New-York tribune., 1900-11-25
THE DRAMA-MUslC.
HENRY V AND MR.. MANSFIELD.

Mr.. Mansheld's elaborate and beautiful prass,.
ment of King Henry W which has been err-ar.
at the Garden Theatre since October 3 win -
transferred the Columbia Theatre. BROOKLYN or
November Is, and 70 the Opera House. at Harlem,
December s. so that. until December g. IL s,u
remains within the reach of the public OF NAv,
York The opportunity of seeing II is valuable ana
should not be neglected. In pictorial excellence
this production ranks with the best that have been
made. The element of picture is. perhaps a lt1ys
excessive in IT, but the play is constructed that
II cannot be made practicable the stage unIes.
treated more less a spectacle. Macready's
magnificent production of it followed the sara
and So in after time. did that of CaIvert
There other way. Mr.. Mansfield could In
deed. somewhat augment the element of action in
his of the play. by cutting the speeches Of the
Charus. by omitting them. and by allowing the
soldiers charge upon Harfeur, Immediately after
King Henry's impassioned exhortation that thev
should do so. To hold the picture for curtain calls
is prolong the performance and likewise 1t is to
mar. if not TO defeat. the purposed effect.
In another direction. that OF emotional interest
something might be gained by discarding hnery
at the appropriate time and place, and by a dis
Greet display of the "lank-Iean cheeks and war
worn coats that are designated by Shakespeare
appurtenant to the English troops before the
battle of Agincourt
Our gayness and our gilt are all besmirched
With vainy marching in the painful field.
And time hath worn into slovenry-"
So speaks King Henry, Immediately before the
battle. and yet the monarch and his soldiers in
Mr.. Mansfelds presentment of them, ''as fine
as a fiddle" No iudicious observer would con-
tend for realism" in nothing is effective
the stage than the photography of actual life
but certain of practical respect for prob
ability sometimes does we'll The glory Of the
Kings triumphal entry into his capital would seem
all the more glorious in contrast with the desttu-
ton and gaunt wretchedness of the English forces
in the French campaign. Upon the beauties OF
Mr. MansfeId's production Of Henry " abundant
comment has already been made The night scenes
in the third act among the loveliest that
have been shown upon the local stage.
Mr. Mansfed's acting OF King Henry is
w. simple and powerful His delivery Of
the apostrophe to the condemned conspiratOrs. OF
the appeal 70 the soldiers of the soliloquy
ceremony. and of the speech on the feast OF Girls
plan. If faulteSs in elocuton. IS deeply sur
charged with feeling. and is splendid with power
The impersonation would be strengthened by
impairment of greater solemnity for all those lines
IN which there is reference TO God, and in which
there is deep religious feeling-that feeling being
indicated as A conspicuous element of the Kings
character II is never we'll to push the natural
method 100 far or relax actors hold upon
an auditors feelings by sudden transitions from
the rapture of poetry to the commonplace of col
loquiaIsm In the general representation OF the
play there has been a slight decline because OF the
lassitude that comes of wearisOme repetition The
performance of FIuellen. by Mr.. Andrews remains
exceptionally brilliant, but the Charus has become
harsh. strained and stilted. the cergymen are
blatant and noisy. and the French King and the
Dauphin seem inclined, Ike Bottom. rather 70
move storms than 10 be overlooked Vocal train
ing, however. appears to oe no longer considered
essential the stage. and a winning voice is as
quartre- foil clover But the merits Of Mr..
MansfeIds production of Henry W exceed its de-
facts and the success that it has achieved IS not
less creditabe TO the public than honorable to the
actor w w