The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-05-26

First Citizen ..,................ II. l.. Clark
Second Citizen ...,........ w. Thompson
Third Citizen ...........- FRANK Mason
Fourth titiZen ............+.. ...... +. w est
Calpurnia ........ Miss Maude Hoffman
Portia ........... Miss Dorothy Hammond
At the Providence Opera House last
evening Mr.. Richard Mansfield produced
Shakcspcarc's tragedy Julius Caesar
The performance will he repeated, and
for the last time this evening
Mr.. Mansfield is an actor aud a mana
ger OF whom considerable things are con
hdently expected whatever he puts his
hand to An actor of high ambitions and
talents a stage artist OF big ideas. skilful
and experienced, and a caterer TO the
public entertainment So constituted that
he believes i'm giving YOU your moneys
worth i'm material things MIR Mansfield
never falls I'm anording a bountiful meas
ure OF satisfa ction 10 his audiences on his
annual visit to town no matter what the
vehicle.
To his shakespearean repertory, the ad-
dillon OF the massive Julius Caesar Is
notable. In both the parts and tho produc-
ton, Mr.. Mansfield has eminent forbears.
Some Of them are I'm easy reach OF rcCol-
lection. today
il would probably he impossible today
To secure such a galaxy of readers Ui the
Queens English as We have had In Prov
idence doing Julius Caesar. and Cassius
and Marcus Antonius, and tho rest The
Shakespearean legend has been too
spasmodically revived TO furnish tho ma
terial Under the leadership OF Mansfield
and two or three others on the stage to-
day however. IL is reasonable to expect
that. some years ahead. there will be a
supply OF such talent as tho history Of
tho stage has never known.
As a production, however. I'm the things
OF scenery and visible effect, the present
makes no apologies to the past The spec
taclc i'm tho Forum OF Mansfleld's Julius
Caesar" with it's wonderful accomplish
ment In coloring and the final scgne
where Brutus dies, are commanding
stage pictures that could never have been
matched without the resources OF the
present day stage. And only I'm degree OF
elaborateness are the other scenes less
notable. The tragedy is simply up To the
highest state OF stage art in It's scenery
and mountings. As a spectacular produc-
ton there has been nothing 20 surpass Il
and we recall nothing TO quite match H.
this season.
Brutus a character that Is tho twin of
Hamlet receives at Mr.. Mansheld'S hands
an Interpretation that Is impressive and
that ought 10 he convincing 10 I'sa lers OF
the Bard. The part Is played even more
rarely than Hamlet itself and so occd-
s'ons for seeing the noblest Roman or
them all I'm the flesh are not numerous
enough TO bother the Judgment OF the
average auditor with odorous comparison.
Where our Brutus slips his Illusion Is
jist where Mr.. Mansheld's peculiaritles
Of infection and intonation are so pro-
nounced as TO compel q hearing At
euch moments. we sec Beau Brummcl.
Cyrano. Beaucare. the Partisan Romance
and all the rest that arc individually
Mansfield cropping out through the skin
of Brutus Not that we love Mansfield
less. but that We love Brutus FOR his own
cake
IN all but the extremes Of his speech
nannerism. which. curOusly enough
sounds moro and more artificial the more
fixed II becomes In Mr.. Manshcld's de-
livery. Just ~ Irvings always did. the
actor demonstrated n Brutus. last even
L.g. that brcathcd n very spirit of that