The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-05
AT THE THEATER
Metropolitan - Richard Mansfield
HJulIua CaesarU

After long and careful archaeological re-
search, after the unstinted expenditure of
time and money, after the exercise of his
remarkably fine taste in dramatic produc-
ton, Richard Mansfield has only succeed
ed IN making one Of the greatest acting
plays OF Shakspere tedious, That is the
Word-ted1ous. A play in which the fate
OF q world empire is the plaything of
fortune. in which great events move swift
~ with the majestic background that his
tory furnishes. In which there are four
great acting roles ready for the fllumina-
ton of genius, becomes under Mr. Mans
neld treatment a long and tiresome spec
tacle, lacking the vital spark which would
make it a great production.
Somehow what progress Mansfield has
achieved as producer Of plays seems to
have been at the expense of his work as
an actor, His failure in the Henry w"
spectacle was naturally ascribed to the
paucity of opportunity for acting. But
Brutus, the noblest Roman Of them alp
how shall we explain this really fine act
or's failure to impress us with his i'm
PRESERVATION of character whose posi-.
pilities had been demonstrated by a
Booth?
Brutus was by nature an idealist and by
racial instinct a man of action. Like
Hamlet, he was a dreamer upon whom
was laid the necessity for action, but his
Roman training carried him quickly to the
commission of deed at which his soul
revolted, while Hamlet under similar con-
ditions would have been still solilouuiz-
ing. 1t is of such stuff that king-killers
are made. Whether patriots or fanatics,
they are strangely kin. Mr.. Mansfield
seems to have laid over stress on the
tdealistic side of Brutus' character and
70 nave m1n1m1zed, save in the one out
burst OF the quarrel scene, the militant.
active phase Of his nature. Under such
restraint does he lay Brutus that one fails
to understand how this e dreaming
philosopher. pure and ardent patriot tho
he Is, can have become the leader of the
anti-Caesar party; how he: can control all
the conspirators al1d ieyen@ the fiery Cas-
sius, restraining them from including An
tony In the death sentence; how after the
assassination it can be this Brutus who
lakes charge OF affairs, who gives direc-
tons as to what shall be done, who makes
terms with Antony, who takes upon him
self the justification of the deed to the
populace. The Mansfield Brntus is effem-
mate and full of poses. He is no leader
OF men or moulder of. their opinions In
the moonlight Of the garden he listens
dreamily to the lutte; how can such a. man
lead his legions to Phillippi?
It is not to be denied that the over
subuety Of the Mansfield conception, while
In the main defeating it's own purpose, re-
suits IN one really great scene-that IN the
tent with Cassius. It makes this stand
out with startling contrast. And the APP
partition Of Caesars spirit forms a fine
climax in the best Mansfield manner But
IS 1t worth while to sacrifice the whole i'm
personation to this scene? Can it be ar
tistic, for instance, to make the first
great climax of the play, the assassination
and what follows in the capitol, a tame
and uninspiring affair? In the forum
when Brutus speaks to the populace and
sWays them to approval of his course, Mr..
Mansfield declines to do any spellbinding,
altho the lines give warrant for impas-
stoned oratory and every Roman of that
day was by birth and training an orator.
Indeed, Mr.. Mansfield's peculiar delivery,
SO little suited to the sonorous periods of
shakspere, is extensively accumulated in
this scene. ss
The best acting in the production is
done by the mob. This is, Of course a
compliment to Mansfield, the manager.
The mob is so well trained and so well
led that it makes the forum scenes the
most effective Of ALL This makes possible
the success won by ARTHUR Forrest as
Antony. Mr.. Forrest makes a fine and
spirited figure Of the adroit young leader
and his funeral Grafton, in voice, gesture
and action. is singularY eloquent withou
| being In the least hackneyed. To him last
| night came the only curtain call of the
evening. .s'
Frederick Paulding's Cassius is a, strong
| and passionate representation, reaching
Its climax in the quarrel with Brutus
| Here the sudden softening of the sol
dier's. fierce wrath was masterflllly done
The Julius Caesar of Arthur .Greenway
satisfies ones ideas Of how the grea
| man looked and acted at this, the climax
Of his remarkable career. or the Other
| characterfzations, none-save possibly the
Casca of Henry Wenman-seems worthy
of special note.
| The production. as already intimated, il
an impressively picturesque one, but the
inadeauacy Of the Metropolitan stage TO,
such displays not, only marred the effects
but was doubtless responsible for the in.
iterminable waits. This had a depressing
effect on both players and audience.
| w. B. Chamberlain.