New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-22
THE DRAMA.
RICHARD MANSFIELD AS NERO.

his treatment OF them, while enforcing always .he
same conviction OF truth, he has invested each with
its own mental and physical attributes, with
such refinement OF method as to make repel
lent or even repulsve percentages interesting and
instructive The artistically faithful picture and
the possible lesson Of the Baron Chevrsl, the
trembling wreck Of life OF selfish debauchory, were
the only excuses for the placing OF such play as
ths in which he figured on the stage. In DR..
Jelyll ond Mr.. HYDE the actor presented an en-
bodn,ent Of absolute wcksdness-hdeous. revolving,
unrelieved by any possible suspicion OF good. Even
SATAN at least the Satan Of the stage, is not 70 far be-
yond sympathy as Hyde for he has usually motive
for the evil that he does, II IL be only the gain Of
a soul for his Kingdom. In "King Richard III" was
seen man at enmty with the world ambitious, bold.
resolute seemingly conscicnceless but besct al ass
with remorse and driven 10 frenzy and ruin. BY
another turn Of his anciful sr the player Presenoca
the libortine of legend and poetry, Don Juan, with
the warm, bright sunshine OF youth around Dim,
moved TO whatever sin he did by the mere happy
thourhtlessness Of boy, scarcely seeming sinner
at all with no trace OF the melting spirit Of the true
liberttpe and winning sympathy for himself away
from those whom he injured. All tnose nave been
so finely and distinctly drawn that they have scarcely
shown any single quality In common, and each mas
carried its own clear lesson TO the mind OF ne
spectator. Tho new character OF Nero In which MI
Mansfield appeared for the first time at tho Garden
Theatre last night differs as much from all the others
"a thew differ ono from another but, like each Of
them It Is a mastery stage creation, and 10 Is
worthy addition to Mr.. Mansfeld's memorable achieve
ments.
The personality Of the Emperor Nero ana the IN
cidents OF his life have been tempting subjects Tor
dramatic treatment, and have formed inc pass :"
many plays and operas, the most important OF ue
former being Racnes "Bnts1nicus" and OF tho lat
ter Rubinsten's "Nero," with It's dramatically In
significant book Of Jules Barber. The occurrences
Of Nero's short reign were so thrilling ana so sp-
palling, and they associated themselves so apprV
pratoy with his character whether or hoo hes
were in any way connected WIN
as many Of them probably ana some Vi
them certainly were not-and the deeds OF this caesar
and Of those who stood nearest TO him were themselves
so Economically terrible that It was inevitaoe nae
fable and tradition should cluster around the name
of the central figure OF all Of them. 80 Nero mas oec
a type Of splendid wantonness, vice ana cruelty' ana
his legendary importance such as to give rise 70
The myth shared with him by many another ancient
or middleage hero, that he was not actually dead ols
had departed for a time and would como agaln. Even
today his prosecutions are held in hateful remembrance
while the splendors and the disasters OF his career arc
favorite vehicles for public spectacle and display.
