Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-05
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
MANsFIELD's RICHARD III. ROUNDLY
SCORED IN NEW YORK.
The English Pet Evidently Not Favor
ite in the MetrOpolis-Foot-
light Flashes.


correspondent of the SUNDAY UNION,
writes as follows:
''Three Shakespearean plays command
attention. AS You Like It, at Days,
Twelfth Night at the Fifth Avenue, and
King Richard ILL., at Palmer's, are alike
remarkable for nicely in detail and liberal
expenditure by whicn are produced ex-
tremely fine pictorial results. Each play,
moreover, is noteworthy because of in
feriority in the central figure, as judged
by the highest standard.
Far down at the bottom of the list
comes the most pretentious-that OF Mans
fields King Richard. In the words of the
EUening Post: A coarse and feeble por-
trait, set in splendid frame study,
doubtless, but study made worthless by
the alternate violence and weakness of its
execution, as might be expected naturally
in the work of the artist who revealed the
range of his passion ii. Mr.. Hyde, and of
his cynicism in Chevrial.' The writer
goes on to say, after describing the Dukes
face, "as mournful almost to pathos,"
'he makes of him hangdog- looking,
beetle-browed fellow, whose face would
convict him of any crime in the calendar,
and suggests scarcely anything more than
dull malignity. Of the devilish alertness,
physical and mental, of the schemer who
needed the world to hustle in, he offered no
suggestion. There was little or no trace of
the courtly habit, or of royal authority in
his carriage or manner. His hypocrisy was
not mask for the concealment of his
thoughts, but rather a medium for their
Iry -
have been to everybody on the stage with
him. The theatrical quality of his i'm
personation was pre-eminent above all
others. 4 His pause upon the
threshold, his warming of his hands at the
fire, his careful arrangement of himself in
a pose against the wall at the head of the
Kings bed, his deliberate drawing of his
sword and the testing of the tip, were all
so many tricks, performed with deadly
precision in which there was no culver of
life or emotion. He passed his sword
through the body of his victim with the
| nonchalance of poulterer skewing fowl,
and wiped his sword upon the curtains
with the same passionless indifference.
The same straining after theatri-
cal effect was observable in the beginning
of the second act, when Gloster delivered
his opening soliloquy, squatted like a
toad on a stone by the wayside. The atti-
tude was exceedingly undignified and the
utterance of the soliloquy curiously lack
ing in significance and variety. x
"Was ever woman" etc, was not a solilo-
uuy at all, but harangue to the audience,
shouted out in varying degrees of loud
ness, without any light and shade of ex-
preston, and no gesture to speak Of
wretchedly bald and unimaginative COM
pared with the brilliant delivery of Edwin
Booth, which used to be full OF really
satanic exultation, expressed with the
most delightful spontaneity.'
"The Post however, gives Mansfield
credit for occasional strength, and with
truth. Now and then, across a waste Of
eontortion and grimace, comes flash o.
intelligence, but, on the whole, | have not
since the days of Mrs. Potter, seen any
thing so silly. The audience was quick u
respond upon the rare occasions of excel
lence, but many points intended to be eff
fective fell fiat, and the curtain rolled
down in depressing silence.
"Second on the list comes Marie Vain,
wright, who often, so far as looks 90, makes
pretty enough picture. Her lack ol
facial expression and genuine emotion
| however, becomes constantly apparent
She assumes right poses is graceful and
| shows the benefit Of careful drill; but the
| spectator looks in vain for Ellen Terry's
depth and sincerity, and knows that Viola,
| though played with discretion and fair in
telligence, can never become imbued with
| the grand element of vitality. Miss Vain
wright, however, has wit enough to make
the most of what nature has bestowed upon
her, and male costume adapted to the ex-
| hibition of symmetrical development goes
far towards her success. As leading lady
for Barrett or Louis James she IS satisfac-
tory perhaps, but as a star must content
herself with second or third-rate brill
fancy.
"Ada Rehan's Rosalind is, of the three,
by far the best portrayal. In point of in
telligenee, delicate perception and vivacity
she equals one or two actresses who have
acquired fame in the past; but, for mani
fest physical reasons, she fails perfectly to
embody her own ideas. Her Rosalind
must always fall short of Modieskas ex-
quisite impersonation. Words cannot,
however, do Justice to the delightful pic
lures which succeed one another as the
play progresses, and the high reputation
of the company assures excellent work in
the other characters-work which does not
seem to have had its full share of encom-
ium from the local press"
MANSFIELD AND THE DUCHESS.
Recently while Mr. Mansfield and his
company were playing at the Lyceum
ln actor c,,ol ~,
upon the Duke and Duchess of Teck that
they together with one or two other mem
bers of royalty, paid repeated visits TO his
theater. On the occasion Of their last
visit Mr. Mansfield had some refreshments
served in the drawiug-room adjoining the
royal box, and made himself one oG the
company, still dressed in the costume of
'Prince Carl" When the DGchess and her
party arose 10 60 he gallantly offered her
his arm to her carriage.
Now it is Mr. Mansfield misfortune,
but not his fault" that he is very near
sighted, and he misfook one of two stair
ways which were absolutely alike in ap-
pearance, but which led to different ways,
one going to the royal entrance, the other
to the stage Mr. Mansfield took the
latter, the Duchess and her entire suite
following him. At the foot of the stairs
the Duchess, who though handsome wo-
man, is extremely stout, stopped for mo-
ment to breathe, when the mild voice OF
Mr.. Brown-Cave (Mansfeld's Secretary
came from the top of the stairs:
Sir, you have taken the wrong stair
case"
Mr.. Mansfield turned and "sized up" the
portly dimensions of the Duchess. The
Duchess cast an appealing look at the
tragedian.
81 hope" said the Duchess, in dis
tressed voice and breathing hard, al hope
-I-shall-not-have to go-up again p
Not" replied Mansfield, 'if your
royal highness will cross the stage"
There was moments delay, during
which this massive specimen of royalty
doubtless prayed that the Queen might
not hear her pranks, and then the little
procession crossed the stage aud out at the
stage door, where the crowd yelled at the
sight of Mr. Mansfield in blonde wig and
silk stockings, helping royal duchess
into her carriage.
| GEOGRAPHY WAS HER FORTE.
A quiet young man took in "The Oolah''
the other night On his right sat two
| s,oroao,1eI1- affirad Uonoan who chowed off