The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-21
THE SCENES.

ACT L-scene IA corridor in the Pal
room in the Palace of Westminster.
Eastcheap, London. Scene 1.-The quay
at Southampton. Scene 5-Exterior Of
the Bears head, Fastcheap, London.
ACT IL Scene IA room in the Palace
of Charles the Sixth. Scene 2-The Eng
lirsh entrerchmert, Harfleur. Scene g.
The Duke Of GlosteTs quarters. Scene
4-The French Palace at Itouen Scene s.
A view in Picardy.
Act IIL-Scene 1.-The Dauphins tent,
near Aginceurt Night. Scene 3-Ihe
English position at Agincourt. Scene +
Part of the field of battle. Tableau-
The battle of Agincourt. Scene 6-Part
of the field of battle. Scene THE
Plains of Agincourt. After the victory.
ACT IV-HiStoTical EpiSode-The return
OF King Henry V. to London after the
battle of AgincoHrt.
ACT V-Scene Interior of the palace
at TroyTes. Scene 2-Troyes from the
bridge. Scene 3-Interior of the Cathedral
at TrcyeS.
The ceremony of the espousal of Henry
V. to Princess Katherine, of Valois.
An audience that was both large and
brilliant assembled at the Metropolitan
opera house last night 20 witness the
first production in st. Paul of Shakspere's
great military drama, Henry W Can
dor compels the statement that the num-
Ger of those present was less than it
SuOulQ nave D6eU, LOT CD6T6 were Il Few
empty seats, both in the parquet and the
balcony. Had the attendance been COM
mensurate With the merit of the produce
ton, the theater would have been packed
from the orchestra rail to the last row
in the gallery.
But what little that same audience
| lacked in numbers it made up in appre-
citation At the end OF every one Of the
twenty-five scenes. the applause was
both spontaneous and insistent, and on
two separate occasions it refused to sub
side until the great actor-the term is
used advisedly-had come before the cur
tain and bowed his acknowledg ments.
Society was out in force, the boxes we're
all occupied, and the toiiettes worn by
the ladies were both becoming and hand
some. 1t was such an assemblage as
only artists of known reputation can
draw to tho theater. and Mr.. Mansfield
is to be congratulated on the fact that
he is Ole Of the few men now before
the public for whom the people of this
city will leave their homes for the the
alter in such numbers. Tt IL d compliment
to him and to his art, of which he has
reason to be proud
Nothing that even savors of criticism
will be attempted in this article. Where
everything is perfection there can be no
SAASANiSAiA' NOilAIAlSilI, QCSCIIEliOl, praise,
appreciation-all these may, DO voiced
with propriety; but to assume to pick
; flaws in the work which is as nearly per-
| feet as anything well can he. argues
| either a mind predisDosed to carping or
| inability to distinguish the meretricious
! from the genuinely artistic.
This by way of preface to the statement
| that Mr. Mansfelds production of
| Shakspere's thrilling drama, Henry v"
| leaves nothing to be desired The wonder
! of it is that so stupendous an underta king
! should be so little marred by the small
! errors that are inevitable when such an
l>army of people is crowded into the con-
| fines of one small stage These missteps
! were apparent, at times, in last night
! production. but they We're at all times
| inconsequential and did not mar the eff
| feet of the splendid picture. for the rea-
son that they were overshadowed by the
| grandeur of the major scenes, and lost
| sight OF III the glittering pageants, the
/ rapid action and the stirring events that
| followed one another in quick succession
| across the stage. It was all too grand
! too noble. too inspiring, too wholly and
! truly artistic to permit of the inject on
| of that species of criticism that doves to
| batten and dilate upon trivial imperfec-
tions. while ignoring, or grudgingly con-
i ceding. the beauty of the Work as a
| whole
There is no need to enter into a dis
| cussion of Henry "" as a play. Prob
ably there is not single, private library
in st. Paul that does not contain 1t. and
| 1T is equally probable tflat nine-tenths
of those who witnessed its production
had read it. not once, but many times
! These will not need to be told that it
contains a depth of thought, felicity of
! expression, and skill in construction
| that are little short of marvellous. The
! piece is essentially military. War is its
theme and its every line reel1s with a
martial spirit. There is the council at
which the right of the king to invade
| France is discussed, the preparations for
| the debarkation at SOUTHAMPTON. the
siege of Harbour, the victory at Agin-
court on st. Crispin's day, the return
to London Of the triumphant army and
| tho procession through the city-it is
easy to see the wealth Of material that
lay at the dramatist's hand ready for
Use, ana no one need be told how skill