New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-20
THE DRAMA.
MANSFIELD AS DON CARLOS.
New Amsterdam Theatre.

E1oe' red last night in the New Amsterdam
s,oETn1 ;,perscnatng, for the first time in this
1hsa. =, character OF the Prince Of Spain. in
cFy, - .-.re6v Of Don Carlos" The occasion
saiNes soyhly interesting by the re-entrance Of
rt1oss- If our stage and by the presentment
Re '..,lrlte dramatic novelty. was felt 10 be of
81 &c import, and # was much enjoyed In
e1eI' C.-Iosr the glowing and prophetic genius OF
p'- -.--,sr roet uttered fervent protest against
~ - uhsther political or ecclesiastic and in
IT, literature this play has long been ranked
S-.lve5 as classic. II was first acted in
80 hamburg. and at that time. I'm the infancy
h',-5ran Independence and on the eve of the
9 = revolution. its antagonism TO kings and
fIe-- -,,,st have appeared more intrepid and far
1ihs sssrtfsl and significant than il can possibly
~ -ov--Wheu many yokes have been
81 .r5 so many letters cast aside. Force, as a
h-s-t in social affairs, il no longer possesses,
60 ne vehicle 0f a romantic story it is still
5--.sl and effective Several TRANSACTIONS Of il
- --,tlishe5 in London, In the period from 1875
80 ---chstly as consequence Of the 70
2 =. Eorzehue wave, which had broken and was
= - ssssidlrc-but they obtained no foothold
-. r,eItsa stage. The first version Of it ever
60 in America was the one made by the vet
- manager and dramatist William Dunlap, who
=, have been almost daft about German
- b-- that was acted only once and was
- a failure Dunlap produced il. for his
-. Nav - 1894 AZ the old Park Theatre. with
-. ..at included FenneIl, Cooper the younger
- Mss f. Wesrray and Mrs. Barett.-an
..-l.-, rlsvs-s-aud then withdrew f. Mr.. Mans
- rss had better fortune. He produced his new
- so- tre FIRST time on October q, 1905. at the
,--i,-fine Opera House, Toledo, and he has pros
-s-ss with il ever since
- ns-io5 Illustrated in Don Carlos is that Of
~ Phflu II. a. Spain That prince.-Of such
,-rs dark and sinister character that his fig
- = --e nares 81 history. seems absolutely dia-
-aH ~. avfl u
.s-,rs in 1855. and died age Il, in 1898 His son,
-,s-s Is said hv some historians TO have been
- ssforues person and OF an impetuous, irasci-
!, violent temper. il is certain that he antag-
.ss his ~a-zT father and thus precipitated his
~ rHn The story IS that he loved and wooed
r-,seth O. France lof the house Of NGlois) gained
- s-eeflo-s and was hetrothed 10 her, but that
ID father rrau wld0wer, interviewed, broke the
-r4- and married the lady himself. The narra-
- n consequences IS wrapt in mystery Carlos
FL his steursr-1er seem 10 have incurred the sus-
.r n :lHc Intimacy though that is not the sub
s o. the play. for. IN the play, their relations are
-..sr-4 and n has been declared, as historical
ar, thst both OF them were pTivhy put 10 death,
n .-5e- az the King. Carlos died, In one Of his
s.ss-s prisons July a. 1883. one account init
-s.ss that - was poisoned; another that he vas
~-s1gled: another that his veins were opened IN
y srt. A more recent tale states that eXaInina-
.,- n the remains in his coffin has disclosed that
u head was severed from his body. Schiller
.-.rssv Is not and does not pretend &c be. an au-
.,s-+i, histo-y or indeed, history az all IT is
.st1c o. conjecture fancy. ilIagina-i2n' ana art
s-as vro- 4 more or less vague historical basis
ne version Of Don Carlos that is used by MI
Vs-sse5 is one thar has been adapted from the
ark verse translation made. many years ago oy
? n ROWAN soDroved bv Sir Theodore Martin,
ri published IN Bohn's Standard Library. mat
,z-s.stiou fills more than two hundred closely
~7sed UaEes and Z acted without a cut Il would
: .n-ofars bic MI Mansfield has omitted some Of
% scenes and has transposed and modified others
b. nothing Of dramatic value has been sacrificed
y defects OF the acting copy are the defects Of
aorig1ral-the principal blCmish being lack OF
aHct clarity, for the spectator as 10 the strata
N b~ which the Marquis de Posa contriyes to
hed and axOnerare Carlos. when that ardent
patriot and ag1nized. unlucky lover has incurred
the dangerous Kings resentment The auxiliar
tIurs are sombre color. heaviness Of theme, and
isn.irental.ty Of feeling and style. Mr. Mansfield
has eKcsed al the politics. all the revolutionary
Cat0-y $50 stl-ulative in Schller's day, 50 need
.sss here and rrv). and most Of the religion IN
The original there are aspersions OF the Roman
Catholic Church. i1 this version they do not occur
-he number ~ speaking parts has been reduced
from twenty 70 seventeen: and the long speeches
lave been mercrlly Condensed.
