Punch (102.1892)

May 28, 1892.]

PUNCH, OK THE LONDON CHAKIVARI.

253

VENICE RESERVED.

(A Sketch ^rom a Numbered Stall at Olympia.)

Osr the Stage, the Scene represents "A Public Place_before the
Arsenal," where a number of artisans are apparently busily engaged
in making horse-shoes on cold anvils in preparation for the launch of
'' The Adriatica." On extreme it. enter Antonio, who expresses com-
mercial embarrassment by going through a sort of dumb-bell exercise
on a bridge. On extreme l. enter Bassanio, Lorenzo, and Antonio,
who observe, with mild surprise, that there are several other persons
present, and proceed to point out objects of,local interest to one
another with the officious amiability of persons in the foreground of
hotel advertisements. {Here a Small Boy in a box, who has an im-
pression he is going to see a Pantomime, inquires audibly ''''when the
Clown Part will begin?" and has to be answered and consoled.)
Bassanio perceives Antonio afar off, and advances towards him with
stately deliberation, throwing out signals with one arm at intervals;
Antonio goes to meet him ; they shake each other by both hands with

ten paces and signalling to Portia that he is all right so far, and
that she is not to be at all uneasy on his account. On coming: in
sight of the caskets, he pauses and turns to the audience, as if it
had only just occurred to him that the odds were two to one against
him, and he must be_ careful. Presently he jerks his right arm
above his head and strikes his forehead, to indicate a happy thought,
rushes at the golden casket, opens it, and slams the lid disgustedly.
After which he signals to Portia that it is not such an amusing
game as he thought, and he doesn't mean to play any more, beckons
to his retinue and goes off, throwing his cloak over his shoulder with
a gesture of manly and not unnatural annoyance. The Prince of
Arragon tries the silver casket next, with similar unsuccess. Then
Bassanio—with an elaborate pretence of uncertainty, considering he
can hardly have helped_witnessing the proceedings—advances to the
caskets, in front of which he performs a little mental calculation,
finally arriving at the conclusion that, as the portrait is not in the
gold and silver boxes, it may not improbably be in the leaden one.
He actually does find it there, and exhibits it to Portia with extreme
astonishment, as if it was quite the last thing he expected. Then

affectionate cordiality, and then turn their he advances to meet her, comparing her

backs on one another, as though, on reflec- ^^r3 frequently with the picture, and expressing

tion, they found they had less to say than his approval of it as a likeness, and his

they had imagined. Presently Bassanio a ^m?-. |L , determination to be taken by the same

recollects why he wanted to see Antonio so /" I. 030$&\ I > artist. Mutual satisfaction, interrupted

particularly, and, by describing a circle in d /I Q/lffiml 1 by the arrival of a gondola with a letter

the air, and pointing from the electric lights iflltl : ' ' from Antonio. To read it and impart its

above to the balcony stalls in front, and Wwh$& ^mSM^^ " ' contents and the entire history of the bond

tapping his belt, puts Antonio at once in f^/ivC^^^^^^ ^lllifl I to Portia, by a semicircular sweep of the

possession of his chronic impecuniosity, his f/ff^K ^^^^^^JtmAmi. *MmJ' arm and sounding his chest, takes Bassanio

passion for Portia, and his need for a small // :/ :»-,ii^^^^>V''' exactly two seconds and a half, after

temporary loan. Antonio curls up his fists, $WAjtf> I'ffliPy^''Wl^ 1i| which" he departs in the gondola, and the

raises them to the level of his ears, and & "^Tl^^ scene changes to the Piazzetta, where a

then pretends to take his heart out of his WMmmlr^^^^ml Si!' I '%*V variety of exciting events—including the

doublet and throw it at Bassanio, who wWW^^^^ml ' * I • Trial, a Musical Ballet, and a Call to Arms

fields it with graceful dexterity, instantly Sc'llfflp-" ""^^Milll 1 1' t —take place, culminating in the embarka-

comprehending with Italian intuition that , , Wm WBsMnmtt B'i^li % \ tion of "Venetian soldiers to recapture

his friend is, like himself, rather pressed for j I l'f IHffHB' r ff'Mf Chioggia, in three highly ornamental but

ready money, but is prepared to back a \l\ j * \ Wmim WVmi I Mill's ' slightly unseaworthy barges, as the Curtain

bill for any amount. Shylock passes that lljl j '•' I mHS^^fnmJLdKMi \ fails on Act I.

