Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-05
MANSFIELD LIVES HIS PART.
Identity Of the Individual Lost in the
Portrayal Of Marcus Brutua
ACTOR sKETCHED BEHIND The SCENES
where He Lives His Part rs Intentiy
~ Before the Audience-Chnr-
acteristic Anecdotes
and Incidents.

the other night-from the Oack OF tns
scenes, writes John r. Ratham in tho CHI
cago Record Herald. His portrayal as pre-
scented before the footlights has already
been dwelt on, generously and thoroughly
In the dramatic columns. But there are
some things about this performance OF
Julius Caesar" impossible to see or take
notice Of from the front OF the house that
are OF too much interest to pass over. They
tell so much more thoroughly than any
thing else can do Of Mr.. MansHeld's person
atty and his methods.
When he left his hotel that night for the
Grand IL is reasonable to suppose that he
was still, to all intents and purposes, Rich
ard Mansfield. 1 haven't yet figured out
where and when the transformation oc-
Cured. but I will vow when he reached
the stage entrance of the theater and
walked swiftly across to his dressing room
he was none other than Marcus Brutus.
His stride was the stride OF the dreamy
Roman. his ulster, to his nervous hands,
was nothing but the conspirator's Tapping
robe; his whole identity was changed. lie
began to act his part not when he hrst
appeared that night before the curtain but
half an hour before most OF his audience
had left their Dime tables for the theater.
l felt tempted for a moment to approach
and speak to him as he entered the DOOR
But, realizing that / had been taken IN at
q comprehensive glance with all the other
numerous stage properties and mat ne
probably saw me. II he saw me at all as
Fourth Citizen, Guard or possibly etc. l
did not venture to break in on MS Walk
through the streets OF Rome.
The property men, stage carpenters, light
manipulators and scene shutters seemed to
-. a. ,y,r baftap than I They let MN
20 by without taking any more notice OF
him than he took OF them. AS soon as the
door of his dressing room at the other side
Of the stage closed on him a little man
testing one of the calclums stopped his
work and meditated. Twisting his thumb
over toward the dressing room he said;
"Iu bet a dollar he don't know his own
name"
And there. It seems to me, is two-thirds
., the story of Richard Mansheld's splen-
did success.
Between the Acts.
It is all a matter of temperament. some
Of the greatest Of the worlds actors-like
Jefferson and Irving-entoy the waits pc
tween the acts in their dressing rooms as
sTordinq them opportunities for social di-
version that are very welcome breaks from
the strain of their work. They delight IN
smokins cigars with their friends at such
times and in brisk chat about anything ana
everything but the parts they are playing
Mr.. Glover tells me that during the whoie
Of the present winter season no outsider
has stepped through the door OF Mr.. Mans
fields dressing room. Alone Win ms
dresser he sits and lives his part as IN
tently and earnestly as when he is before
his audience.
On the night 1 speak of 1t was very in
teresting to watch him from the wings ana
10 see at such close range all the play OF MS
mobile features. But It was Infinitely more
interesting and pleasing to note now, .he
sincerity of his performance remained with
MIN after the curtain had fallen on each
act. There was no light Jest or capering to
relieve the strain, though such a form OF
relief can we'll be understood and sympa-
ihized with. Once l saw w. E. Sheridan,
almost before the curtain had touched the
floor on the deathbed scene of his great
Louis XII, jump from his bier, catch hold OF
the hands of two members OF his support
and exclaim with a sigh OF relief;
And now for supper, supper, support"
Mansfield could not have done that. At
The end Of the tent scene on Tuesday night
with all the wonderful struggle to master
the fear. of the apparition of Caesar fresh
upon him and the ringing cry,
''nl spirit, l would hold more talk with
thee"
,till echoing through the theater, he waited
A full minute after the curtain was down,
with hands clasped together nervously and
ais eyes staring with their late terror. Then
slowly, with his head down. as II beginning
AZ that moment his march to Philippi, he
Irew his unwilling feet over TO his dressing
room door.
Deep I'm Meditation.
Before the beginning Of this act Mt.
Mansfield sat in his dressing room up to
the moment before the curtain went up,
giving himself barely time to reach his seat
II the table. Then he Wake to the chair
as Brutus might have walked, apparently in
ieep meditation, bowed down by the tor
lures of conscience and utterly regardless
Df the fact that there was still a barrier
between himself and the audience.
Before his appearance In the forum scene
be left his room and started round the back
Of the drop for the other side OF the stage,
where he was to make his entrance, There
VAS hardly room TO squeeze through, but he
was entirely obliyious OF his surroundings.
Had everything hat hid him from the audi
,orium OF the theater been suddenly lifted
away at that moment his manner, pose and
step would have been simply that Of Brutus
walking toward the forum. bordering on
the deed OF death in which he had been
engaged and thinking OF what he would say
in a moment or two when he came face to
lace with the mob.
Aud at the end. when the final curtain
vent down on the dead body OF Brutus
surrounded by the conquerlng host Of An
tony. the last man OF the mimic army had
abandoned the stage long before Mr.. Mans
stld moved from his place on the heap OF
rocks and lifted the great war helmet from
bis head.
II his work IN the sight Of the audience
was reekoned incompatible. as most Of the
critics declared Il to be, may we not look
Tor the reason to the splendid sincerity
OF the man that held him In the spell OF
Brutus when there were none but q few
stage hands and his dresser there TO see.
NOT satisfied with His work.
The claim for Mansfield that he is ths
foremost Actor-manager now before the
public anywhere in the world is a large
enc, and It is being made by people who
believe what they say. and whose opinion.
ought 20 be given weight. But understand
that the man himself. though he hopes q
secure a unanimous verdict TO this efecI
before the close OF his theatrical career
and does not hesitate TO say so, is not a
this time disposed to look with favor OF
the claim.