New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-22
THE DRAMA.
MANSFIELD IN SHAKESPEARE.

second London season, he made superb revival
OF the historical tragedy in which Shakespeare
mas perpetuated and blasted, the memory OF the
last Fiantagenet King His achievement was brill
idht ana powerful in the beginning and IL has
ever since grown in brilliancy and power. His
DOCK OF the play is version devised by himself
version that preserves much OF the original text
"4'H put httie OF Cibber. and that readily
iehos itself to diversified and opuent scenic dis
play Tie action begins with the scene from,
fiehry W. IN which that miserable monarch re-
celVes news Of Queen Margarets defeat at Tewks-
Jury ana then passes to glittering professional
Oeiore the rover OF London. in which King Ed
wards radiant Queen is the chief figure. And
thereafter 1t discovers the murder of the deposed
Alhg Henry VI: Gloster's strange and dreadful
Tooing of Lady Anne-assgned to a rural plaza in
the road from London to Chertsey; the episode of
the young Princes; the Buckingham plot: the
hypocrtical interview OF Goster with the Mayor
OF London; the temptation and fall OF Tyrrel; the
ruin or Buckingham; the march OF King Richard to
pattIe with the rebellous Earl OF Richmond; the
vision OF the spectres: and the catastrophe on
bosWorth Ffeld-where Richard made his last
Lrahtlc' splendid charge. and rode bravely 70 his
death For stage purposes at least in Mr. Mans
heIds scheme. enough of Shakespeares play is thus
preserved; and through these successive scenes So
eoquentiy illustrative of ambition craft, and the
rise and fall of wicked, wretched human being,
MI Mansfield as Gloster moves with grisly energy
and sinuous grace, a terrible image Of evil force
and wonderful example OF retributive justice in
the moral government of mankind
Shakespeares portrayal Of Richard III which
follows Sir Thomas More's Life OF the Prince"
work inspired, If not actually, TO extent.
written by Morton. after King Henry VII had
made him Archbishop of Canterbury. is in some
spects false. and in other respects dubious Rich
ard guiltless OF of the crimes that have
been imputed to him. and the proof Of his limo
cence is ample and conclusive Historians, how
ever. continue TO differ ard the reputation Of
the great King remains darkened with perpetual
blight, and the world perceives him. not as he was
in actual life. but he stands in Shakespeares
play-with Cibber's glossary. which makes him
savage brute. In Shakespeares play he is a ruth
less murderer and. in that sense. monster OF
wickedness. but he is a OF genius, and he
possesses human attributes. He wreaks himself
upon life by the power OF tremendous will. and he
through crime and slaughter to the summit
ot earthly dominion but his heart is corroded with
remorse his spirit is slowly broken by dread visions
of vague and awful shapes of haunting horror;
and. though audacious terrible. to the last in
the delirium Of desperation he is finally vanquished
by retributive justice-working in the soul Itself
and he dies as he has lived by treachery and vio-
Ience. The theme of the tragedy. accordingly, is
mortal life defiant of divine law. and the omnip-
offence of divine law, operative in the domination
OF mortal life. Historically.-no matter by whom
representative play IS only partly true. Dramat-
ically as represented by Mr.. Mansfield. 1t conveys
great volume of truth, and conveys IT IN Won
on the error OF taking Glosters extravagant words
in a literal sense and showing Richard as blood
bothered miscreant with bulldog visage huge
hump a spawned walk. and a croaking voice, and
making him a Ioathsome and sanguinary ruffisn.
has been discarded by MI Mansnelo-if' indeed,
It was ever known to him.
The theory Of his performances. long ago disclosed
assumes that a practical consideration should be
given to the lapses of time which may be supposed
to in the continuance of Glosters career, and
that the Prince should be shown as slowly devel-
oped from youth of evil propensities to a man of
evil deeds and that as much goodness possible
should be infused into the Shakespearian concep-
ton in order 70 account for the remorse and to
prelude the collapse. At the time OF King Henry's
death in the Tower (the natural death of broken
hearted, half-demented prisoner) the Prince was
only nineteen: when killed at the battle OF Bos-
worth he was only thirty-three. Mr.. Mansfield dis
eliminates between several episodes his life and
thus ingeuiousy endeavors to display the reaction
arv effect that his crimes produce upon his soul,
and consequently upon his body. The theory Is
subtle and interesting. and though the application
Of II does not materially affect the substance ana
significance of the actors IDEAL IL certainly does
import diversity into the representation and per-
haps II deepens sense of fidelity to nature in the
general effect. The underlying purpose Is to make
the character natural. There comes time in Rich
ards experience when his Will begins TO break,
under the affection Of rernorse The greater TRACE
dams Of the past assigned that change to the
moment when the Kings mother interrupting
him in his expedition, launches upon him the
awful terror of her curse. Mr. Mansfield makes
him sufferer from early as the throne
scene and before the King has been apprised that
his little nephews have been murdered In fact.
almost from the beginning. the existence is indi-
Gated of an agonized conflict between active de-
moniac depravity and vague nameless. human
dread The effect is subtle. but while it is an ef-
feet of terror It is also of pity At first the
demeanor of Goster is gay and lght.-even his
tones being expressive of bthe. hooking. jauntily
cynical spirit Later, when years of evil scheming
and wicked act have desolated his brain and shat
tered his nerves this light manner disappears; the
face becomes lined and pallid. the eyes hollow,
the tones are deep and harsh the person is enact
ated end the demeanor is rapid. ruthless. and des
perate. The changes. the essential character
remaining the same but its condition varying, ac-
cording 10 the effect of experience. The result OF
all this studous is splendid consistency OF
fresh swift vigorous execution; but Richard re-
mains as he has ever been, massed type OF evil;
as rounded and finished at the beginning as at the
end: sardonic scofing monster of malignity, who
vet retains some of the attributes of humanity
and therefore while odious in his success is
pitable IN his ruin.
In technical treatment of this ideal Mr. Mansfield
uses the delicate OF the grirnly sarcastic
comedian. applied TO tragedy The domi-
nant attributes are concentration of intellect
and fexibility Of expression. The fine moments are
Goster's Discrimination with the Mayor of London:
the furtive stealthy allurement OF Buckingham 10
murder the Princes Cand that Duke OF Bucking-
ham, who lies buried Salisbury. probably, |
knew more about the fate Of those royal boys than
ANYBODY else did, the panic. when blood-red light
srnites upon his throne and his guilty hand; the
sinister moody menace to Lord Stanley: the subtle
indication of impending mureer for Tyrrel after
that r7Ifans exit and the awful hysterica frenzy
whom in the Tent scene. after awakening from
borrid dreams of the ghosts of his victims. the
King mistakes Catesby for yet another phantom OF
the dead and shrieks with frantic Joy az finding !