramatic merit on their first night in a city; and they passed the difficult test with ease. Starless they are not, in spite of the critics' forecasts: rather there is an abundance of actors of outstanding ability, a group that comes somewhere near to the ideal of an all-star cast that is so often advertised and so rarely approached.

At first, it is true, the play went slowly, coolly. An uncertain audience at the Hollis had to get acclimated to these newcomers from Shakespeare-land, and the players felt this coolness, and took their own time about setting in motion the action of the play. Only at one other time, during the period of mutual misunderstandings, accusations, and challenges, and the final slow denouement of Act V, did the swift flame of the action flicker a little; and the blame for this lapse can as well be laid at the door of the playwright Will Shakespeare, as it can upon the actors. During most of the three hours, the drama flowed forward quickly; here, the little complications of plot caused greater haste, there the "merry war of words" between Benedick and Beatrice retarded the play to a slower but more sparkling course. The drama was little altered from the "book version", but in the sure grasp of these players it did not suffer through the lack of extensive alterations for the stage.

Of all the cast, Wilfrid Walter undoubtedly received the most favorable attention last night: justly, for his Benedick was a triumph, a superb concoction of nonchalance.

Setting was simple; the solemnly stalking constables and the noblemen of Messina appeared before the same Palladian arch, altered to suit the needs of the scene; but the bright costumes of the players varied to fit the varied brilliance of the speech and the acting.