The Washington herald., 1907-03-19

Mr. Robert Mantell who has made
great strides IN his art since the time
when he used to star in such productions
as. ''Monbars" and THE Face In the
Moonlight" opened his engagement at
tho New National Theater last night in
Macbeth" to a large audience. which
the skill of his playing made enthusiastic.
Macbeth" is. in some ways, out Of the
mood OF the modern world and the mod
ern theatergoer, who desires above all
else TO be amused. No one can accuse
Macbeth" Of being an amusing play,
but even among the works of Shake
speare it is remarkable for sustained con-
tinuity OF movement and fer uniform and
abiding quality Of weird poetic mood. 1t
is a strong play from beginning to end.
There are no feeble passages in il. The
grim tragedy Of it moves remorselessly
and relentlessly from the first act on the
heath to the last act, which witnesses
the downfall of the bloody king.
The play In itself is a moral whrlwind !;
III demands thought on the part of those
who see II and would appreciate H. 1t
does not attempt 10 satisfy the imagina-
tion-oniy 10 stimulate il; and he who
laughs at the physical quality of Banquo's
ghost, or at the improbabiHty Of the scene
with the witches in the beginning Of Act
", only shows that he Is Judging the
play from a purely materiaiistic stand
point and has not Imagination enough 10
allow for the beautiful poetry Of it. It IS
a play to reflect over; play 10 make one
think, and think deeply; and the moral
philosophy of 1t furnishes. or should fur
nish. high and lofty inspiration.
The version OF Macbeth" presented by
SIR, Mantel Is that used by Mr.. Edwin
Booth Ali of Shakespeare's plays have
TO be cut for the exigencies of the mod
ern stage. Some are cut skillfully. some
not; and Mr. Mantell Is wise in following
as a guide the American player who
stands In the public mind as the tradi-
tional ideal
Mr. Mantell. with his robust physique
and fine voice, is admirably suited 10
portray the character of this brave but
feeble king, His impersOnation vas ex-
cellent throughout, and at times lose 20
great heights From beginning to end his
work showed that he has made a con-
scientious study of the part. and though
of course. not everybody will agree with
certain of mis- readiBgs-especiaiIy in some
of the well-known passages-all must adj
nit that his reading was everywhere IN
telligent, forcefuI. and convincing
At the first he is all brave with "A
native holiness that sets well I3on him.
but soon. harried by his wife and con
senting to the murder of his guest, Dun
can. he becomes "inhrm OF purpose. %
timorous. and weak. He was particularly
fine in the scene where, Lady Macbeth
urging him to the deed ne fights against
it until a fash of the old fire shoots up.
and he cries:
We win p.5ceed no further in this business.
lie hath honorcd nc Of late.
And when she nags him further. urges
him on and calls him coward he piucks
once more at his murderOus resolution
until In sheer desperation he cries:
J dare do az that may become a man
Who dales do more is none
And. as has been said his performance
is remarkably even throughout and it
has certain subtleties that show the
thought behind the playing. For instance.
at the end OF the third act, when Mac
beth is alone with his queen and they
are counseling together before going to
bed, 1t is with poignant sorrow that he
says 70 her:
] am in bl1od
Stepped in faF. that. should / wade no more
Returning were as tedious 80 DER.
And then, lifting the weighty crown from
his head, that crown for which he has
dared so much and suffered so much. and
which has brought him so little Joy and
peace. he places 1t on the table. looks at
it with a baneful glance, and, taking his
wife by the arm. he points TO it and says:
We are get but young in deed.
II was throughout a performance that
one could appreciate intelIigently and
honestly admire.
The Lady Macbeth OF Marie Booth Rus
sell was almost equal iR point OF skill 10
the Macbeth OF Mr.. Mantel 1t is a part
that well might try any actress when she
comes to think OF the great names of the
stage-from Mrs. Siddons down-which
have been associated with il. She played
IL with fine fervor and intense feeling
She was the she-devil incarnate, urging
her weak husband on 20 his ambition
through the lake Of blood. No one could
have seen the shuddering Macbeth after
the murder and heard his fearful I'm go
no more without q feeling Of sympathy
for the crime he has committed. but Miss
Russell kent the poetic note Of horror up
by the forceful way in which she spoke
those lines
In6rm Of purpose,
Give me the dagges: the Sleeping and the dead
Are but pictures; ris the eye Of childhood
That fears PAINTED devil. II be do bleed
I n gid the faces Of the groums Withal;
For it must seem their guilt
In the sieep-walking scene. also she
was very strong, so good, indeed, as to
demand a curtain call from the audience.
The supporting company. from whom in
Macbeth little Is expected, is not very
strong, but the Banquo of Mr. Cecil
Owen was very good. rs was the Duncan
Of Mr.. Alfred Hastings. The play was
beautifully staged, and the stage man
agement was all that could be desired
II the rest OF Mr.. Mantelrs performances
are up 10 the standard Of this enc. no
lover of Shakespeare can afford 10 miss
them
In the audience were the italian Am
bassad0r Baron des Planches. with mem
bers of his staff; the Mexican Ambassa-
dor and Nine. CreeI. Senior Don Luis
Ricoy, the Minister from Denmark; Mr..
Zavalia, of the Argentine Republic: Mrs.
Jennings and Miss Jennings. the Misses
Downing, Mr. and Mrs. John D. Patten
and Miss Patten.
Games "a AAseketf IN II ne ~ ais of
Jericho at the Columbia.
"The Walls of Jericho" the play by
Alfred Sutro in which James X. Hackatt
appeared for a second engagement in this
city al the Columbia Theater last night.
is a study of the effect of environment
on temperament. involving the artificial
atmosphere here enveloping life in the
so-callod higher circles of modern society.
as shown in contrast with the simple and
vigorous mode of living in the more
rrir7itiye rarts Of the Garth t. e. +t