The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-08-18
ADJUSTMENTS.
MANTELL's oTHELLo.

MAN IELL . bIhElLO.
The motive which impelled Mr.. Manten
to present to the public his unique concep-
ton of Othello is one that is easily under
stood An actor with voice like lion
and combination and a form, indeed,
where every god did seem to set his seal,
to give the world assurance of an Adonis
is not likely to want to play an ugly old
blackamoor with long velvet gown to
hide his shapely limbs. So it became a
simple matter to change the conven tional
make up of the Moor to a handsome Vene-
tian dude, and tojcostume him in garments
more becoming to the human form divine.
What if there were little incongruities in
the text such as references to his ''sorty
bosom" and comparisons that would seem
to indicate that Othello ought to be
about as ungainly in appearance as the
devil! If Mr.. Mantell had followed the whis-
perings of such nonsense as this, the stage
would have been deprived of his unique
conception and the ladies would have gone
on despising Othello as a great, rough
brute. 1t seems now, in the light of this
new portrayal, that Desdemona was mis-
taken when she conveyed to Othello the
information that she loved him ''for the
dangers he had passed. and all that sort of
thing, and that it was more of a Sneaking
admiration for his manly beauty that
fetched her. We'll, viewed in the light that
Othello has been done in almost every con-
ceivable form by almost every conceivable
actor and that "Othello's'' occupation as a
money making piece was about gone, per-
haps the innovation of Mr.. Mantell may be
condoned. But weighed in the balance of
consistency, we are inclined to think
Shakespear or Bacon, as the case may be,
would be inclined 10 dig his toes into his
sarcophagus and turn slightly on one side
during the performance of the new
''Othellc.n There are many things to admire
in Mantell's acting. He is graceful, hand
some, vigorous and at times magnetic. His
faults are a prOnenesS to attitudiniZe, and
an inclination to disobey Hamlet's iniunc-
ton to the players against Strutting and
believing. TIE audience last evening
evinced unmistakable signs that they were
pleased with his rendition as novelty, and
they were willing to encourage him with
their applause, but in their soberer mo-
ments it is doubtful if they can accept the
delineation as natural. At the end of the
third act he was twice called before the
curtain and entirely without solicitation he
made brief speech, thanking the public
and the press for the generous reception
they had given him upon this his first visit
to ''our beautiful city"
Inc support was Soou' 10 GnOSS VINO
were present at the opening night and wit
n ,ssed the performance Of ''Monbars'' this
statement may appear hollow mockery;
but it is true nevertheless. Mr.. Mark
Price, barring a wooden tendency to his
under pinning, gave strong presentation
of that part of parts Iago, and the Roderigo
of Mr.. Ringgold, the Duke of Mr. Lecterc,
the Montana of Mr.. Fedris were
all above the average of star sup
port. We draw the line however, at the
Cassie of Mr.. Weston. This gentlemen
made a mistake in the choice of his pro-
fession. Miss Behrens was very win
some and charming as 1.-The sweet BESIDE
mona,'' and Miss Madden very acceptable
as Emilia. The house was well filled.
The stalls beamed with their usual display
of beauty and fashion, and the gorgeous
linen of the ushers shone with its usual
lustre.