The action Of The tragedy begins az a considerable
lne su5seglan- n the marriage Of King Philip
and Tie Princess Elizabeth. The King IS holding
1ort al Ara15uaz. Carlos, bereft Of his promised
t1as, but s-.I e-amoured n her, eagerly seeks an
lF2'rtun.ty r. speaking with the Queen in private
-l1 quest IS. FOR "a while impeded by the opera
l11 q rgld Spanish court etiquette. The Marquis
&c POSE, intimate and dear friend TO Carlos, has
I1'eo a. Arsnlgez from the Netherlands and
-eh France. bearing letters 10 the Que6n. To that
's1a Carlos makes known his feelings and his de-
'-t and The Marquis. in the course OF a formal
-srF1ew with the Queen adroirIv contrives 10
-.-#- .-rF
-'g and ne Infatuated Prince. The meeting oc-
ls' and 'arlo=.rnakiuE no secret Of his delirious
T-oa-1es the Queen; is reminded Of
- oltF' and e prompted To remain faithful 10 the
- o. Inc oppressed Netherlands In that episode
- 1ei'Ele signifies that secretly. the Queen loves
= Prince although denying #. but that by
-'e Is vel as ~ principle. she IS dedicated to
e q duty Throughout the play this character
I@fne-ess and noble: her marriage with Philip
D7eH compulsory. matter Of state policy. and
I. mat sne a5,des5 The Marquis gives warning
= -ls approach a. King Philip. The Prince rapidly
- ne King arrives. attended by priest and
-s's and he IS lncensed 10 find the Queen
soas Suspicion and jealousy are indicated. on the
-. o. ne monarch. Carlos re-enters. and pres
80 ne royal command is given that the court
-s-- remove ~ Madrid
~ may point the movement. while episodIcal
d, -itAL ~ unity, is rneasurabIv rapfd and
--isfiFe interest and effect Carlos en-
Z co. -N IT'D --i-- MN 10 the Netherlands,
/, s-ala ~ the Spanish army but that request
- ana me command is allotted TO the cruel
- y. ava Carlos. misled by the Princess
- - Iho secretly loves him. keeps an unexpected
$50 n-'a NAT lady.-thinking that he has been
isa as The Queen. and, in the course Of
80. interview, he possesses himself Of dis
- :. iej'er that the Princess has received from
- Fh-lp. The Princess IS repulsed and morti-
- o-' sic has The solace OF having discovered
Il 'lel o. The Princes love for the Queen. and.
o. furious reseutment,-assuming that the
- - - o-soyal 70 her husband,-she c0ntrives
i, - some part o. that dangerous knowledge
-. - ming in The original this Princess EboI
4. al Hrsi, 10 be sincere woman, only culpa-
;, - vanity, weakness. folly, and the blind ardor
-, Unfortunate passion; but subsequently,, IA
49,. 'eee. she becomes q wauton 10 the King a
10Y no her mistress. and deadly foe to Car