The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-07

squadron Oh cavalry tnat HNo cchdtoie
died Of starvation. Shakespeare. IN his
ignorance, attributes no such vice. to
Brutus. but makes him simple and great
at Cosars expense" Vide Brandes.l
So without danger Of being accused OF
bardolatry--the word is Shaw's coinage,
is 1t MOTIVE may admire Shakespeare the
maker Of Brufus and sorrow At bis perver-
sion Of the real Casor-a many-sided genius.
After all. il not Plutarch the chief sinner?
And Of what kind Is the Brutus Of Mr..
Mansfield To answer this we framed an
hypothesis last week by which We must
critically stand or fall; else there are so
many disgusting contradictions in his
conception Of the part that the idea OF a
central orbic Interpretation must be aban-
doned. II Mr.. Mansfield does not intend
his Brutus as a imaginative man with mind
distraught by the inevitable anthony OF
his dreams and stern realitiee-then what
does this decidedly novel characterization
signify? Breeding. melanchoic. atrabiious
TO peevishness--I am not gamcsome'-
he nurses the cruel idea Of C1sdy's taking
on until. translating II all too unwillingly
into action, he yields the fatal dagger.
And he yields 1t as one who is hypnotized
by fate; not as the strong man. master OF
his own volitions.
There is sonnet hing morbid and mentally
sick in this neurasthenic Brute. He is a
decadent and We feel that Mr.. Mansfield
has apprehended the character from a
modern viewpoint. Hesitating, nervous.
a stumbler on the threshold Of dreams, a
veritab!e noctambuist, this Brutus is often
awesome. His tenderness is in an alb
stracted mood. though there il no doubt
as TO the native sweetness OF the mans
temper ments The actor makes this clear.
Apart from his natural nervousness last
Monday eve,.iIg. Mr. Mansfield presented
the character just as he conceived it-a
second visit TO the play proved this. He
effaccd himself for three acts. knowing well
that the type Of man who is reflective. self
contained, never makes the appeal popular.
And this Shak nspeare knew when he put
noisy, mouth-1lling. rhetorical phrases in
Marc Antony's speech. Tbs laconic beauty
OF Brufns's argument il seldom success full
with an audience--as il is easily o'ertoppcd
on the stage by the specious eoquence OF
the false Antony.
The temper Of that first-nisht audience
at the Herald Square Theatre was not TO be
misunderstood. When Joseph Haworth
spouted with syllable ferocity his lines. the
house went wild. II was the old-fashioned.
popular notion Of how Shakespeare should
be mouthed. 1t was distinct: il was a. hard
ar nails. Mr.. Arthur Forrest. who erred
in the other direction, really delivered his
address with more polish. more dignity,
| though the note Of sincerity mean his,
not Antonys-was sometimes missing But
why cavil' II is an enhancing revival Of
sterling padv anJ--it ic Oh To-
which, gratitude is due that erratic but
great artist. Mr.. Richard Mansfield
II would be mere repetition TO further ex.
patiate on the glories Of David Selascos
The Darling of the Gods" That roman
tic drama has taken the town by storm: ii
may be fixture at the Belasco Theatre until
next spring, 1t deserves TO he. for. despite
| the points that present themselves TO criti-
cally pick at, the play Is real play and not
clothes horse, nor yet a dreamy skeleton
| upon which are disported fantastic uphol-
| stery and silly rhetoric. II In too long, even
when reduced TO the II o'clock limit Beauti-
! ful as ia the picture Of -kanzashi Forks at
the Hour Of Ok" il does not advance the
action-it tells, picturesquely TO be sure
that Kara does not come that Kara is being
watched; all Of which We already know. And
we protest against the needless butchery of
that child in later act. Ii but over-accen-
tuates the numerous crueties in the piece
The story is clearly told; it is not swamped
by the scenic effects. or this there can he no
doubt. We may venture TO hint that all the
women on the stage, Blanche Bates in
Guided, are far too large for faithful replica
Of the tiny. charming Japanese creatures:
this holds particularly true Of the Gs'shds.
They look like giantesses
Miss Bates lis an agreeable Coincidence;
in tragic clirnaxes she runs 10 theatricalsm
| and drastic monotony. This may be easily
remedied by toning down Of her scream
| ings, paintings and floor poundings. 1t is
| her early self and one with which We are
| tocrably familiar She lacks nvdncs: she
| bounds at a climax, never modulates tow
| ard it. And her voice, one full OF charm
| ing vibrations, is in moments Of stress a
| thing Of wrath. Singularly enough in her
| fiercest transports she never touches
| the heart; you admire the occasional dex-
terity, but never sorrow with the character.
| The reason ia because Of her too strenuous
action.
Miss Bates is recommended 10 read the
so-caled Diderot paradox. Until she con-
| trolls herself she will never control the crit-
| cal ones Of her audienceand it il to the
critical, not 10 the groundlings. that she
desires to appeal, A woman of interesting
personality, with more brains than temper
ament she yet may achieve any victory in
her calling ii she goes about it the righ;
way. In comedy parts she is unaffectedly
| natural-a rare combination,
1t is George Arliss, a wonderful actor.
who dominates the play. He 70 Japanese-
which Miss Bates never Island he is hid
eously real. In the fourth act his notation
Of lust Is absolutely Internal. Such passion
must have been liz at the very CRATE Of he'll
And he compasses it all without palpabe
effort. Terrible, too. Is his vile rage and
despair after being repulsed by Yo-SGn.
His face becomes a monstrous mask, scanned
by monstrous cruelties. We recall with
pleasure Mr.. Ariss in London as the deft
comedian the best Of Cdyley Drummcies,
but we confess to being surprised at his
versatility, The man is a great artist,
With Eleanor Moretti he Is the only one
Of the principals who has the Japanese
hands; the most expressive hands in the
world, subtle cruel-if you will-but artistic
l.. 4 4. a-l~x l.