Life, 1896-03-19 · page 13 of 20
Life — March 19, 1896 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains theatrical criticism and two separate cartoons. **Upper section:** A review of actress Julia Marlowe's performance as Juliet in Shakespeare's *Romeo and Juliet*. The critic (signed Metcalfe) argues Marlowe plays the role too theatrically—too strident and affected—when Juliet should be simple, sweet, and gentle. He also mocks the supporting cast's poor diction, suggesting Shakespeare wouldn't recognize his own lines. **Lower cartoons:** 1. **"He Dyed With His Boots On"**: A wordplay joke where "dyed" (colored) replaces "died," showing a man in boots standing by furniture—likely making fun of someone's fashion choices or stubbornness. 2. **"His Heaven"**: A child asks his mother if they can pre-order mansions in heaven. When she asks why, he reveals he wants one *without* a bathroom—satirizing wealthy people's excessive consumption and materialism, suggesting even in paradise a child finds bathing undesirable.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
the question the personal loveliness of the English act- ress, there was a simplicity in her portrayal of the youthful heroine which is the very thing Miss Marlowe lacks. The latter's /u/iet is too strident, too woman- ly, too little girlish. There istoo much striving for effect. /udiet is not only the loveliest of Shake- speare's creations, but the simplest and most direct. If ever there was a part which called upon art to conceal art this is it, and in varying from this requirement is where Miss Marlowe fails. To play /udiet there is no need to go to the mannerisms of Miss Ellen Terry, nor to make the part declamatory. It is sweet and gentle and impassioned, or it is noth- ing. It is not a show part. It is one that wins by its sweetness. We would all love the real /udiet ; none of us cares for the Juliet who is only stagey. Miss Marlowe must change her conception of the character if she would convince us by the imper- sonation of Jud/iet that she is a great actress, Of the performance at large there is little to be said. The stage setting was ex- cellent in effect and accurate in detail. The company in support of Miss Marlowe provides one of the finest collections of elocutionary ignorance seen in New York for along time, William Shakespeare would never recognize his own linesas the speech is spoken by these actors, Metcalfe. HE Old Testa- ment says it was considered a miracle for an ass to speak, and now nothing short of a miracle will keep one quiet. HIS HEAVEN. “*MAMMA, CAN WE ORDER OUR MANSIONS IN THE SKY IN ADVANCE ?” HY, No, WILLIE, WHAT PUT THAT INTO YOUR HEAD?” Hk DYED WITH HIS BOOTS ON, “LT THOUGHT, IF WE COULD, I WOULD ORDER ONE WITHOUT A BATH-ROOM. comicbooks.com