Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-16
MUSIC AND
TIE DRAMA

Delightful to the last degree was the
presentation of "rhe Merchant of
Venice" by Richard Mansfield and his
company at the Mason last night. In
scarcely respect could adverse COM
ment be made on 1t, and even to add to
the general joy, for the first time in the
Los Angeles season that much berated
and contemned Support" SO rallied to
his assistance that even Richard was
himself again, together with his whole
host. Well balanced, clever, rich, was
the treat, and not often is Shakes
peare's transcendent eXcoriation of the
Jew so we'll presented.
Mr.. Mansfield's Shylock is all the
Jew OF tradition; the cruel, harsh and
ignominious Jew; the despicabIe, de-
spised, Spat upon and execrated Jew,
the outcast, the dog. Never glints
across his horizon kindly thought He
is vindictive, money-mad, insane on
revenge and terrible in his implacabil-
ity. Not one decent emotion possesses
him; not once does he clip from his
CHASTITY pedestal of insatiate hatred.
The ''leX talionis" is his creed his
worship, his God. The hard lines of
his face never relax save in sarcastic
jibes; the cold glitter of his eye lights
only when it reflects the gleam of gold
or the red fire of invective. Not even
for his daughter does he grieve, but
only that she took ducats with her
when she fled. So tremendous pic
ture of cruel, cold vengeance painted by
so master hand is seldom seen and
never forgot. The Mansfield Shylock
demands his pound of flesh, and his
"eye for an eye" is only an excuse for
not taking two eyes in return.
Not all great actors interpret Shy
lock SO. The late Sir Henry Irving
whom it was the writer's great fortune
to see-depicted this Jew as a high
minded man, keen for his vengeance
chosen of God to avenge the wrongs
inflicted on his race. He was Jew
of caste and distinction. Mansfleld's
is dog, q cur. despised renegade
and outlaw. Let others say which is
right; to Mansfield goes the credit of
interpreting along the lines of his own
ideas as repulslvely artistic Shylock
as ever gabbled and swore at Christian
in a good round OATH
1t took last night also to bring to the
fruitlon of her powers in Los Angeles
that very lovely leading woman of his,
Florence Rockwell. That she possessed
ability and artistic worth Los Angeles
soon saw, even at her first appearance.
Last night, however she came into her
own, and her own received her with
open arms. Miss Rockwell Is essentially
a Shakespearean and in the works of
the immortal bard she is at home.
AS Portia she was superb. Youth,
beauty. fascinatingly winning ways,
splendid reading of her lInes-in none
of these she lacked. She idealized and
yet lived the Portia of tradition, and
her portrayal will long live as one of
the very dearest features of all the
Mansfield season. Some there were
who wondered that Mansfield gave this
play. The very picturing of Portia by
Florence Rockwell would be sufficient
justification, without his Shylock at ALL
Ah, for the day when she will be the
stages real Rosalindl
Again let it be said that the Mans
field support is at last justified of its
being. Clarence Handyside was fine
as Antonio; Leslie Kenyon was a good
A. G. Andrews and Henry
Wenman We're very funny as the Cob
bo family: Irene Praher was a sweet
Jessica; Florence Bradley an adequate
Nerissa, and the other parts We're so
much more so than are
the usually interpreted by Shakes
pearean companies--that even some
details that might be carped at were
gratefully overlooked. A packed house. |