New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-13
TILE DRAMA-MUSIC.
| MR~MANsFTELD AS aBARoN CHEvRTAL.S


Avenue Theatre, and Mr. Mansfield presented his re-
markable embodiment of the Baron Chevria " in "A
Partisan Romance" 1t this performance, first given
by him January TO- 1888, at the Union Square
Theatre where 1t lasted till April z. that yearthat
attracted to Mr.. Mansfield the thoughtful attention Of
those observers who especially study the contemporary
developments OF dramatic art. and made him. with tho
public an exceptional and notable actor. His on
that night was emphatic and brilliant He ecllpsed all
his associates and he saved offensive play from veil
deserved rejection Nothing could easily be than
the Partisan Romance" In It's vieness OF subject and
its impudcnt pretenee OF ddactic morality The aspects
OF character OF social life which IL depicts are with
but little exception, foul and loathsome It's chief
person is n wrinked decaycd ricetty old Iecher Who
even at the point OF death, cannot escape from the
slavery OF sensual desires. and VINO IS stricken with
paralysis while engaged in one OF his centions ban
qucs One of its women is fppant dancingglrl. WHO
riaes with the bad passions 81 bad man and seeks her
own profit oy this Another Is a frivolous woman
who her husband because he is poor runs
with a si,npleton because she can neither live i'm
reputable poverty nor reject the advances OF old
sinner and who finally returns to expire In paroxysm
OF wounded vanity Its principal characters In brief
are rebrobates and smpletons. and by drawing them
truthfuly 1t asks the spectator to consider into what
degradation human nature can be plunged when 1t
yields itself to the montIoDs OF greed and lust This s
the old specous p-eence OF the lola norasts that tho
true way to advocate virtue To portray all that
bdeous in yce-and that this should be done In woFks
OF art That faacous notion has been many times
exposed. discounted and rcbuked more contemplate
form of does not exist Everybody knows VINO VIII
think twice about the matter that a work which IS
entirely moral In It's precep may, at the same time DO
immoral In its spirit and influence. by reason not OF
what 1t asserts teaches but OF what IL shows as fe
This is the with A Partisan Romance, ana De-
sides being immoral the piece is excessively obnoxious
to good taste and the OF decency We all know
4I,.t olf Oc "
wants to see such wretches whether in play or any
where else And what signifies it how they die, so long
they die and suddenly Decent people have M
need of them. The stage does not require them Mr..
Mansfield is man Of genius, now happily embarked on
most auspicous career. and therefore 1t Is pity that
such gifted mind and excellent actor shonld DO
associated with such thoroughly disreputable play
Equally as porrature of character an piece OF
dramatic execution Mr.. Mansfcd's embodiment OF the
Baron Chevrial is absolutely perfect UGH men
undoubtedly exist The actor has viewed and studied
them as class and, gathering the attributes OF many
and lIslng them has created type that repre-
sens them all The wrinked visage, the thin hair the
mumbing laws the trembling limbs, the shaking hands,
the whole expression of the hard aud crafty face ana
desiccated and bedizened hglre all there so clearly
revealed and completely sustained are eloquent OF
the shattered constitution or a sene satyr Dut JACK
OF all these and shining through them the actor most
hdeously manifests the dead heart, tue scared con
science, the utter eishness OF complete depraIly On
beneath the surface there cruel sensuality informed
and guided intelligence NOT Only Is
ansn admirable; the conception, likewise Is 50 'oui
pctely round and and deep that as tue spectator
behols this Baron CheyriaI he literally Ioatnes ana
hates him Mr.. Mansfield has indicated ony TWO re-
deeuing qualities. He mpars In tnis Destlal creature
the attributes of cynical hunor and OF auiacy IN MS
death scene rises the height OF tremendous power
simpy by means of this inhuman, heavendetylbg
conrae Of the mortal will He never acted tile part
better thar he acted last night He held great a
ence spell bound with interest by his ASTONISHING rea
ism and his nate ease and grace Inc Spectators
recalled him after each curtain Win applause anu
cheers IL was conspicuous instance OF the power vi
one earnest and splendid mind TO redeem even por
of total depravlty, ana renuer ART TIC su0u'
substitute for sympathy.
Rut no PERMANENT good can follow from the PORTRAIT
ure or such a character. The old tragedians had
fashion of presenting such british monsters as sir es
Oyerreaeh %" coarset bred, Ill Bred tumtuou9 I.,
nails obnoxious in every partcular-in the emDociehs
of whom they could display colossal power i-1ihuni
Kean George Frederick Cooke and unlus brils boo.'
each of whom had the deIaon element witnln MIN,
played parts of that kind and succeeded IN tnen
Of their overwhelming personal force OF internal mag
netism But the day OF those hatetul spenuors OF
tempest and frenzy is past The character OF Ine
Baron Chevria is of different oruer lhere i hVs
even ouIburst OF open wickedness through
out the whole length and Dreadtl of HIM lie Is merely
human nature; and the better lie is acted the more he
must be condemned When Mr. Mansfield playea
Hyde and "Jekyll" although he acted TWO parts ne
presented bu. This was the portraiture OF
soul struggling under the conflict OF good ana evil anu
it was a great and noble work No such tribute IS DO
served by his performance of Baron CheVraL III Is
success, but of quite another order ,.s
The reyiya, OF 4 Partisan Romance serNeu
yeop the strength OF Mr.. Mansiea's company, bliss
Emma v Sheridan as Baroness Chevral acted Win
force and feeling and Mr.. John II sullivan vas erhcs'
and sincere in the character of " Henry De Tergy."