The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-23

height OF "A period OF extravaganza and
lavishness and most excellent art In
stage pictures. lrvings king Arthur the
Merchant of Venice" OF the Booth
Barrett triumphs or anything else you
can bring TO mind in the way OF dramatic
splendors could hold a candle 90 Mans
Geld production OF King l'snry W
az witnessed by an audience which real
Is packed tho Providence Opera rouse
last evening. IL sounds commonplace 10
call II a feast for the eye when a like
expression has done duty to describe
"Hagers AlleFOry' or the latest ticdoul-
oureuX I'm operate eXtravaganza II may
only said that never was the stage so
wonderfully, SO skillfully and 50 artistic
ally filled " IA scenery and people. IL
was magnificent, stunning. complete.
Surely never was there anything TO
match IT, and II is about equally certain
that II cannot be surpassed.
The Shakesperian drama is essentially
a thing of scenery and tablesuV, quite as
much as Is a modern Drury Lane or
Casino review While the piece con-
tains some of Shakespcare's most ring
ing lines, most beautiful poetry and most
uproarious comedy, the scenery and the
tableaux are after all the chief oppor-
tunity for the producer
Many an actor could read the part OF
Henry V quite as well as Mansfield
reads Il. Very few actors, however. have
the enterprise. the skill the artistic In
stinct and the conscience for detail 90
produce the spectacle as Mansfield has
done &c. it is a mighty show, q triumph
Of stage art and OF stage management
To the last detail, which is 20 say the
orchestra : contribution. IL WAS fiawlcss
a. far as the makina ton could strain IL
sea- TO conceive Of anything 20 be want
Ing.
The taoleaux Of the victorious kings
return TO London. the hattie OF Agin-
court. the siege Of liarheur, the cere-
monial % the cSpuusai. in all their tre-
mendous spleudor, were stage pictures 20
remain long 10 memory But there was
equal lavishness In due proportion equal
beauty and art IN every one of the
score or more of less important scenes.
For The reading OF tho few lines ana
the doinRs OF tho few things that fali 20
the great majority ~ the cast Ga the big
production. beside the part 0f Henry V,
there are employed excellent actors. An
down the bis cast YOU can read the
names OF number OF conspicuous stage
fsvorItes. The newer people Include Mile
lda Brassy who f. dclightful as Eath-
crime and Miss Florence Kahn. who as
Chorus, won the audience with au cX-
ceptionaliv delightful reading and q fine
appreciation 90 the demands OF this pCcu-
lar Institution or the old time drama
Mr.. NJ. 4 Kennedy sustains acccptably
the traditions of the Ancient Pistol.
while Mr. a G. Andrews gs the Welsh
captain. Fiuclien Mr. Joseph Whiting as
the bumpdoUs and gsllant soldier. VIII
linms. Mr James j. Cahart os Exeter
Air. sheridan block as the French King
ar. A Berihelct. as tho pauphin. may
be mentioned from "a small host OF ca
IaD people for their success In winning
critical approyal according 10 their sev-
eral opportunities
Mr. Mansfield Is a. always beyond
cOmp.ai if not gltogeth-r beyond criu-
elem. TIE stoclv. ierky style ~ declama-
ti0n seems 90 grow upon him while he
practices rcpose quite te fault But hc
D. such strand GOOD actor v here MANY
another Mould fail 4 man OF such al.