The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-13
THE sun, TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER rs, 1882.
A NEW DRAMA AND A FARCE.
HAw7HoRNE,s "THE SCARLET LET
7kRo ACTED IN TIL STAGE.

Richard MansAeid's bold ana IaterestfuG
Experiment with Joseph Hatton's Drama
txRtior OF the Famous story-A Fresh
Comic Play Tried In Harlem Last Night.
Richard Mansfield is an actor whose sue.
ccsses are brilliant and whose failures are not
dull. No year passes without some bold ven
ture OF his TO excite theatrical interest. and.
usually. to cause diversity OF printed and
spoken opinion. Last evening at Days
Theatre he impersonated tho sinful clergyman
in Hawthorne's THE Scarlet Letter" and did
1t in a manner to distinguish himself for
clear intelligence OF purpose. As In most OF
his undertakings with characters not physi-
cally deformed or mentally Rrotesaue. the
actor suffered from the lack Of %opportu-
nifty to employ his exaggerative talent
He is essentially a caricaturist. That
is why he triumphed as Mr.. Hyde.
Baron Cnerrial and Beau Br,ninel, but met
with fasco AS Richard The Third. a far more
ambitious and elaborate essay. That Ia why
his -Ar0ur Dimnesdale last evening was by no
means n great performance. 1t was q
monotonous expression OF misery. with
no lights. but all shade. and want
ing in variation Of tho shadow. The
young preacher and seducer In the play was
not noble in appearance, nor was he In speech
or manner the captivating orator whom Haw-
thorne so enGrossinEly created In the book.
Mr.. Mansfield depicted the wretchedness Of
tho mans BODY. but not the wretchedness Of
his soul. though quite manifestly he endeav-
ored to do so. He had. as matter Of course.
and rs any. intellectual reader Is equally
f iSEly every Il thro a"' of 't H'"%esda Haser nsntai
agony. but he was not able to ili4s.
as It wa j. .a, ts an %nic, sns's IN That "a sua y,y!s's
and Mr.. Mansfeld's genius is lii ited. Heisa
ccptions and not often wrong in his execu-
ton, but apt to assisn imnos s.nI 9 II tasks *
instance. 1t was beyond his power TO enact
njnmIpsdn'r AS well as Hawthorne had written
Ths dlIiIie!alties in the way Of a satisfactory
liza Seat wos ts Hamsro ont6 HSIr"a wo,, mIst s of 'h win.
s ss% ,s rss WITH fi r.. H. IT,. na $ " 4 ''' p :5s@ /
Win a skillipl suggestion Of suEssrnatHral
parts We're generally in competent hands. and
the production. although mnie for only a week
hf Tne wns IN Fl, E vsrslSn %o 5T fmsP s eol1ea' Let
ter" used on this occasion had been arranged
by 1Cs"Eh natten: The language had d,t been n
rative into dialogue. A moderate amount OF
the. monotony OF woe with humor. ,evinced
!ndic,ous tnrLenrnnce on the part Of Mr.. Vat;
effect. either detrimental or beneficial. The
play was as good a transfer of lIawthorne's
i %s',sF s such "n1 'iSsFtls s0" With "'f k s sr out
81 pff''' Il. SO Sris far frS Would It ,@ nmp,a a4mir nmS
tuIe. ami it Developed no possibilities OF popu-
%Iarity. but it viii serve the purpose ot a fair
masterpiece Is susceptible Of a satisfactory
rendering in n theatre. There were four acts.
shFt the 81 time ine'. Of f"2 Hs.i..ss IN" ph n,iic'y d fssrU.e' n nnI
Uin,mesin't's discourse: next ut the midnight
elisods Of the clerGyman,s s9aerings Of con.
guilt: and. thirdly, for the confession and
death Of the pastor. An intervening act
Was Was placed the love r" Meeting Of the h" unhappy
pair and their plan to sail away together. Mr..
nsr. sseki,is salty Tor himself in, "onserya-
ti,m. and thus escaping censMre. though he
s %ay sris Of NJ or siTiGnt r p,ay,aak :imss and l fyr It's rs
we Worth tn. as sos snterta'n nm. t., this wora ,sam ans " net
utterly, devoid Of theatric interest. but; con-
sidered merely as an exposition OF Hay
Messing by those who do not expect too much.
and who can enjoy a serious; npprsciativa
attempt to place 'Ihe Scarlet Letter on the
stage.
a New Farce In IEnriem.
There was a triple novelty IN the Harlem
Opera House entertainment last night. A new
star came forward. a fresh farce was tested.
tio quaint W ID Nv lIhys
wright was sampled. The general results
were meritorious. although the degree Of
success was in neither case remarkable.
The star was A. S. Lipman. the play
was by Proxy" and the author was
Charles Klein. The theme was a farcical
and familiar one. A young man had secretly
married in opposition to his rich fathers wish.
His parent had arranged to wed him to the
daughter of an old friend. When the plan is
about to be carried out the young man pro
walls upon a friend to exchange, Identities. and
thus tho old story OF fast and furious comic
complications is told over again. with numer-
Gus variations. but with none 50 original as
Nj. Klein's treatmento Of this hocus- Focusing
is brisk enough in action. rather ingenious in
words. He starts, vel. surely. for q novice.
and he was substantially encouraged by tho
e t%"s"'iY' Yet "t ther "'s Was a pl. nj '" Of i n.Sns in ao his
work. Indicating the unskiiled pen and the
Mr.. Iipinan. the new star. is not by any
means II stranger on this stage. He has been a
patient and persevering actor in many travel:
value to him. for he is facils and finished. with
a touch and 60 aLsrtnesf Tint at times s.:
Of tho strident, tone OF Dickson. and
bis nhySiauc ox ard Ie.rinE Oo suGEsst the
Of serious and comic elements. His
h n.ns nD a1u .osmsS to te iko hin hin h at Hns tha into 1toG it,
iuNoi scthiSi nm ,o''cb Wv 'oiSSI
he acted. 4 tendency to business and to ex-
travagant facial expression Is the chief weak
hess in MIR. lipman's methods. which are
otherwise quite drull.
The supporting company contains two actors
who. to tell the truth. are quite rs effective AS
laugh makers as tho star himself. They are
Harry Brown and Lionel Bland. Each imper-
sonated an old man. and each was clever in .
widely divergent character type. Mr.. Brown
is usually successful in any role. and It WAS no
surprise to find him u commanding figure in
several scenes OF by Proxy" Mr.. Bland is
an Englishman. and a thoroughly artistic and
original performer. His sketch OF y senile old
lord was excellent. The actresses in the COM
pany included Leonora Bradley. IL dashing and
dressy woman.
Mitchell Makes an Inquiry About Corbett.
The following cable despatch was received
ak fho blI,cn LnzatIe uAgfarlux from Landau.