way, and is introduced by Antonio as a , \\\ Interval of Fifteen Minutes, spent by

gentleman in the city who is m the habit [ HIWPB'< \ 4 i i some of the lady spectators in speculation

of making advances on personal security < WKwmJM0^'Wm<K\ \ I 1 whether the dark and light patches on the

without inquiry. Shylock extracts ima- wlU «W I blue curtains are due to design or the

ginary ink from his chest, and writes with &,i jp|J WNBBfteffl \ action of damp. After which the Fortress

one hand on the palm of the other, and . / IH^ \ of Chioggia is disclosed, with a bivouac of

cringingly produces a paper-knife—where- r 1 j m mmUKM/ i /WUHii ^4 the Genoese garrison. A bevy of well-

upon the transaction is complete, and the jjfflij^WMmwM h f^MH- J meaning maidens enter with fruit and

parties, becoming aware that a Grand Tri- ■ ' mKa IjMijffm j i j PvJWP;..J vegetables for the military, but, on the

umphal Procession is waiting to come in, || J/lfjWfl j , i , J ff IMff^ discovery that their wares are properties,

and that they are likely to be in the way, , ji ||| / ill TOO ft 1 j ,'jIf w| and too firmly glued to the baskets to be

tactfully suggest to one another the pro- i I 11 H M g jl'l i f \L !| IfffK' detached, they retire in confusion. A small

priety of retiring. After the Procession, — fiW ■'( | I; mHk ! f\ J 'Ififfv sail is seen behind the battlements: the

Valentina, "the lovely daughter of the j I iM 1 '|| |i Jji it \1fjt?f soldiers poke at it with halberds until it

proud Visconti," embarks on a barge mth j '^'IjjJlij I 1 ill' retreats, whereupon, soldier - like, they

her maidens to meet her betrothed. ^^'^^MJ^^JL^. J.IIJ dance. The sail returns with a still smaller

{In the Stalls, a Lady with a Catalogue, \ "WW&V^wKPl ' one; red fire is burnt under the walls,

who hasn't been here before, mistakes this ^ggg 1 j A I f - which so demoralises the Genoese soldiery

proceeding for " The Launch of the Adria- ■ ^^S^^^^J^Sm ■' \ that they all tumble down with precaution,

tica," but is set right by a friend who has, A t^^U^y^z an& the'Yenetians burst in and stand over

and is consequently able to inform her that f R-i TQ>^ them in attitudes as the scene changes to

Valentina is Portia on her ivay to plead JJ \y. , an Island near Venice and a Grand

against Skylock.) «Signals to Portia that it is not such an amusing ^ti,c P.rof,ssioen/ „ (Here intelligent

A mimic battle takes place on a bridge ime ag be th.oiifftit" Spectators in the Stalls identify the first

— i.e., rival factions snake their fists four pairs of gondolas,—which are draped

with prudent defiance over one another's shoulders. (An Old respectively in icicles, pale green, rose-colour, and saffron, — as
Lady in the Balcony, who has been watching this desperate ; typifying the Seasons; another pair come in draped in violet,
encounter, finds that she has missed a very important Scene between \ which they find some difficulty in satisfactorily accounting for.
Shylock and Jessica at the other end of the stage, and remorsefully ! When two more appear hung icith white and gold with a harp and
resolves^ to be more observant in future, as the Scene changes to palette at the prows, they grow doubtful, and the entrance of the two
" Portia's Palatial Home.'") Portia enters {the Lady in the Stalls, j last couples, which carry shrines and images, reduces them to hopeless
who has been here before, tells her companion that Portia's dress was \ mystification. The Small Boy wishes to know whether anybody will

lovely when it was clean"), and greets her guests by extending
both arms and inviting them to inspect the palms of her hands,
thereby intimating that the abundance of canopied recesses, and the
absence of any furniture to sit down upon, is due to the fact that
the apartment has been recently cleared, for a parlour game. The
company express a well-bred gratification by bowing. Enter the
Prince of Morocco {who is of course identified by various Spectators
in the Stalls without Catalogues as "Othello," or "the Duke of
Thingumbob—you know the chap I mean "), followed by his retinue ;
he kisses Portia's hand, as she explains to him, the Prince of
Arragon, and Bassanio. the rules of the game in three simple ges-
tures. They reply, by flourishes, that they have frequently played
it at home, and promise faithfully not to cheat. The three caskets
are brought in and placed on a table; the Prince of Morocco is the

be upset in the water, and being told that this is not a feature in the
entertainment, conceives a poor opinion of the capacity of Mediaeval
Venice for lighthearted revelry,)

Terrace near Portia's Palace, Portia, Bassanio and the Doge
discovered enjoying a pasteboard banquet.

{A Lady in the Stalls "wonders whether it is correct to represent
Portia as knoioing a Doge so intimately as all that," and doubts
whether it is in Shakspeare.)

The supper-table is removed, and the proceedings terminate by a
Grand Al Fresco Carnival. Ladies of the ballet dance bcwitch-
ingly, while soldiers play at Bo-Peep behind enormous red hoops.
Finally the entire strength of the ballet link arms in one immense
line, and simultaneously execute a wonderful chromatic kick, upon
which the blue draperies descend amidst prolonged and thoroughly

first player, and walks towards them very slowly, stopping at every \ well-deserved applause from a delighted audience

vol. cn.