The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-04-26

Mr.. Mansfield has probably appeared II
st. Louis in spectacles more divertine
than Ivan the Terrible" but never has ha
done for us thing In which his own per.
sonal strength showed itself forth as II
does in this old play Of an old Russian
subject. Mr.. Mansfield has long held 4
place in the minds Of the discerning az
the posseesor Of one Of tho best voices
that the American stage has ever known.
AZ Ivan he uses this voice to the full-a
great, rich, moving instrument. that
brings. conviction OUT OF the comedy of
the old absolutist's babbling dotage.
play, the thing that impresses from the
1t the end
And when apeak Of shudder, don't let
me run forward with the notion that Ivan
e;sst the Terrible is q play for cold chills. II
moved from time and place, but the
OF boiling oil for this one and ravening
wolves for that come with such matter-of-
tactness that they do not move the fash
There Is much Of this. but there Is more
Of color and light and atmosphere-so
much, that but tor the prating OF tragedy
and the solemn end Of ivan one might be
Tho genius Of acting now finds rating in
the actors reliability with his public. The
audience prefers delivery Of the general
goods to the strut and rant Of other times
than these. / have heard of men who
drank bottle deep fve days In the week
and paraded to the delight Of willing audi
+ Now there must be regularity. equip
ment. the tendency that studies to
please" the yearly offering Of q novelty
sometimes two.
That is genius in these good times.
Mr.. Mansfield has 1t. He does not play
upon public patience and q public love
He Is ever present with his novelty
sometimes he has more than one in a
year. There may be actors who have
more eeptleness in their manners. more
can make love in sweeter tones than this
Mansfield can, men who move the matinee
to sudden tear: but there Is not one who
nuaY sserins M 1esta for the SsG dollar an
good taste taste. players 81 name. fame and ID
ss41 two ot ths % third not ouas
and he brings his own most impressive
self. Not long ago Mr.. Mansfield de-
that may correct them.
But he must not be told, for to correct
them would be sad. bad business for
{ MansfieldP mannerisms are well q part
OF the performance he sells to US each
year, just as his great voice and his
and music and painted stuff are In part a
fulfllment Of his agreement with the pub
lie.
'.Ivan the Terrible is equal to the
Mansfield promise. 1t is novel, 1t has the
new interest that comes with the Sassing
Of an important event-the current war
In the East.
OF course. the Russia OF Ivan ana the
Russia Of to-day are different affairs. but
both are Russia, and both are splendidly
despotic.
The new piece is stupenduous.. I am
unable to recall the number Of cars. by
the authority OF Manager Paul Wilstach.
required to move the enormous thing about
There are i've acts and two scenes-all
heavy and as coiorful as are all things
Russian.
he has ever done for us-always saving
the mannerisms; He Is much heavier than
tha Baron In. "A Partisan Romance" but
quite as old. Hfs Ivan is q much stronger
fgure than his. Napoleon. yet both die
in q chair4-deaths quite different IN all
details. No other Mansfield characters re-
motely suggest Ivan-again saving the
NJ. Arthur Forrest. an excellent actor