New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-12
,ANcFIELD As SNYLOCK.

ur Nananeld now at the Grand Opera House.
chicago has presented The Merchant Of Venice
and has acted Snyock The chicdSo i's' S"!',
.'Mansnelds Shylock Is "A strong. weH-oa'"hceu
niece Of acting clearly conceived i"rciDy execute"
s,riklnglv picturesque and. In the main free from
acted or spoken incongruities. His makeup Tor me
,ar, is wonderful The character IL composed with
hat scrupuous fidelity which ignores not the mere7i
,rec OF stage poriraiture. Here Is inuscuAr jew
strong-lungcl strong lmbed an olden prophet
Uliiah-like dehased from high ideals yet hled WIN
,te tremendous animalisn born Of the desert and
the lonely mount. The resonant voice. the Sohcr-
Gus defamation. not less than the workings OF me
honv hand suggest a mighty physical nature. lie
throws his soul into the Characterization; II rises
into dignity and authority. In the delivery OF the
,,s,,rv srecch in the interview with Tubal and In
the trl, scene MS clocution Is srenddly tuinuItu-
Gus Nothing can stand against 1t. The interview
with Tubal is impressive 1t Is not easy to believe
that the elder Booth oNcelled It's tremendous
rare and youblllty It's horrid fury. Us half-crazcd
crier it's Quick transitions from hystcrica anguish
70 hvs;crlcal wrath. There Is no tenderness IN thS
Shylock: not q trace Of it. even when he kisseS
Icss.ca at the hour when some mischief bre"F
for them And quite right too. He Is true to his
intuitlons: he feels II he does not know. that his
daughter Is a potential oioper and thief. The Jews
ip,ultions have not suppressed his fathcrly in
s,incts but they have dulled the edge Of them The
conception il logical, true TO Shakespeare, true 10
Jewish nature worthy Of the most original and
c,.a,,vc actor on the American stage. Mr.. Mans
field IS an original artist He takes up the old
scenes the familiar incidents, the w"ll-worn words
and mixing them in the crucihc OF his genius pro-
duccs an amaIgam peculiarly his own. novel. start
ling always IMPRESSIVE. at times majestic Miss
cameron's Porta is capital-plcasing TO eye and
ear She H. that most exquisite product or the
siuce-a stage lady. The delicacy and vivacity OF
ber method are heightened b. a musical cocu-
ton and a sympathetic coloring which give pc
culiar charm 10 her portrayal. She is girllsh as
the Lady OF Belmont: she confronis the demon In
tho trial scene with n courage born Of true intel
/ lectual supremacy.
.The Chicago Herald" says: ''Discarding the
fiction that Shylock was an example OF iervid re-
ligIous Intolerance and illustration OF all that
was dsnined I'm racial pride. Mansfield represented
him as an Incarnation OF malignity and hate. thus
fully recognizing the authority of Shakespeare
words Striking ut the outset The keynote OF
b rersonal resentment. which seems to be the only
dominant note In the original composition, he adj
bered to Il throughout with the utmost fidelity.
! Illuminating the theme with subtlety and dis
,inrtnn In the scene with Antonio and Bassanio
the parting with Jessca the stormy interview with
Tubaj and the trial scene. he exhibited firm grasp
mon the character. There were noisy exhibitions
81 ralc and fury. but every point was made forcibly
/ and with distinction II there ranting
XII n,,i,or ,gar there any lack Of power"
! ~ I'm rare combination aulaclty artistic
milling these three together into something worthy.
! Mansields shylock Is perhaps more trcacherous
Stern patriarch. but 1t IS Just as far away from the
| comedy spirit in winch the part was once played
ccnrtrotcd Mansfield carries everything before him.
lie was called before the curtain again and again.
! ii,es which actors have roared Mansfield bnngs
dnSn 10 the commonplace. and the effect IL often
.o illuminate Those who cannot approve of every
/ cbanpe will at least admit that they In the
general direction of Il better knowledge and APP
nnrcclation of Shakespeare