The Washington times., 1907-03-19

Robert ManteT began his weeks
'Shakespearean festival at the New
National last night with a performance
Of Macbeth" luminous for its SINGER
ity and good sense. So far as the part
Of Macbeth is concerned It is very
much the same Interpretation that Mr..
Mantell gave here last season, except
perhaps that longer use has brought
greater ease and Elasticity TO the part.
So far as the rest Of the company is
concerned, 1t Is a vastly improved per
formance. The company of this year
is distinctly better than last years.
Miss RUsselHs Lady Macbeth. in spite
Of certain oratorical artifciality and
a tendency TO everyday, is an infinitely
more satisfying one than Miss Emily
Dodd's Of last year.
Mantell gives an intelligent but rather
conventional portrayal Of Macbeth. He
relies more on his voice and on the
lines than on gesture or facial express
sion TO convey the tumult OF soul Of the
ambition-ridden, wife-spurred Thane Of
Cawdcr, whose power over himself
wanes as his power over others grows.
II is not an attractive or sympathetic
part-this Macbeth, the specter-haunted
king, who has murdered sleep. the help
less shuttlecOck between the battledores
Of conscience and ambition, the prey Of
vague. huddling fears, whose strong
VIII, guided by stronger ambitions, can
scarcely master mis- terrified imaginings.
Buc Mantell makes of II most inter
esting psychological study.
In the scenes in the second act, lead
ing up 10 and following the murder,
both Mr.. NanteII and Miss Russell are
a hot 49,
moments when one or another Of them
reaches the high water mark cttained
in these. Miss Russelrs sleep walking
scene IS particularly well done She
loses there the vocal exaggeratiOn and
artifciality that dogs her through 10
the greater part Of the play. and reads
her lines with comparative simplicity,
yet with peculiar ghOstly hollOwness
that is singularly effective II is only
fair TO remember, in commenting on
Miss RusselTs really careful and in
telligent work. that Macbeth" has
been more frequently used in recent
years as the vehicle Of a woman star.
than for man. SO that she is up
against rather more Odious cOmDa risOu
than leading lady has usually TO eX-
pect.
Manten has one Of his strongest scenes
in the fourth act when he Is confront
ed by BanquO's ghost-(and, by the
way, II seems 70 me a mistake 70 bring
BanquO on 20 play his own ghost. Why
give the ghost such solid. fieshly form
Why not leave IL merely a dEment OF
Macbcth's disOrdered imaginatiOn2)-
and struggles vainly TO hur II of as
phantom OF his mind. He raves at u,
and he shrinks from Il, and the whole
terrible storm that IS shaking him is
splendidly portrayed. Though indeed II
is IN the quieter scenes that Mr. Mantell
Is most persuasive-in the third act
when WEAKNESS and dread begin 20
close in upon him. in the first act. even
when after the vanishing OF the Wicrd
sisters. he puts all the questiOnings and
STRINGS that their prophecies have
wakened into his voice; in the last aC.,
just after he has been told Of Lady
Macbeth's death.
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are really
the only two characters in the play. The
others are merely shadows. questioning
and answering, giving cues, carrying
along the story Little attempt is made
70 give them any illusion Of realty, life,
or character. In fact. even the two
leading characters scarcely convey an
Illusion Of life Francis McGinn and Ce-
ell owen. as MaCduff and BanQuO. re-
spectively. made the most which Is not
much Of their parts Guy Lindsay IS
fairly effective as Malcolm. Alfred Has
tings might have been more klngly as
the king, but he didn't last long enough
10 WOTTy one.
One has TO be grateful 10 the entire
company for the intelligent reading OF
their lines. ana the caIeiul pLIdSlI2 :
that gave all the speeches their full
value The stage settings We're ade-
Guate without being sumptuOus; the sort
10 form a satisfactory background to
the action. but they were distinctly Or
the nonCOmmitGal sort, as indeed We're
the costumes The only suggestion that
4 was medieval Scotland, instead OF
medieval italy or Germany. for in
stance, was the eagle quill in the head
gear. There was no attempt at at
m0sphere''-rresuma for the very
good reason that very little is known
Of primitive Scotland, nor indeed Is the
period Of the play very accurately fixed.
The costumes signify a rude and an
cient time wneu barbarism is just be-
ginning 10 flow into civilization.
NJ. Med