Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-09-17

Rtcts Now AorN Guy. Inc play was indus
triously doomed in advance OF its produc-
tton by means Of ingenious paragraphs In
the newspapers and majority Of New
York thentergoers fully believed that Rob
eEt MAntell had at last found n medium
exactly suited to his remarkable II some
what limited powers And Mantell really
does possess great ability-in a certain line.
The claim Of his friends that he Is Richard
Mansileld's equal OF course can have no
effect save TO excite the disabilities Of care
ful students Of actors methods, but Mr..
Mnntell Is nevertheless one Of the greatest
living portrayoIs Of robust heroic charac-
ters for which he is peculiarly fitted by
reason Of his magnificent physique and
full, resonant voice
Mr.. Mantel once had the misfortune TO
make Hn emphatic hit Ia "Vhe Corsican
Brothers." I use the word misfortune"
mivisedly, for ever since, he has appeared
20 feel that his best work is done in dual
ral,s. This vagary perhaps It was that
Induced him to use 1.-The Face in tho Moon
-. ht' during his New York season.
The Face in the Moonlight" wa3 writ
,cn by Mr. Charles Osborne, and the whole
''lnt. or rather the vague nothing which
'.'r.s duty IA "a plot hinges upon the re-
..rnblanee Of ruflan and murderer,
iscuues Ferrand, to Victor Ambrose, a
ilnnarchist. who Is condemned to die for
D. ling threatened to shoot some OF his
- oilers who attempted to desert to Ma
pDlton BOnaparte. Mr.. Mansell Of course
n.cts these two characters, which afford
.i d ample opportunity for displaying his
q. lily as lightning change artist" but
.. ise from that are rs destitute OK posi-
% ties rs can we'll DO imagined.
AR. Mantell makes the insipid officer
G.. Iswhat interesting at times, despite the
l.wkish sentiment contained IN many OF
,-.e lines which are put into his mouth.
-nd the frecracker heroics which he IL
su.lpellcd 10 fire of as the climax OF each
lrt is approached. The ruflan, undor Mr.
,alntenA ridiculous Interpretation Of tho
aflselss chGrioter, becomes a clown. pure
and simple. and horribly bad clown az
that.
THE Face In the Moonlight" attempts
20 tel story which Is so old that &c Is
irayed on the edges, and the laborious ef-
forts Of the author to unravel the fabric Of
doubt which has not been woven serve
only To excite amusement. The denoue-
nient is so poorly wrought that II Is POSI-
lively pnerle In its lack Of color and bald
anticipation Of tho final result.
s-Fhere Is one character IN The Faco IN
the A.0ouiight" which deserves especial
mention on account Of the sublimely In
Discriminate manner 10 which the a1thOE
has used "a, IN order apparently 70 avobd
adding 10 the cast. Nine. Pique Is In turn
the servant Of almost every one Of the I'm
foFtant personages Wherever the scene
Is lGd Of course "domestique" Is Decided,
and Nine. Pique is invariably rushed in to
supply the want This serves to illustrate
niirly the thoroughly stupid manner ia
which THE Face in the Moonlight" is
pasted together. Its only partially redeem
ing feature IL the dialogue, which In some
Of the scenes IS bright and crisp. The semi
humorous character Of the play IS perhaps
less bad than the others, and the fact that
it WINS admirably portrayed by Frank
lander caused Il 70 appear better even
than Il really Is On tho whole THE Face
in the Moonlight" * the most pronounced
successful failure" Of the present New
York season from an artistic standpoint
not oven excepting the overdrawn and
undeulone kentucky Colonel"
The revival Of the BLACK Crook" at tn,
New York Academy OF Music has create,
little short of a sensation among theatei
goers generally, and especially among
those who are sufficiently well advance,
in years to remember the original prcsenta