New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-02
The DRAMA.
MANSFIELD AT THE AMSTERDAM.
Ivan the Terrible.

NH
- AZ, i--1r-ezsive and pathetic image equal
f-.t-ie-sr vIclzcCucss ard pitia3le misery. Ivan
,a-,,oh ca Jed the Terrible. was tyrant or
-. ,eho reigued over that country from 1853
y IA. death a. tho axe * hfty-hve. IN 1854; and.
80 % - MAY that Count Alexis Tolstoy has
=, mon selected incidents of his career. and
s,-riariy o. the last year % his reign. his char
-. se-lneatcc with apparent fidelity 10 his
-, s,-- and with an craincrtly iudicioUs per-
-" - rietof.nl y nos q dramatic eject Il seems
-. heen and probably & was. particularly
~. character. 81 actual ne bit tho dramatis;
- ,,s,sed its 6cpravity. SO al 20 make It meas
80 s,mpathetic IN the play, by the customary
- IN such cases. q making Il q type Of
NP.-,-sirr cordict.-dcQeudcnt on some inherent,
lell.i,, virtue -letween terrific passions and
..--sl alarnautIre law o. recttuoe against
tbose baleful forces dash themselves
-, In some ways Ivan resembles Shake
- closter Orchard I'D. Ee Is inordlnately
ss.,.,. actively Suspicious and Jealous: insanely
s-.,..,. c-trniraIlv reckless: now cOldly maig-
=. nov rasslonatcly ferocious: cruel; sar-
-. sa,rulnary: deadly; astate IN mind and
-. I, -ollcv. and yet transparent hy reason OF
--ntuous csndor. and foriorn because al times
- weak IN superstition; but, unlike Gloster
...rsry Is religious. and his sarcastic scorn Of
+" -, never includes himself as one OF its OBJ
N himself he is permanently rooted and i'm
-, -,ised believing himself 10 be the vice
~ DEITY: prizing power above all things else;
hs,,e forever and vincictvely watchful lest
-. shoul5 Dc laid against his sacred person, or
.-sssonabl bic hand should reach toward his I'M
- ,-ov-u The particular theme upon which
-. .,.-ffostatiou q his char0ctcr--the powers
-. ,o5osssl and miserable sovereign and mis-
-. ,-e expended IN this tragedy. Is a plot. con
-, rim at the last. with ambitious. subtle.
80. .tatee-nan Boris Godunof. by whom his
100 Is UNDERMINED. and "a The hour OF
-, triumph he niscrably dies The play, &C
- IS one OF historical portralture and po-
-, Intrigue being neither sentimental. ANA
- s,-sytic nor romantic. containing scarcely
-. - ~ clement ~ story than Shakespeare
apt,s,-s he Second; and ranging with slch
...s, q tragical. melodra-nauc exposure as
-, Il" Lees Nero" and SardOus 'Patrie.
r-a,s-fistic u-ese-t-nent or great representative
- ~ the everlasting strife between good
- svu IN hurnan nature. the object has always
s..r 70 asitate the MIND with terror and 10 touch
10 heart with pity. and. obviously. that Is
s,os object because ;he human telng thus affected
!. ,-,v..a out o. selfish apathy; is made 70 think
"a n seel. Is elevated and ernobled Therein con-
ss,s the practical value q tragedy, and IN thar
consideration Will be fourd tho decisive and hnal
.-slv. ~ this MAY L would be a more effective
MAJ q A were Jess series Of loosely connected
.,isoses. Il n were inyicorsted with the unb-oken
continuity OF straight and sympathetic story u II
Hvs-s more amply vit7ized with rapijty OF move
srf Ia the potential attributes ~ cohesion sym
merry and ceierity o. Is imperfect, and further
more Il Is somewhat heavily f-eiEhted With details
Illustrative of court life in medieval Russia. be-
slses being uleuufulv rarnislied with Russian no
rnenclsture-usually % other than Russian ears
or element OF hsav1ness. not uumixed with kindly
rrirth as readers o. Dr. Southey, doubtless. re-
member Bur q Is strong IN situation. and stronger
Sc n TIE dramatic analysis and display q char
seisr and q fulfls the main purpose OF tragedy
Irsrs chsracter-ca7ricious. variable, ful Of flaws
snd starts everything by turns and nothing
lonr"-s shown On many phases. ana us eNac-
lions upon The actor are profound various, con-
tuuous and exhaustive j begins at fever heat
On this particular resembling Alheri's King Saul.
