New-York tribune., 1906-11-27
THE DRAMA.
MR.. MANTELL AT THE ACADEMY.
Julius Caesar. -

Julius Caesar"
! Mr. ManteIl chose wisely when he determined to
revive the noble tragedy OF Julius Cesar and to
assume the character OF Brutus- The Imperative
need OF his Style the quality designated BY Ham
| let as "a Temperance that may give 1t smooth
! ness: and Brutuk-e philosophio, tntrospectiv~
meoieacve part, n which there II tremendous
power and deep tenpestuous feeling, beneath
| cold exterior.-exacts, above all things else the
majesty OF perfect repose at the extreme tension
OF excitement That repose is within Mr.. Msntslrs
REACH and the his faculties Of expressio1 are
exercised IN Brutua-and h kindred Characters
fhe more likelihood there Is that he win fully ac-
| cufre It There Is kind OF comfort in seeing
that ambitious and talented actor, to whom
circumstances disposed TO afford opportunity,
has IN q shopkeeping period OF theatrical history,
| entsred the right road Brutus Is drawn by
| Shakespeare fanatic OF moral principle and
man or hauntsd Imagination His mind Is ravaged
with tempest of self lfoorniot, and he seems pre-
OBSTINATE 20 error, misery. and ruin Much stress
has always been laid on Tho quarrel scene. which
Is fun of action. but for Brutus the more essen
TALLY expressive sosnas those Of the gar
den thS phantom, and the death: for those ara
craught with intellectual conflict weird irnagina-
ton. and pathos- The awful lorssiiness OF the man
wfc, self-dsceved by moral enthusiasm has shed
the blood OF a fellow creature, and whom nothing
from the doom OF retrtbution. has nowhers
else in literature been signiaed well.
It in those scenes that Mr.. Manten rose TO
his full stature as an actor. showing himself at
absolutely his best His presence Is noble; his oe-
that OF authority: his gestures are broad
free, and e1pansive, his level speaking Is uelodous
and finely intelligent although sometimes ne nilssea
ana shades Of infection and significant accents OF
emphasis His ideal was seen TO be true, and
throughout his expression Of It he consistenuS
maintained distinct personality-at times, indeed
yielding TO the impulse OF violent demonstration
and at times doing strange actions, as whsn IN
C.asar's house he suddenly clutched an attendant
by the shoulder, who fed IN terror our- on the
whoIs this is the finest all-round iupersonaton
that he has ever given His expression Of hysterta
after ths alton exceptionally right ano
speediIy effective and his delivery Of the address
OF Brutus TO the Roman populace was fraughr-as
It should be-wtth tremendous, passionate earnest
ness No previous performer OF Brutus mas 1aAeh
this view OF rather pouderous piece OF oratorS
The applause for Mr.. Manten was frequent en-
th,1s,asttc and sincere and he had many and de-
served recalls. -
The recurrence Of this magnificent play Is Ike
the return OF dear friend long absent and much
desired-an event that brings pleasure ana oeep
coutsutruent The impressive pageants OF Roman
history, chosen out OF Plutarch's Lives. arranged
with shaLespeare's practical and potent skill anu
shrtned In noble and eloquent verse; are ilio "
mass before the vision in ona long slO"lns' Sym
rnatricsl array OF royal poup spirited action ana
dramatic significance, moving sumptuousiy on"aiu
IN q uournfuI but splendid close. INC eeilptAtioH
Of Br1tus and his agony of mental conIic- ee
midnight conspiracy the assassination OF CHHA1,
-. s1+agontStc efforts the pacific controA ana
the riotous Indictment OF the Roman mo- C
quarrel and the reconciliation OF tne TWO HS
-htaftains the apparttton OF CRsar sno.- -.
lett +sn+ OF Brutus, at Sardis rhe VlcissAN"S
:. - ea1 and decisive battle the respective SUI
r1aaa of Cassius and Brutus. and thus tne Ilp ,.
