The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-13
Richard MansfleId,s Engagement.

making roles, assisted by the entire COM
pany. Matinees will be given daily.
Richard MansfeId's Engagement.
Henry Irving never made a more brill
liant tour of this country than that of
Richard Mansfield this season. Certain it
is, that even the knighted Engiishman new
er produced the plays in America on the
elaborate scale adopted by the great Amer
lean star in the past few years. Mansfield
has visited Indianapolis only once in almost
a decade and theater-goers of this city
know OF his achievements only through the
newspapers or by report OF those few who
have witnessed his productions in the larger
cities. Mansfieids coming to Englishs
next week should arouse as much pleas
Urable anticipation as the coming of the
greatest star of the English stage. He is
to present here his latest and what has been
termed his greatest play 1.-The Devils Dis
ciple," by Bernard Shaw; the English
author of arms and the Man" Indianapo-
lis will be one of six cities where the great
actor will make single performance, his
date here being Tuesday night, March %.
He is travelling in a special train Of six
cars, ali Of which are necessary to accom-
modate his large company OF forty-two peo-
pie and the immense amount of scenery,
properties and baggage.
When one recf IS Mr. Mansfield's splendid
original producti Ton of Richard III" made
America, the pigmy productions that are
sometimes hailed as remarkable examples
insigniegnce n er9sr to sie com ie this
splendid revival in a manner that would
combine due magnifcence and dignity with
ticulars, Mr.. Mansfield called to his aid
many students and artists Associated with
him in all the preliminary studies were
ha ndi nj hp
Saturday Review; Seymour Lucas, the
Royal academician; Edgerton Castle, the
antiquarian, and Edward Germon, the COM
poser. Experts in every department of lit
erature and art were consulted, the best
scenic artists of London provided the paint
ali of genuine material, were designed and
finished by French and English experts.
Nothing that Henry Irving. has offered to
the public was more carefully planned and
exquisitely executed. In many respects this
production was a liberal education, or it
would have been but for the circumstance
that the public. with one accord. remained
away. The Globe Theater was empty night
after night and, although a great artistic
failure.
Bringing his massive production to Ameri-
ca, where Mr.. lrving's scenic efforts had
met with instant approval Mr., Mansfield
discovered that the adverse verdict of Eng
land blocked the way of his success. The
people of the United States had not at that
time learned to think for themselves, even
in a rudimentary way, and the consequence
was disastrous. Cities now most anxious
to enjoy his Richard were then quite OBJ
liviouS to the fact that their tneater held
for time the finest scenic production of
Shakspearean play that their city had ever
known. prince Karl was patroniZed and
applauded, but Richard with an environ
ment of a hundred actors and matchless
scenery, was left to the tender mercies of
that beggarly array of empty benches which
speaks in no measured terms of bankruptcy.
But the entire country turned cold Shout
der tc this splendid presentation of
md at hn m n SqC G
season Mr.. Mansfield discovers that the
original cost of the product. together
With the other losses that h Tiled up
through profitless tours, had put aim in
debt to the enormous extent @ $ls5 200, and
the encouragement of an uni 9uiteI effort
hung about his neck with crushing weight.
veins. He pounded away with such of his
other plays as the punlic would accept,
prince Karl" "a Partisan Romance" and
"Dr. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde" among them,
meanwhile working as a producer with
herculean energy. Don JUAN" from his
own pen, and in many respects literary
masterpiece, staged at the cost of 50, 900,
but did not please the public. Nero" an
exquisite production. involving first cost
Ten Thousand Year brought out like
cost and also failed. Following these eff
forts beautiful and costly productions were
made of THE Scarlet Letter" and THE
Merchant of Venice" and then came a
browning disaster in 1885, when this splendid
collection of scenery and costumes was de-
stroyed by fire, and it became necessary
to reproduce the settings of the plays in his
standard repertoire at an enormous expense
Several years ago, just after he had as
sumed the burden of the tSarrick Theater,
Mr.. Mansfield fell i'll. and many weeks later
when he emerged from the feverish clouds
surrounding him a debt of $4,000 had ac-
cumulated. But this seemed to be the turn
ing point of the actors career. His splendid
courage, sometimes expressed in tones of
irritation, not at all surprising under the
circumstances, at last conquered those who
had overlooked his art in persistent search
for personal peculiarities that were mag
mary The intelligent public turned from
admire his remarkably skilled efforts, and
ne found at last due reward fdr his heroic
struggles. But even now there is no just
expenditure he made in the past and is MAX
ing for plays and productions. Therefore
when trivial efforts are appiauded to the
terprise should receive some special recogni-