The serious and thoughtful Interpretation OF such
a nature as this, with its fundamental charac'erst"'
warranted by history but embenlshed In the popular
mind nv the accusations Of enemies the hatred OF
rs,
exercised through centuries OF tradition IS task for
an artist of the finest endowments and the most patient
zeal Mr. Manifold has the DEVOTION the intellectual
power ard the scholarly habit - satisfy all tle u~
mands Of such a part and the result IS, as msht Do
cyDected q creation OF lasting value. HIS Nero Is III
the main the Nero of history weak mal, mofahy
rulned by power and license guided by his own prod'
cal DESIRES and to be checked or ruled ONLY by rear
cruel In his resentment OF offence, inscriptions IN
his methods OF attaining an end or removing an oo'
stnce shallow and vain, careless OF all Dat MS Own
enjoyment and abjcct coward. His vanity Dh"'s
him TO his approaching fate, and hs selfish purs's Oh
pleasure hold him till his destruction is upon him. ana
his cowardlcs hastens the end. All this MI Mans
field presents to tho spectator with impressive vydn
His expressive face and deep and resonant voice arc
instruments that he with instantaneous erect 10
denot the rapidly changing moods and passions Oh
giided wretch hunted to death In the midst OF ms
sothfuI pleasures. There are no heights Oh N"s0
heroism and sacrifice TO be attained but there are ZIG
unhesltang energy OF heaFtess lust and tine moheh-
tory exultatlon Of deeetiu setlove there is panic
stricken flight from danger, and there Is struggle
Of fear against fear ending in cOwardly DEATH win
climax Of yanslory expressed in the Historical it"f
once: What an artist dies in me!' These scenes are
rehear,ed with consummate sldl and with brilliant
effectiveness
The frame for tlese pictures Is a PLAY written three
years ago by T. Russell Sullivan, VINO 3cAh2W!gasei
ob9on to lalaa Py r 1S C9' aud I SaeS1nS The
action occupies only twontyfor hours the asI gay "
Neros life. The story begins WIN the lniaoam0n os
of her lover The incident Is 80 i1tUduced Is 10 sNe
an immediate key - NerO's chsracte' Inc TWO aIs
convcr,ng with wine before them, when the emperor
learns that his companion IS bis rival Ine he 2
moment the rival lies poisoned at MS ife, IT, w iae
Inc has done who mad already killed his DIotier
by ya aG2p o Wives 9, WSnd no be g moved b.
slight an occurrence as THIS Tic does not even ~ "a.
from his seat but cagelessly turns The o0dy VITA Ms
Coo At ha mi he
loved preeuds to join a conspiracy against nun, ~
order that she may ge III sao zen ms ~ himself ard
his new empress, the dancing girl IN reVenss do
iTSp5S sf for s ae a tS 1 Ta sf Of he c IL
flames and Nero watches them while he plays h5 B%%
This is not the great fire of Rome, n connection WIN
which the tale Of Nrro playing the kthara and sngng
Of Troy Is told That story Is probably apocEPhal ps
Nero did much to alleviate the suffering caused oy the
fire aud he rebuilt the city maGnihce9ty, Dht ue
incident used here illustrates side OF Ne'Os cnt
actor ard serves the purpose of the play. Az tIs
hidden in a scrpeutsaped bracelet an smufct tas. ~
happily employed through the play rear ps etJi
saved Neros life as ii lay his pillow, by frSheGns
was on his ann as he sat at the feast where Btan.
rc m dind noisnned as some aid II removed tho
Acte urges Nero 10 end his Cwn life with II ID cscaPc
n yyor-e foie from his enemies This might compe,c
practically the story of the amulet DuI on ~ 80
hand It might be supposed to have more power 20 P'4
tect Caesar against death and his enenlys' 80 ~
conveniently lost and his end comes ~ 49, ,bI oniv
He ees with Acte again fathfu and son, ne ,S Sg
after Ace has killed herself to teach nm GMlose' ~
Win his Tyre s his hard ard boast on a ms Ess
The play is clearly and vigorously Wiluch anu .$s
soma GOOD dramatic situations. The parts 10 IT, ASIDE
from Seyo's. which give the hest opportunities to ne
actors are those of Acte and the dancing GIL Miss
beatrice Cameron plays the former with oehche ap-
nrerafon aid faithfully Iprays the woman who loves
tbroneb eglect and ngIatude ard counts II a hap
nness TO die with the unworthy object Of her affection
Miss Emma v sheridan. as the dancer; ot'es nus
ncture with her uyuriant charms ard duly his her
mace in the drama ID. VI. llaIkins, w. J. Ferguson
and W II. Crompton capable Of filing Important
re,Ts gracefully accept less striking ores The whole
effect OF Nero" is deep ard not soon to be lost
THE CADI' AT THE UNION SQUARE.
A series Of humorous dialogues collectively calen
.The Cadl7 was eted last evening at the Union
Souare Theatre for the first time In this city, 1t Is the