Of ,nexorable justice over every po"e1 Ia- ~
.ndeavor TO serve good cause Dy OaN ~ ~..s,-
go s+rrtnz and touching tncidsnts' SO VAV1u'
,'z ~ ~. poet and interwoven ano sur
La~gas with language Of such soaorous iioiouI
and vibrant feeling. are nlade 10 nNe' ra,-,-,I
.%-,l lt<e Of to-day, IN TINS f1041 - -.
49,. - ,os+io genius. and this prodaouon- Ns'usn
-.--bst overloaded with gar1sn scalei' ~
s0l4Is ot 5oss much justice TO then-
cessiss Ds.. less majestic than Brutus ou,- nu.
,a,lv more interesting. Is inc ..,- "a
,r,ra exalted intellect 1t Is easy .... 10 >, an
- stray In Cassius. especially II &c 80 81 ..TTrau
go an' ST. each those lines. beginning "ei.
m. +1,o,, art noble" In Cassius the pi!ue VI
tD+.IIAet "a so colossal that It condeinhs -. ~ -.
..,I.c+ of Brutus the least show OF eu''e -.
- aUother even though that other De nlrlse. -
Casz,,,s never means 70 dispaTas' MS 49, ,
-. s-.u- into the conspiracy he only fnAAes
an. raising avanesoent comment on 'h0 Hs
:. . mind that will take advice roU1 ai4Soy
For Cassius entirely believes IN ule Js Jusu -
.,s. and the righteousness OF his puEPoss' 80.
- - -so-, mat ne makes tnctte Brutus against
Caesr he conceives himself TO be using I,eH
means TO a good end. and eHlOai A1ie ~ :,
,pon a glorious enterprise He is not an 4aeH e
rasrs ,ndeed a personal scorn for Caesar' 4Hca-
aha - weakness himself, hesdespises weakness Ii
others and Il has been his fortune 10 oehold Ina
mighty julius both exhausted ana Ill ne - 70
ssrtful OF the predouinance OK rIlsIi ao' aotef
+ban himself He is grim, sustsre splenetio But
hts larger motive the hatred or tyranny ana
vbsn at last '.the storm is UP and all is on the
hazard" no shows Drawer nnind' more IN
selfish spirit more heroic front to the zoe cooler
1nsirarencs 20 death The g-nt1er. caner, broader
mora aelr-contalned and more majestic nature OF
RrutI,s commands attracts, more rational ad-
,4ra+on: hr,t II is Cassius who, under the condi-
tons prescribed this play. and IN spite OF our
de+estatton OF his crime (Which 10 him, is vrtre
carries our kindness. compassion, almost our
love to the last AS fact OF history. Julius
Csesar himself was probably, worth more than all
+be Senators that slew him. with Antony and
Octav1us included. But we are not TO go behind
the tragedy for illumination OF 1t: the best Of
illumination perhaps. is given In the words THAI
are spoken by the great Brutus himself. the
dead body Of his comrade;
The last OF all fare thss wsli
Il Is impossible that ever Rome
Should breed Thy felow.-;FrtsndA
70 this dead man than shall ses mo
The impersountion of Cesar. by Alfred Hastings
lacked only vocal forcs 70 be excellent Cassius
was earnestly and creditabiy acted by Cecil Owen
Certain nicstiee emphasis missed: It should
be This r.rod Cesar" and tho faos should more
| haggard- Antony showed good Intention. without
| the intrinsic authority TO convey f.
Antony about thirty-nine at the time OF
the murder OF the great Julius. whom he survived
| fourteen years. and he to have been Ia the
| perfection OF manly strength The poet has made
| him q consummate master OF craft well elo-
quence and a OF deep feeling. His first lament
| over Cmsar.-which s comningled with bitter
| burning wrath with difficulty curbed. against the
murderous patr1ots,should be spoken in the broken
| accents OF grief: with sweet manly, passionate
| Surginv nj q