The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-03-20
Robert Manten In 1OtheIIo" at the
New National Last Night.

Another large audience greeted Robert
Manteil at the New National Theater last
night. when he presented Shakespeare's
/ tragedy Of "Othello." The version Of the
play he used was that of Edwin Booth.
the cuts, made necessary to condense the
play, being Of unessential portions. whose
absence does not in any material way
affect the unity of the play.
| "Othello" is probably one of the most
/ popular, next 10 Hamlet" OF Shakes
peare's plays, and IT has suffered less
| from the hand OF the modern play car
penter than most. In few instances has
the original language been altered. Only
one act has been transposed. and that
! transposition really contributes 10 the
unity OF the play.
Few Of the plays of Shakespeare show q
greater contrast Ia the characters than
this-the trusty Cassie. honest, chivalrous
conhding: the tempestu0us Moor; the
dupe R0deriEo; the crafty. subtle. and
malignant Iag0; the beautiful and pure
/ Desdemona, and the willing and faithful
Emilia. 1t is a strange galaxy that works
out this dread tragedy. II is true that
Emilia shows more spirit than Desdemcna,
but she is not the more lovable for that
Desdemona. dying. cries. simple and low
ing to the last.
Commend ne to my kind loFd-oh, faFewelli'
While Emilia also cruelty murdered,
fights with her dying breath and cries
'You told lie; an odious damned liel
Upon my soul, a liza wicked lie
She false with Csssio' Did you say with CASTOR
The character Of othello is one that
makes the severest demands upon an
actor He needs "a robust physique, in
deed. to be able to carry the tense, ex-
plosive passion of the Moor through all
its phases. and, remembering this, 1t must
be said to Mr. Mantells credit that. set
ting the keynote early in the play, he
held IL true throughout and was convinc-
ing always.
As husband of Desdenlona, for whom
his ardent love is manifest, he is slow
to be convinced by lagos subtleties. but
as doubt creeps across his mind the saw
age wakes in him. and it is with a very
torrent and whirlwind of fury that Man
tell mouthed the speech:
Farewell the plumed troop and the big wars.
That make ambition virtue.
Farewell! Othelio's gentle occupations gone!
The death scene was handled very skill
fully, indeed. although all its grewsome
horror was allowed full sway, but
through the play MantelPs personality
dominated and his performance was a
worthy one
Miss Marie Booth Russell performed the
difficult task Of descending from the
strenuous part of Lady Macbeth to the
gentle Desdemona with grace and feeling.
The part does not make much strain on
any actress powers. Some critics have
called the part characterless, but as
Colerldge justly remarked, she is just the
woman every man wishes for his wife
one whose wisdom Is Of the heart, rather
than the head
The Iago of Mr.. Francis McGinn was
curiously disappointing in spots. Mr.. Nc
CHM is good reader, and gives full value
10 the fine lines he has TO speak, and in
a way ne suits the action tn the words
but his Iago lacks subtlety. lacks maiig-
nifty. It is too frank and jovlal; too hon
est q character TO be just what Shakes
peare intended. Even so love-sick hus-
band, with such Jealous temperament as
that of the Moor. must have seen through
innuendoes presented as this Iago pre-
sents them. It would be good to see Mr..
Manteil in this part. Some excellent work
was done By Miss Lillian Kingsbury as
Emilia. She made the most of the seant
opportunities the play affords her, and
won hearty applause for her stirring
scene in the last act.
The play was beautifully staged, with
discretion and taste. and 1t afforded an
intellectual treat and won unstinted ap-
plause This afternoon THE Merchant Of
Venice" VIII be presented. and tonight
the bill VIII be King Lear.