International Notes

Summary

A selection has here been made from the reports received from our correspondents, those which present material of a particularly interesting kind being printed wholly or largely in their entirety. It should be emphasized that the choice of countries to be thus represented has depended on the nature of the information presented in the reports, not upon either the importance of the countries concerned or upon the character of the reports themselves.

U.S.A.: Shakespeare Leads the Way

If the Bard of Avon, touring the world in his astral body, had chosen the year 1949 to visit this benighted land, he would have found, on Broadway, his memory revered, but his plays neglected, while at the same time his Hamlet was leading the way in new fields of adventure and enterprise.

Only two productions have been seen in New York during the past twelve months: Richard III appeared briefly on the boards (in February) in a compact production designed, directed and performed by Richard Whorf; and a pleasant, fresh Twelfth Night, directed by one of our mid-western college producers, Valentine Windt, and employing an agreeable young cast, was seen in New York for a month or so in the autumn. Looming on the horizon is a Theatre Guild production of As You Like It starring Katharine Hepburn—recaptured from the films for the occasion—and directed by England’s Michael Benthall (Plate VIII). This highly publicized production is a cause for rejoicing, for New York theatre-goers are starved for Shakespeare.