The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-02-23
old HEIDELBERG"
A CHARMING PLAY
Audience at Columbia Gives
1t Strong Endorsement.
Mr.. MANSFIELD ACTS WELL
Distinguished Artist Gives Added Proof
Of Versatility in Wilhelm Meyer
ForSteT's Fine Play.

himself so well that. though now about
seventy-siN. he acted youth, and by the
prevalent power of proper manner. ges-
ture, yoice appeared through the whole
drama a youth Of great expectations,
vivacity and enterprise.
Thus wrote the csustic Dean Swift
In the Taller OF September 20. 1909.
concerning performance Of Hamlet" in
which the great Betterton acted the
part Of the prince. Thus. also. In all
essentials and with few changes. might
DR.. Swifts critical successors describe
MIR Mansfield in his new and beautiful
PLAY "Old Heidelberg" Mr. Mansfield
is not yet seventy-six. and the role of
Prince Karl Heinrich is neither so great
creation nor so valuable an oppor-
tunity for the actor as that Of Hamlet.
but the task and the results are the
same-one OF mature years undertakes
the stimulation OF youth and by the
prevalent power Of proper manner ges-
ture. voice, appears throughout the
Wnole drama youth of great eXpecta-
tons and vivacity If not of enterprise.
Audience Brilliant and Sympathetic
In anticipation Of some such achieve
meRt there assembled at the Columbia
Theater last night an audience OF large
IL IL
who has long been established as the
most capable and one of the most earn
est Of our American artists. WIS re-
ceived with all the encouragement such
gathering can bestow. and the play
was followed with an intelligent SYM
pathy which must have given the COM
pany much announcement and JOY Mr.
Mansheld's coming is always an event
OF moment 10 the critics: it Is pleasure
u perceive that il has become more and
mere an occasion Of similar Importance
for our theatergoers
Charming Play Well Produced.
Many circumstances emphasize the
charm OF 'Old Heidelberg" It is first
a gooo play. so constructed as to pos
sess interest however acted Second IL
is located in a community OF much pic
turesque interest. and a life Of MANY
poetic qualities-the scene being the old
university town of Heidelberg. and the
life that OF the light-hearted. cordial.
generous, high-spirited students OF Ger
many. BY adopting as his chief char
acter one Of the several hereditary
princes Of Germany. the author has
been able. further, TO emboGy in his play
an ingenious and delightful satire on
the court life OF such a court where
L.
people few in number. and the ruling
house an organization OF agureheads.
but. where tire rigor Of cereTnOrTr-- T..
neter relaxed and the penalties OF pub
lie service weigh their heaviest The
play Is accordingly a series OF pictures
changing like the Kaleidoscope OF ex-
perience. in which students songs. the
impulse Of pure love. and the laughabIe
exposure Of aTectaSion and cant inten-
sify as high-hghts the shadows OF polit-
ical restraint. the passing OF youth and
the SAD longing of the heart for what
years swallow up and not even memory
can restore.
As the moving spirit OF such a play
rs this Mr.. Mansfield appears at his
best He was himself once a studert
g. "a German school OF this character.
He has felt. no doubt all the joy and
much ri the sorrow which the play pre-
scnts. Best of all he is by temperament
so constituted as TO feel 10 the fun
the poetic beauty and tender melancholy
or the story set forth in "Old Heidel-
berg." He acts it. therefore. with the
greatest success and intensihes IL with
all The ski OF the true artist Il is i'm
possible 10 follow his disclosure OF Prince
karIs character and not be deeply affect
cd by his pathetic truth; and il Is equally
Impossible TO follow his display Of
Prince Aarls difadence and shyucss and
not be Uovcd 10 the hearticst laughter
But il should be said also that no ac-
tor OF hsr. Mansfeld's experience. VIVA l.
ever his art can create q convincing
Illusion IN such a role. Youth is in
this respect Cand in many others Ike
the bloom OF the rose.
A Court of Great Dignity.
The hereditary Prince Of Sachsen
Harrisburg such is the weighty and sig
ri r~rf he
81 this play-moved among notable cour-
tiers. The first OF these was DR.. Jutt-
FER. tutor to the prince, a preceptor OLD
81 body but blithe and fresh OF heart.
ard The expression Of the doctors youth
fulness by A. Q. Andrews was distinctly
one OF the valuable elements I'm the play.
Herr Lutz. valet TO Prince Karl Helm
rich. pervaded the entire landscape with
an air OF dignifed sells satisfaction which
cohvulscd al the students in Heidel-
berg. The others Of the cast i'm the
backgrounds staatsminister. a hOf-
rarschau. an innlIeeper. and ihnumer-
able studcnts-were all there in the lie,
with uniforms. rudy faces. and broad
smiles as the pictures required.
Prince KarI's chief associate, however.
was neither the staa tsminister nor his
tutor. but naive smiling. spirited
young Vienncse girl. niece TO tho inn
keeper She il was who opened his eyes
to the broad horizon or the world. who
taught him the lesson which all the
splendor OF old castle walls and the
erudition Of grave tutors could not
teach She Sc was also who paid IN. suf-
fprlnG with Kari the price % his educa-
ton and growth into manhood.
The role was formerly done by Grace
kiieteou, who has now withdraw from
the cost because OF illness. n her hands
if was admira bly, acted. but 10 lacked
YOUTH as clearly as Mr. Manafields en-
bodiTncut of the prince. It is now per
formed by Irene PTahaT. and the slight
loss OF advantage dependent un0n Miss
Elletson's wider experience is more than
repaid by Miss Prahar's unaffected girl
ishufss.
Theae details should not be suffered.
however. 10 destroy thc effect OF the
Meyer-F Orster admirable pleg The
triumph. after all. is his. IN an age
when rank Problems apparently Vie
with tawdTy musical comedies for first
place in the public estimation IL Is q
fine achievement indeed to produce a
work Of beauty 50 simple as 20 touc h
The finer chords Of inuumerable hearts
To this end the war OF artihciHiity with
impulse. OF ceremony with freedom. Of
reason with affection, Is well suited
PERHAPS the pathetic outcome Of this
conflict IS the saddest lesson which
even n great institution like the i-niVer-