The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-23
ADJUSTMENTS
e. S. Willard at the metropolitan in
sThe CARDINAL

4
Illustrious scion Of the great Medici family,
cardinal at 10 and pope at 81, Giovanni de
Medic is, one of the most interesting figures
In all the history of the papacy. A great lit
erary prince whose liberal patronage of the
arts made his age the golden one in Italian
history, the pontifcate of Leo X, while add
ing to- the. temporal power and glory of the
church, yet saw the beginnings of the refor-.
nation Louis N. Parker, in his play of
The Cardinal" gives a most lifelike picture
Of the young Florentne churchman dn the
later years zof his 5cardinalate. and this por-
trait is wonderfully vitalized by E. S. Willard,
one of the most finished and versatile actors
ever sent to us by England.
While the picture shows only the brighter
and better aspects of the cardinals character
his fondness for literature and art, his am
bition jspurred by pride of family and yet
held in leash by the incest sense of honor, his
loyalty to his principles under the most trying
circumstances-yet it Is probably not too far
from historical verify. The dramatic story
which serves to bring out these qualities and
to illunine the character of the future pope
is ,cleverly conceived and ingeniously wrought
out. It turns upon the invioability Of the
confessional, no matter how black the secrets
that are there revealed by the penitent.- or
how nearly they may touch the priest who
receives them IS iii the { adjustment of his
course of action so as TO comport with his
exalted notion Of sacerdotal duty and at the
same time entraps Ihe4 real criminal, thereby
saving his brother, the cardinal is the central
figure lin a strong story, eliminating in a
powerful and thoroughly satisfying climax.
The role is5 one that exhibits Mr.. Willard
art in a new light. Hitherto in such plays
5as..aasFhe Professors Love Story" The Mid
dleman' ard tom PINCH we have seen
him as an artist in character representation,
an actor whofput on quaint and even whimsi-
cal personalities that commanded our love
and adrniration, but moved in a comparative
ly small sphere. The cardinal-prince Is
man Of different metal, the central figure
in great historical canvas instead of the
point of interest in a genre painting. But
Mr. Willard rem nse master of the situation,
His grasp of the character is firm and just.
His clear, expressive voice, his face OF mar
yelous mobility, his noble carriage, all con-
tribute to the impressiveness of the concep-
ton. Forced by circumstances to become
the man Of action, he IS yet often restrained
by the hesitant self-doubt of the student. In
deed, as might have been predicted with con-
1dence, he neglects none of the smallest de-
tails that go to make up the personality of
the man he is reproducing. If the cardinal
is depicted as too much the moral hero and
too little the medieval Italian churchman
who knew howfto combine religion, politics
and war in the odd mixture that then passed
for StateSmanSnlp, IL lS laulL OIteu nelA-WlIh
in the historical drama. Bulwer Lytton in
putting another great cardinal into a drama,
found it necessary to idealize in many ways
the crafty Rtchelieu. And since this Medici
of Mr. WIZARDS is a powerful. consistent
and convincing characterization, what more
can be asked?
The cardinal has the center Of the stage
most of the time, but there are some very
interesting personages about him-his mother,
the widow of the magnificent Lorenzo, played
with dignity by Miss Marie Linden; his I'M
pulsive younger brother, Ca. S. Homework;
the wealthy merchant and rival art collec-
tor III Barfoot), and his ardent and girlish
young daughter, well realized by Miss Ellen
O'Malley; the bold and INSCRIPTIONS Floren-
tine outlaw now in the popes service. played
with picturesque realism by Charles Can
field the stern chief magistrate OF Rome
ernest stallardl,S and the ragged
but faithful bellringsr of j. 9.
Taylor. The brilliant stage pictures
are filled in with other minor characters
we'll sustained Viewed as production,
t'The Cardinal leaves little to be desired.
Mr. Willard is careful, liberal producer
Of the Sir Henry Irving school, and his ad-
mirers in this city, with whom he now after
an absence Of nine years renews aequain-
lance and who gathered at the Metropolitan
last night in. brilliant numbers. found their
highest anticipations more Z Al realized.
w. B. Chamberlain.