New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-22
MR.. MANSFIELD AS CHEvRIAL.
Amsterdam Theatre.

Tho eDraren1ert Of MI Mansfield at the Amster-
dam Theatre proceeds in brilliant prosperity Be-
ciuuinE on March Z. with Ivan the Terrible
fin which he gave a great performance and obtained
, ,-iuu,oh OF success Mr. Mansfield has since pre-
scented "OId HeideIberE." Beau Brummel.' and
"A Partisan Romance impersonating. I'm rapid
succession. Prince Henry. Brummen and the Baron
ChevriaI Each of these embodiments has been
ru.nutey described in this column. In all Of them
the actors rare powers are strikinEy manifested.
In ChevriaI-which he acted last night for tho first
time here this season.-hs adherence 10 the actual
fvpe Of a particularly odloUs personality IS so
s~rupuIous and so exact TO cause almost equal
establishment and distress. There is no new word
70 he said about the performance. but II may not
be arniss 10 reiterate judgment long ago recorded
I'm this place The Baron Chevrial IS senile lib
ertre without heart or conScience.-the incarna-
zion Of half imbecile sensualty and wholly cruel
and sordid solAshuess. guided by tho soul OF evil
Intelligence and clothed with the mantle Of bland
courtesy. The actor makes this ErlSly and noXious
thing - wreck OF superficial elegance His face Is
hard crafty and wrinkled, his hair Is thin; his
Jaws are loose and tremuIous. his limbs are frail;
his hands trembIe, his eyes are bleared; but his
shattered figure is perfectly dressed, and his man
ners are always those OF the successful man Of
worldly affairs The ideal is absolutely true, and
IL is embodied and expressed with a sinister and
horrible fidelity. To crown all. and 10 make the
irpersouaton potential. this Odious wretch is in
vested with attributes Of cynical humor and in
veterate uncouQuerable audaclty. The monster
chuckIes. The abandoned villain meets his fate
with n smile. 4 life OF Internal depravity is
rounded with a death Of hellish Composure. The
acting Of Mr. Mansfield the climax OF this piece.
Is great acting. and it IS felt to be So In that
single scene the Justification Of the whole effort
If Justification there be for anything abhOr
rent
Among the monsters Of fiction there some
whose vileness Is extenuated, even momentary
ennobled by an admixture OF something supernal-
a colossal power Of malisnity. an Internal splendor
Of evil The archanGe ruined gives. at least.
tbetic suggestion Of the glory from which he fell
But no art dignity creature who trades on
mans misfortune and trafflcs in woman's weak
ness or dshonor who lives and dies merely for
carnel pleasure Such being IS the level OF the
beasts that perish. This Baron ChsvrIal has been
drawn at the very worst, and all that even genius
can do with him r. TO make him study in moral
oxcrescence. This IS what Mr.. Mansfield has done.
I-nor the detail OF his embodiment, admiration Of
ten pauses with delight. The prelude touches to tho
AnaI catastrophe are made In a wonderfully subtle
manner The sudden baleful quickening OF this
poIuted creatures frame. the quick CLEAN OF an
tcipatory triumph. the horrid clutch Of lust, with
which a climax Is attained. with the words I'VE
sbau see I" is one OF the finest strokes of dra-
r,atic art that never errs nor falters throughout
q long painful, and exacting ordeal OF per
fornsnce. The arnn-sweep. with which the tennpter
seemed 70 encircle and secure his victim. IN the mo-
rnsnt Of temptation. is another denotement OF this
t,cosssnt art And there comes instant toward
the close of the banquet when, BY sudden in
spiration and sheer personal power. the actor lifts
the mart welI-nigh the level Of that ruined old
mic IN Tennyson's great poem of The Vision OF
Sin"
f,u the can and Gil the cup
All the windy ways OF men
lightly laid again