end The raenC corrosive emotion OF Il Is cumula-
The man is IN the closing dayo q his Aie'
sazrd and worn with evil passions. haunted win
memories Of guilt; blasted with rernorse. and yet
CUirernr with the reptile vitality q wicked pur-
pose: az war with himself: assailed. and well
rirh crushed nv open enemies: encompassed BY
secret foes; alone. and standing at bay. Ike a
hunted VOL
NJ Mansfield chose wisely IN choosing this part
fur himself and his performance Of Il Is, uunistak-
tbly q great schievement-the greatest indeed, on
rs tragic side. except Richard H. q his whole
brilliant career. The abrupt transitions from
affect humility 20 fiery vocferous self-asser-
aon were made with thrilling inpetuosity and
plendld eject. The regnant aspect Of I'm
ssral daainion was perfectly assumed and ad-
nlrably maintained. The state Of stealthy vigi-
Ence furtive suspicion and sinister purpose-some-
zines suhtly implied. sometimes openly expressed
WIS a. au times clearly impaired the atrnos-
yhere O. the character. The essential condition OF
settled. nezpresshle. '-reuediable misery was eK-
pressed IN every lineament q the countenance; IN
ne wasted frame and IN the hollow voice; and
against this pail OF anguish. the struggles OF the
fiery spirit and the indomitsble VIII, terminating
q r1vaged body and reinforcing Internal instincts
Of cruelty and revenge. were set in q bold RELIEF
O. almost lurid lirht-so distinctly were they shown
and with sucH reality OF pain were they invested
The sudacits % eForism and the calm conviction
o. rTelsstined prevalence. beneath which. per
lrpt there Is an insane defiant rage.-as when the
Gar on hearing % his military defeat. commands
choi rite % celebrate his vlctory-were conveyed
VIII a fclcitious authority almost humorous in
hs hand assurance. and yet terrible IN SIS grim
uursasou- Both play and part are strongly
marked with paradox ~ this description Evil
omen ovsrshadows the whole fabric. and much that I
shown OF Ivans lie is only slow preparation f0-
tht swfu scene OF his death Here Mr.. Mansdei- /
rm forth az his powers Magicisls have prophc- I
SO mat she sovereign VIII die St CErii's DAY.
The Cay has come. and the tyrant r. suddenly IN 4
renewed health-a transient Higor. summoned by .
'orce q his own viii IIe dooTns she astrologc-s 10
oeaih e. commands bis secret enemy. GodunoE. \
p see ITEM siair. A game Of chess is used % .
os,rac hts apDrchensive thoughts. lie begins 70 .
tnA HIS enemy coufronts him. calmly revealing. 4
y t.eRl expression. the clear design Of triumphant
-l.41s- The paugs % death are upon him His
-. - vain. Beneath the basilisk gaze Of TIE
Wno has ruined and vancuished him. he .
- -ne tals. and. IN this Dreadful moment. in-
-, % priesiy minstrants bringing The Goa .
'1a o. religion. q motley crew OF ribald jest 3
- relnc him. and he Giles IN infamy and horror.
-lslecs acting. Throughout this ordeal g \
49, 80, was marked by such power ana pathOs =
-. -. nave been revealed II Is a performance OF \
- ilaiy tragic value and Il Is set In a frame \
- y Singular. almost barbara splendor.
-. - tNenty-eight parts. only I've. aside from /
=. are OF considerable note. Mr. Arthur Forrest I
!. 'ea GoouuoG. and carefully, and creditably. 4
=. conventional manner. indicated the character \
i, specous politician. Miss Ida Conquest az thu 4
-, - couEort Invested suffering queen with \
NJ. enc The due sennblanee q sincere feeling. ]