New-York tribune., 1906-04-06
THE DRAMA.
MANSFIELD AS IVAN.
Kew Amsterdam Theatre.

-, Nts,saels's tmpersonstion OF the Russian
-, Tvsn. called The Terrible. FIRST made
,-,-, here on March L. isaa. and was again pre-
80 on March g 1914. on neither occasion was
:. ,~eree for q long run. but on both occasions II
-, profound impression. The play.-written by
-. Alexis Tolstoi. and translated by Nine g
= so Meissncr --transcrihes. II several pictures
= s,s.nr,esl erisnde: conprehencs a political in
-s-.,,. and presents massive image of pulssant
Asr.e,er erahematic % frishtful. piteous strug-
-. hefvveen the forces ~ good and evil IN the
s,,-,sn heart. As 8 dramatic fabric IA lacks sus-
.,,es continuity Of story rapidly OF movement
- symmetry Of form; historic drama seems 20
,,nel the selection of tilumuative epochs ar
-,,red successvely along the stream OF many
-. hut its several parts made 10 cohere by
80 subtle nerus of suggestion. and its central char
s- revealed IN various phases. IS fully and boldly
,vb5hited ss y prodigy of wicked power and awful
-,ss-v latent human weakness snd the adanautino
-.soluiian and fiery vitality OF malignant will The
,bs-ne is the Etstesmsns plot against the Gar
poris Godunon.-auhiuous. able. and wily.-hates
IA sovereign whom he p-etends 10 serve. and IS
INDUSTRIOUS 20 accomplish his ruin. A slowly de-
,.lnped sntEEonisn between monarch and minister
,rspires the movement. on the one side there IS
svpl-itv. on the other side there is confidence at
srs, but ultimately, confirmation OF distrust
and then disrnsy. At the last the traitor
,-,urnphs and the emperor miserably dies For
a spectator the impairment Is knowledge Of actual
lfs IN Russ!a's imperial court and household
long ago together with perception OF tremendous
yersouality type ot colossal Wiekedness, an en-
llen o. criminal humsnity consumed with the
heIlsh Ere a inmtgshle remorse. The play is
tragedy and IL causes the effect OF tragedy-whioh
IS 10 arouse the auditors deeper emotions: To
terrtfy; 70 melt 20 compel thought: and thus 10
ohasten suhdue and ennoble. The character OF
Ivar, derived from what is known of his life. has
beer powerfully drawn. and by Mt. Mansfield Il is
msgnifcently iupersonsted.
ivan vssHvitch reigned over Russia from 1883
I'll as death the age of hfty-hvs) in 1854 The
pRy masses and uterhlends various actual incidents
OF his career but mainly. it relates 10 conditions
Gn6 occurrences IN the last year ~ his dominion.
monster - depravity, he is. nevertheless. relig-
ieus ia thaJ he resembles the French despot.
King Louis ~. but ne Is the tiger not the fox
rs sef-poiso IS not simply ino-dinate: II is in
finite lie Is centred like s mountsin in his con
victon of his divine right u sovereigntv,-prizing
power above all Things earth, and being con
iiauGlly Hlgilsnt 20 smite snd crush the head of
any treason toward his sacred majesty and God
given crown. He 6oes not lack craft bur he is not
c schemer. His way is 10 strike and 20 kin. Con
tsEpt OF oppos!ton rooted iu the absolute insanity
OF v2inglorioUs eEotisu, makes him disdainful o.
all cnnoeslment. The testimony OF history seems 10
sfhrm that when = man OF form dahle chG-s cter
and comma ndiuE mind mas succeeded IN practical
sKsirs. when boundless wealth IS his disposal.
when ne dominates communities, when his will is
supreme and his word is Law. ne generally chooses
the pathway or evil. Ivan cid. Malignant fero-
cous cruel. ssHguinSry. ne lived a monster and he
wrote MS -ecord IN the hsleful tiuJs of crime and
slaughter. and yet he was the agonized victim OF
superstition and remorse. So the dranatist has
drsNr hin. and 80 the actor emhodies = in Next
20 Richard III-io which Nj Mansfield. by his alb
solutsly magnificent uttersnce Of the conscience
FRENZY hss struck the topmost note Of tragic eX-
preEsion impartial Judgment would. in ranking his
tragic achievements place his performance 81 Ivan
Al one rrsndly dramatic moment when the despot
=
pasn 10 celebrate = victory he towers TO a
prodgious height of splendor.-wonderfully convey
ing the sense OF something unoonquerzhle, irnmuta-
he and sublime There IS in II than audacity.
There something IN a. % The indenitahle,
EuEusr. colossal supremacy of Milton's Satan-that
EWfEl and altogether maJchless image of defiant.
neutrality-suspicious. will His supplcstion for pardon
from his courterE and his shject sbsseent before
Heaver.-v-ith she piteous pathetic appeal 10 Al
mighty God are among the thrilling and sltogether
splendid moments - dramatic genius that have
beer known in our time The part however. is not
scfs6 points The terrible Gar IS frnpersonated
IL shown in msny moods; is made living man: and
s potentially impressed on the ina gination as
vital image ~ ROYAL grandeur heart-rendinE self
conflict and piUshls mlserv The ernscisted body.
the scared and pallG courtenarce the hollow tones
the rremuloHs movements. combined with fire.
ouent access q fer v.yaliryas OF the fame fash
ING out or the ernnerst-inpsrt affecting OF
the reality ~ pain while the same time. they
eAenp-Ify. With an inspiring cheer of inspiration
the strength cf human endurance and the power of
human will The part requires abrupt transitions
IRON 6tiect humility 10 fierce self-assertou and
these are made with electrical effect. The drain
ihat SUCH 2 part makes upon an actors resources
of nervous force must be enormous-foT. Ike
Bugeue Sues Rodin. this being is ravaged by q
corrosive spirit that never rests and like Alferfs
King Saul. he begins az the extreme tension OF
fsversh excitement and continually aScends IN the
scale of stormy passion The desrh scene Of Ivan
Is ore o. intense spiritual as wei as physical agony
for The despot must not only endure the psngs OF
dissolution but expire beneath the exultsnt gaze OF
MS triumphant Zoe There has been no precedent 20
M. Nsnsfsid's treatment % that pteous and awful
situation except the death scene Of Ristoris Queen
Elizabeth and that Of Henry Irving King Louis
with this performance Alr. Mansfield has com
plese the list ot parts that were promised for the
present engagement The public has seen him since
March ls. IS Don Carlos. Beau Brumrnel DR. JeIsyll
eho LII Hyde shyloek, Baron Che1-rlal Arthur
Drun1esoale. Richard H. Alceste and Ivan. In eli
hose parts, 90 various and so strongly contrasted
he has acted with astonishing viFor and brIiance.
Not az any time. indeed has his intellectual self
control been 50 cOrnIletes his execution 80 clear,
ooserI sno decisive kis command OF sll hs re-
sources, and o. the scene, absolutely supreme
1@en part has been Discriminatory portrayed: each
haf been made 10 create and sustain illusion: and
VIII each and all the actor has. IN the true and
ma spirit of devotion a high IDEAL subordinate6
ne stust 10 The Hrts-ths sum OF his achievement
o'ng that be has shown himself 20 be q great
ec'or using The stage = ought 70 be used, for
ne ministry of beauty ana tho diffusion OF hsppi-
ness W. ".