Hamlet: Sir John Forbes-Robertson (1853-1937) as William Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Lyceum Theatre in 1897.

“The new Hamlet is full of bright and natural innovation, which adds greatly to the humanity of the characters in the play. The most important change from the ordinary acting verse is the restoration of allusions to the gallant young Fortinbras and his appearance in the final scene to mourn the loss of Hamlet. . . . Energy was not lacking in Mr. Robertson’s impersonation in either the play scene, or the closet scene with the Queen, but it was in the more reflective passages that the actor impressed most. Keen intensity never degenerating into rant marked all the scenes of action. Mrs. Patrick Campbell played Ophelia with poetic feeling, but her performance was regarded as somewhat weak.” Our London Letter, Dundee Courier, Sept. 13, 1897: 19th C. British Library Newspapers. Courtesy of the Yorck Project.