The Washington times., 1905-03-14

brilliant Audience Follows
New Play Breathlessly.

An audience which taxed the seat
Gag capacity of the New National me
ater gave a hearty greeting to R1cnafd
Mansfield last night upon his first visit
TO Washington this season. There were
present a large number of persons wen
knew, in social and official life among
them DR. and Mrs. L0ring. Miss LOT
ing. Mrs. Townsend, Miss Patten. SEN
ator Allen. Representative Boufhe
Cochran. Mr.. Brun, the Danish minis
ter; Miss BoaTdman, Miss Whiaiis'
Miss Mcmillan, and Mr. Boaraniah
the Misses Kean. sisters OF senator
I<ean of New Jersey. Mr.. and Mrs
charles I Bell and the Misses Bell. |
Mr. Seckentlorf Miss Seckendorf Mf. |
and Mrs. William H. Moses, MI ana
Mrs Henry c. Moses, George SACKS
With a large box party; Col. and MRS.
Robert I. Fleming, Mrs Lipscomo,
Major and Mrs. Borden. Coionel ana
Mrs. Burr. Captain and Mrs Mlllef'
MIR. and Mrs I. II. Dunlap, ana zap
tain Reynolds -,
ivan the Terrible" drama by
Count Aiexis Tolstoy and translated by
Nine sophfe de Meissner, Mr. Mans
feIf7,e latest addition to his extensive
renertorv. vas the Offering OF the even
tne As if in anticipation of the general
judgment which would be pronounced
l,nor this work of Tolstoy Mr.. Mans
fol- falT
the program that ''he is not presehl1IIIs
what is commonly called q play. ne
might have gone a step Iufther anu -
scribed it simply as cnafactee55 she'+ ~
se+ i'm a series of scenic incidents TO
srisse il variety and stimulate the N
ferest OF the theatergoer Except ivan
there is but one figure IN the rr 9Iaih "a
that claims serious attention nus -
Goe,lnoff brother-in-law 20 the Gar
witch. modest, cordial to everyone,
temperate in speech. and ms oearliis
acknowledgements.
false. INSCRIPTIONS and oVerWneiilins
" ambitious The other dramat rs
personae merely give more NE 70 a.,e
action without calling for critical con-
sideration-
Eussia's Cruelist Car.
ro,stov draws a powerful picture not
only of Russia's most cruel and depraved
ruler. but no less of the corruptness
deceit yenaIity, and utter disregard OF
honora bIt motives that characterized
The aristocracy of the empire IN those
aaxs, and which, If all accouts be true
have not become extinct in our tiine
even though perhaps modlned 9hIouiSS,'
the nTocesses and influences OF ciVllf-
cation He shows the Car suGrouiloeN
by a coterie of courtiers, all OF "noIIl
with hut an occasional exception, id"i
and crinee before him while in thel
hearts there is naught but hatred ant
the hope OF a speedy death for aim, nat
llral or otherwise. The pathetic clrcu1
stance in it all lies in the fact ina
Godunoff. whom Ivan loves and trust
above all others. is the chiel asp arsa
70 the throne and hastens the soyer
eign'Ss death by playing upon the TAT
ters fears and superstition
IT is probably not too muca TO say 't Nd
Ivan is the most powerful figure IN N
whole list of Mr. Mansfleid's portrait
ures From the moment when he /
first seen crouched in a big chair. cia
in a monks habit with knotted grid
about his body, and feVerishly couhtiIl
his beads with trembling finger;
through all the sradations OF alterIal
ing assumption of a repentant spirit n
the assertion of an innate and doninan
cruelty down 10 the moment OF ms mls
erable death. Mansfield shows Ivan n
Terrible as he has been handed down
history His impersonation is fully 9
interesting and fascinating as psycI1s
logical study as is Irving's of Louis X
The high lights and shadows are
carefully laid in only the most COZ
complish. In this more than in ar
other one Of his Characterization OF
loses sight of the actor himself and b
comes absorbed altogether in the pc
sonaIity set before his audience.
Work of Highest Art.
Mansfield makeup IS work OF I'll
highest art Were It not for those ey
one might suppose that some new act
were making his first bow. His faci
play is study for the physiognomis
Just as the intonations with which
invests his utterances may well clai
the absorbed interest Oh the SiOcutioIis
To sum up it may be said without Z
least exaggeration that Richard Man
fields Ivan. the Terrible must be q
counted one of the most important Ii
presentations on the contemporaries
stage The audience last night "
completely caDtivated by it. and the a
plause after each fall of the curtain "
most enthusiastic. especially when I
actor deigned TO respond TO 1t by maxi
his bow
With one exception the support
company is commonplace. though
spectacle. This exception is Les
Kenyon, who assumes the role of 30
Fyodorvitch GodunofT. In his beari
throughout he was the modest. cordi
grave, dignified, false, unscrupulo
ambitious, crafty schener, and he fu
deserved the applause accorded hin
It goes without saying that the pi'
was staged with all the care and str
adherence to historic tradition
which Mr.. Mansfield has become not
The scenery is massive, and series
most impressive stage pictures Is p
sented TO the view. The ensembles a
are rare examples Of stage craft. NO
ing more true to life than the mob
the third act could be imagined.
ssBeau Drummer will be presen
this evening, with Mr.. Mansfield
E.t