The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-24
cuAKESPEARE AND OTHERS.
DRAMAS BY SYDNEY RosENEELD
No" tsD CHARLES 7. DdZET.


1ien Nrrcunnt Of venIce"-,J. X. Emmett
ste In Pro-perity"-Tbe Latest
Race Play IL Called 7" To Kentucky"
WINS A striking novelty. as might havo
1no.s r.rted In Tho Merchant OF Venice"
peen,uced last evening by Richard Mans
=, 1Isrrmann's Theatre. 1t was not
ie,u .,a ,rinl scene. however. that the
UNI thing was done. There had been
s,s small touches OF originality
nun .sa ,Ilustration OF the text but the bold
u uas made in the court room. Four
hos, ,os,1es >Ly'ock were there. They flouted
Jew, ,,ron his entrance. They chucklod
n'.tnI,v Mt tho pleas made in his behalf.
&c. ornlaudcd SLv'ocL's murderous persist
luz luz But they disagreed with him in his re-
. ,..i n accent three times the debt In money
, ,us,.od n, the bond OF flesh. bag supposed
ipor,,in In, profrered 5000 ducats was
s,ced on the floor. The four Jews
pau.bed over It, examined the coin
e ,Oa.% and then. in dumb show.
,i ,hs plaintiff that tho treasure
W.. roolly there and that they advised him
N' ,..e,t it. His positive reiu sal angered
". and they stood aside mutterinG their
.,h They figured in the action again
W., Sl,yorE agreed to the terms OF pardon.
,..,n,,npe promise to become an apostate.
IN drew sloof from him in scorn. and
...,.d their backs on his mute appeal for
wi. svmnatby. All this helped the pictures
.,,ho trial, and constituted the most note-
~,r,bv innovation In tho Mansfield revival Of
"Tbe Merchant OF Venice
n, Mans6eld's performance Of Shv'ock was
m disappointment save to those whose an
.i.,notons were unreasonable 1t was n n adj
-,r.hle achievement. keenly intelligent in
sonc.ntion generally facile in realization. and
.hounding In dramatic power. Its chief fault
-,enosiness in pas sages OF vehemence. There
.onld be cruelty In measuring him by the
r,aatness OF Edwin Booth. whose wonderful
s,nressiyeness OF speech he lacked utterly.
n. would bear better the test Of comparison
sItb Henry Irving and frequently there was a
s,o,. likeness in voice or movement. Mr.. Mans
ssds Shyockwas a gure of impressive dignity.
thebead and face being TT to paint for a por.:.
trait OF "the Jew whom s Shakespeare drew"
While there was nothing in what the actor
did to excite wild enthusiasm 1T on the spot or
Ia did acluit himself exceedingly well; and
must now take rank as qualified Shake
'P ~ tation on the whole. was highly
sreditable, some In the company were as
good as others were bad; Beatrice Cameron,s
essket scene. Perhaps she was frightened into
inability. In, the court, however. she was
sHSssnf o9dsa Almost n %
Se sIS The ceverest acting. except Mr.. Mans
f St was. that, Of MI. Andrews as Lduncslot
law, instead Of the tedious fool whom many haye
dreaded to endure, The Old Gob6o Of Mr..
h was scarcely less dyertins depnrtaTe
aud Mr.. Forbes a viyacious Grattano. There
was slightly outfit OF new scenery and Co.'S
tunes though not any elaborate Or ornate
1.K Emmett essayed at the Grand Opera
II AT l.. -
new play which Sydney Rosenfeld has written
for him. In his immature hands tho light
hearted Iriz who was so dearly
loved BY theatreeoers OF a dozen years
ago. becomes an inane and wholly impossible
character In knee breeches and blond wig.
and with All accent which he does not take the
trouble TO assume more than one-uuarter OF
the time. He is supposed to be q prosperous
resident OF south Dakota. his near neighbor
being villain easily recognized by his black
intense resrectabilty are indicated 10y means
Of a pair Of white side whskers. young girl
" gGR res ehdr. and TIE nes de se hsR
praise for their efforts to further tho ac-
lion Of the play. That infants can be taught
faces aud express sentiments which they do
"a net feel T. tsmonsiIated IN most IS stIik,ng
Rnm. ig the him To-
repeat his song In the second.
Tho drama serves to bring out many heroic
part Of Frih., traits which win for him tho
young girl who. in the first act "spurns the
t iSye " Of the villain. and says. referring to
much less BY word. has Mr., Glauber forgot
ten that he was gentleman 80,
a As an act of simple Justice to Mr. Rosenfeld
should he said that his play contains a great
many lines which are fully as effective and
polished as the one quoted.
After a month OF idleness the Academy OF
Music again did duty last evening. and it's
stage was held by a play 1wrttenby C. T.
Darcy and entitled In Old Kentucky" It's
scenes were laid among tho mountains
and in the blue grass region OF Kentucky.
and its story was o. the conventional
sort common to melodrama. Where it OK
celed was in its spectacular scenes and In
the occurrence made doubly thrilling by
elevsrly managed mechanical appliances.
The principal incident OF the first act.
which was located In very wild
spot In the mountains. was the
crossing OF a deep gorge by the heroine. The
only fridge had been suspended over this
ehasm by rope. and was used in drawbridge
hs liS but the plot had the rope, seysred by
i S'a., sde lay the herons's sweetheart
b unnr 9s ass At this the BENG
mountain girl seized the rope. and. with a
koou run. swung off and released her hold
ohly when she could drop to the opposite
ede 1t was graceful flight and a taking
oohr: genuine novelty was on hand in act
4 IN fourteen colored boys. all full OF life and
a!gh spirits and each one contributing to the
o,aIlty OF the scene. although the chief On
.eilalners were but three or four. These latter
Executed negro dances 10 the music of the
SSsnl9 and greater variety OF steps In wing
ashclng could hardly be devised. But the
a.eat ACCOMPLISHMENT Of this colored .contn-
kenl. Known on tho programme as the Wood
. nna Mhangdo2dles," lay in their perform
n s sight to see q dozen dugky urchins. all
Wy WY ragged and dirty, and many harefooted.
Hatchlhg about tho stage. each attend ing 10
r. morn with steady and great success In pro-
Hvucihg noise. II a bit irregular in keeping to
Ms Key Dur ing it all the central figure was
WWtahother chocolate colored rasamuffin. who
dd.ggled a drum maIor's staff with degree oi
SSa asr,ta!r ths most SNOWY, weqrers OF the
an an ate n,,o It's first selection there arose
mo-, alprovlng uproar that was al
. %pTst dea'enng, and further efforts b. the mu-
iu.,hhs Received similar testimony. The who q
aS made OF the conflagration which end
NJ ne act and threatened to destroy tho hopes
Ia, a., IN" Icrsonages In the plny who were not
R.stuegImhnly bad. III. affair SO tune
~, though good thing OF its sort,
Hss fe"koncd by comparison. a yorltablo |
~ ,aase h.arm, and the curtain call 1t won |
as but an echo OF the favor gained |
TThs se minutes before by the darkey band.