Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-12
"a PARTISAN R0MANCE.~
Mr.. Mansfield with n strong Play and
Good Company Plays to Poor

Mr.. Richard Mansfield opened an en-
| gagement for four nights and Saturday
matinee at the Theatre last evening IN
his great success as Baron Chevrial in
"a Partisan Romance" The play Is a
strong one and the company in all re-
spects excellent. and it is a matter OF re-
| gret that the house was not crowded to
overhowing.
The play is given in five acts, and was
happily free from that torturing charac-
teristlc Of melo-drama, subduod music,
wherein the violins squeak TREMENDOUSLY
to distract the mind from everything
that is realistic.
Mr. Mansfield is finished actor, and
is supported by superb company Of
skilled artists. He won an ovation last
evening, and clearly established his right
TO the place conceded him elsewhere.
! He is an artist who stands high in the
portrayal OF certain difficult and striking
character parts.
The Baron Chevrial as portrayed by
| him is living reality. How the strong,
vigorous, handsome young actor, not
over thirty-three years of age, who won
feminine hearts by the score in Prince
Karl and Monsieur, can transform
himself into the aged and worn
out voluptuary Chevrial is SEEM
ingly impossible. Mr.. Mansfield
won his audience at once by
his wonderful acting and was recalled
many times. When Chevrial fell dead
after the very realistic counterfeit of the
awful stroke of paralysis in the supper
scene the enthusiastic appreciation OF
the audience was clearly shown.
Mr. Mansfield is an actor who is
clever student OF his art He " holds
the mirror up TO nature. " He has Sc
lected fine company, and the clever
play of last evening was faultlessly per
formed.
Miss Beatrice Cameron is bright
little actress. possessing all nervous
force aud intensity, and she made
charming Marcelle. Miss Ida Yer
non, SO deservedly popular in Rich
mond in the stock days of yore, played
Nine. dc 1argy with great power and
feeling Mr.. ID. Ii. Harkins as the good
doctor and Mr.. John 7. Sullivan as the
young husband were admirable. Miss
Emma Sheridan and the other members
of the cast left nothing to be desired.
To-NIGHr-" DIR. JEKYLL AND Mr.. hyde.
Tonight Mr.. Mansfield presents a
dramatization by 4. Russell sullivan OF
Robert Louis .5tevenson's book, 1.-The
Strange Case OF DIR. Jekyll and Mr..
Hyde" For the benefit of those who
have not read the book IL should be said
that DIR. Jekyll, a supposed eminent
! physician Of London, discovers a drug by
which he can make a complete transfor-
nation and separate the good and the
bad in himself. Thus Edward Hyde
comes into existence, and while DIR. Jekyll
isahighly-respected, good, and even pious
man, Hyde is a most repulsiye, villain
ous horror, whose delight is in murder
and deprayity. He kills Mr.. Carew,
member of Parliament, and stamps him
into jelly-hke condition. When tired
of his loathsome second self the Doctor
uses an antidOte to restore himself. For
long time the potiOns are used sue
cessiully but finally give out, and no
more can be obtained in all London, and
the evil nature having gained the
ascendoncy, Hyde is unable to restore
himself to Jekvll, and then the awful
! drama closes III with death, and with
beast-Iike yell he rolls on the floor a
writhing corpse.
Mr.. Sullivan's dramatization and Mr.
Mansfield's Interpretation OF tho dual
character are not governed by slayishly
strict adherence 10 the novelist's crea-
ton. There is no woman IN the book,
but in the play a love story tan idea OF
Mr.. Mansfeld's) is introduced. The
powerful dramatic situation produced by
Jekyll's engagement to the daughter OF
Mr.. Carew, whom, as Hyde, he kills, is
entirely his invention.
Those who have seen the play describe HYDE
as a specimen of evil. an appalling horror, who,
az his first entrance. chill- the auditor, aud as
the action progresses iascaates one by his hide
Gus presence he Is like some IN nNholesome
thing from The region Of the damned-stunted,
shriVelled. lame, and repulsiye. with while.
weird, leering, horrible face, shaggy locks OF
wild hair hanging low down over mis- oleared
eyes. a snarling, hyena-liko mouth, barking
speech. hissinRly y-drawn breath. aud claW-like
hands ever In the air or at his chin-so this hor-
riDlc spectre appears.
MANY actors have played dual roiss but Mr..
Mansfield Is the first VINO has accomplished
visible change OF identity-tha s 10 say. who has
merged one man into an entirely different per-
son before his auiience. The lrst OF these
transformations IL In the great scene between
HYDE aud DR.. Lanyon, where the hideous creature
(whO grows more and moro repulsve az the play
prOgrsssesl, In The mdSs OF the snarling. wolfish
speech, suddenly-as suddenly as lRhtninRs
nash-passes hisclaw-liEe hands over his hidoous
white face end-quet, sad-faced Jekyil appears.
Tho su1denness. sWiitness, and completeness OF
the change is without parallel, aud cannot be
described-it must DO eeen.
When the idea Of dramatzlng the play first
occurred 10 him Nr. Mansfield had many doubts
aud fears and hours OF anxiety. anu it caused
him many months Of labor. The play was re-
written three times. The question OF the trans
formation was discussed by him and his friends.
All manner Of appliances and c0ntriyauces were
invented and discarded, and II was not until the
subject hsd been thoughuully considered and
discussed for eight months that 10 was deter
mined by him 10 attempt 70 do the play abso-
lutely without adyentitious aid. The first nights
In New York and Boston were nights OF intense
nervous suffering 10 the young actor.
Soon after the play was written the drametiza-
ton by Mr.. sullivan during his visit TO Ar.
Stevenson at Saranac Lake was submitted 70 him.
On this occasion the author OF the book, propped
up I'm bed, was as nervous, as he himself after
wards confessed, as the author Of the play who
stood by his bedside. Mr.. Stevenson's words
upon the conclusion Of the reading were 10 this
effect:
In many instances things which think improve
my WORK and which would have wished 10 havo
done myself. cannot tell you how glad am
that this Is So | prepared myself TO listen TO
you with many misgiyings and many doubts
saw how nervous you we're; | was quite as much
50 for / feared should have 70 say to you that
did not like il, aud should not have hesltated
10 say so had such been the case. can see no
thing that I would wish 90 have changed, and
think you have done wonders with the material
at your command"
The piece will be produced with the
original scenery and striking effects en-
ployed at the Madison-Square Theatre,
New York.
what It Cost TO guu the National