New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-04
YORK DAILY TRIBUNE THURSDAY OCTOBER 4 1000

Ancient Pistol himself who has swallowed his leex
to the scene Of new adventures that can have but
one close, as q cutpurse on the highways of Eng
land. For humors do abound" In this history
and solemn thoughts prompted by IT, and
when time serves there shall be smiles"
There is no subtlety in the character OF Henry
OF Monmouth The words that he saws of himself
in the piquant wooing scene with the Princess
Katharine.-most charmingly acted. on this oc-
cason,-describe him clearly and no intelligent
actor OF the part can miss it's meaning He is "a
fellow that looks In his glass for love Of
anything that he there he has "a good heart
that never changes: and he is the best king of
good fellows" In that way Mr.. Mansfield has
comprehended the poets conception and that is the
ideal he has embodied There Is to be sure in
Mr.. Manshed's nature.-ether elemental or &C
Quired-a propensity to grim and mordant sarcasm
an attribute which. while II gives point and brill
fancy 10 every impersonation Of incarnate wicked
ness such Baron Chevrial or Mr.. Hyde, is ra Ill
cally inhsrmonious with the temperament OF
Henry; and this subtle snanation Of character is
apt odd moments, 20 glimmer forth in a look
a tone. pose a verbal infection, in all that
he embodies. There is also certain sluggishness
ct times. in his MISUNDERSTANDING the Wis
inertia of German phlegm,-which little dins his
brillancy; and he does not give scrupuous heed
might be desired to the niceties of eocution;
but this is the fashion Of the time. On the other
hand he possesses abundant geniality and humor,
a bold presence a bluff manner, remarkably
copious and resonant voice, the power OF intel
lectuaI concentration. the repose Of selfcontrol at
the topmost tensty of excitement, and great capa-
bIity of iuminative. diversified action. His per-
Torrance of King Henry is noble. authoritative.
winning, eloquent and more sympathetic than any
embodiment that he has hitherto set before this
public. The spirit of It is manly and the method
of IL is simple. Indeed. the element Of simplicity
should be named as its pervasive invariaole and
predominant virtue and this Is crowning excel
Ience-for. in every of his actions Henry is
direct, and in every one of his speeches, howso-
ever elaborate. he the plainest words and
comes quickly his point: it would not, perhaps.
h. hat Is of
and holds II in contempt. The straightforward
frankness of the actor IS exactly germane to the
character and It could be too highly extolled.
In the wooing scene,-which, though Henry is not a
lover requires deep sincerity. yelled but not hidden
by a sweet. airy playfuness and bantering levity,
be entirely delightful In the colloquy Of
mystihcation with the soldiers his cooperative
meditation of the princey manner with that of
the comrade skilful and happy. In the sadly
pensive soloquy upon the empty ceremony that
environs q king he gave very solemn expression
to the sense OF responsibility which sequesters and
saodens a conscientious ruler, and he became pa
thetic image OF the sombre isolation of a great
mind in a great station. In the exhortatons TO
martial valor he spiendidly vehement If not
irresistibly impulsive But his highest achievement
was his delivery of Henry's whitening arraignment
and piteous rebuke Of the hideous reachery Of his
bosom friend Lord Scroop. There are few speeches
comparable with this one. for feeling for imagery,
and for verbal beauty. even in Shakespeare: and
Mr.. Mansfield, in his utterance Of IT, rose TO noble
height of dignity and pathos His grasp of the
character was shown to be complete. at that point
There IS other situation duplicating many
and such varied and deep emotions. The of the
part indeed, is evenly heroic in spirit and gener
ally bright in texture. A completely self
centred Henry Of Monmouth, a whose view
Of himself is that of almost unqualified appreciation
and who obtains everything that he desires,-and
this with the concurrent appreciation and adulaton
| Of all the world,-should be characterized by a
cheerful buoyancy: there should not only seem to
be in him kind OF joy-he should be Joy incarnate
This condition Mr. Mansfield has perceived and
this condition is abundantly expressed in his
bodiment OF Henry V. His efforts were seconded
with great and often with signal talent by a
numerous and well selected company the compost
ton Of which IS shown by the cast that is printed
/ below. Performances Of exceptional merit were
! given by Mr.. Andrews the peppeTy little Flue-
len, Mr.. Griffith as the hamboyant. grandiloquent
| notwithstanding. pusillanimous Pistol Joseph
Whiting as Williams, the blunt and burly soldier
Estelle Mortimer as Mrs Quickly (now Mrs. Pts
TOD. Florence Kahn the Chorus cher speeches
being spoken with discretion, efficient intelligence
and fine efect), and little Dorothy Chester the
Boy who attends Falstaff's trio of blackguards
and so comteally sees through their buster. With
all these the crowded and brilliant audience was
greatly pleased, as indeed it with everything
Upon the details of Mr. MansheIds production
OF this Shakespeare spectacle-the stage setting of
the numerous scenes, the professions, the tabeaus
the banners, the weapons the armor, the apparel
the music. the fourteenth and fifteenth century
trappings and characteristic shows,-it would be
possible 10 write "a whole history" Much has
been done 20 create and sustain Illusion as TO the
architecture the habiliments and the customs
social and martial OF England and France five hun
dred years ago. Many of the dresses are those
that the iamented Augustin DAILY caused to be
made for his contemplated reviYaI.-whch was
abandoned for want Of a Falstaff,-of Henry w.
they 1T this play as well, and they magnificent
The vigant eye Of blanche, gazing upon this pro-
fuse and replete spectacle would probably discern
IN IT, here and there, an incorrect spearhead or an
inappropriate spur or an Englshman with long
hair, in a reign when long hair was never worn.
THE present eye praises the present object"-as
Shakespeare himself has said. The production was
very beautiful, and ii hailed with acclamations
Of pleasure. Slightly to vary the well known lines
Of CampbeIl-
Had Shakespeare's self among you been,
Friends, he had seen your joy.
And trumphed to have
w w
CAST OF HENRY v