New-York tribune., 1909-03-18
THE DRAMA
Mr.. MANTELL AS RICHELIEU.
New Amsterdam Theatre.

Z
Lytton's plays. and thereupon the acoofnPHsnTl 7
English dramatist Henry Arthur Jones, strangely
enough, moved TO indorse Mr.. Fllon sillS
dispara cement. and declare himself pleased 10
Mr.. Fillon stripping the spanges from 7ul"et
Lytton." The verse Of Bulwer Lyttons plays, It
may be conceded. contains some tinsel OF aruhce'
but the judgment must indeed be warped that can
discern their extra aordinary dramatic value Fs
play ''Richelieu.' the construction OF Whlch
he had the valuable counsel OF Macready, one OF
greatest wsest OF actors. is in fact one OF
the best plays in our language. and one that VIII
always be successful. whenever II Is wen acteu
Mr.. Mantell and his company performed IN II Ias'
night at the New Amsterdam Theatre, and 1t was
received there with every denotement OF synpatny
and qualification. by a numerous audience AT
( times, indeed. the applause was tumultuous anu
Mr.. MantelI was repeated recalled and Loudly
cheered.
The play Of "Richelieu" stands in the front rank
Of Romantic Drama It does not indeed contain
single incident that is improbable the imProoanh-
tty,-allowabe in romance.-consistins only IN 'o
occurrence OF such exceptional sequence or lhc-
dents within a brief time. and TO e particular,
selected group OF persons The story is clear ana
simple, and yet II is Of continuous. sustained
enthralling interest Characters, distinctly drawn
presented in possible natural relations to one
another. The dramatic movement Is steady. cumu-
lative. speeding electrical climax and a
pathetic, heroic beautiful elimination. The sue
cessive situations such arouse the imagina-
ton and touch the heart. The spirit of the play
is sympathetic with noble virtue-active, not
supine-and with ardent, generous. entirely right
feeling. Fact is presented, but It is presented in
ideal light. The Earb Of character and conduct
is poetic. prosy.-for which the play
aIlures the spectator away from commonplace life,
| and inparts a refinement of pleasure. The sub
stance OF is exposition under deeply interest
ing and highly picturesque circumstances. of the
victory of good evil. The writer OF a play
that makes its auditors happier and better for
having seen II deserves the public gratitude; and,
for the honor OF the public, It truly be said
that Bulwer Iiyttons 'Richelieu" has always been
accepted with delight. When Edwin Booth acted
in II, which he did hundreds Of times and for many
years. its popularity unrivalled. except, per
haps. by Hamlet; and II any wishes a
gauge of the faculties OF actor let him reflect
that Edwin Booth did, actually. make Hamlet
popular,
The character Of Richeeu. as drawn by Bulwer
I.ytton is higher and finer than It was In actual
life. The poet, however has license in his treat
! Of the characters OF history The great Duke
Of Gloster. afterward King Richard H. is grossly
nisrepresented and mangned by Shakespeare. go
that his will never be redeemed, in the gen.
eral mind. from infamy: but he is a stupendous
dramatic figure The great Cardinal is ennobled by
Buwer Iytton'S treatment OF him, and he becomes
a legitimate object Of reverence and sfection.-a
massive and splendid dramatic image OF virtuous
power protecting innocent, defenceless weakness
AS presented by the dramaust he is wise. kind.
gentle. Just. sympathetic with goodness, steahfast
amid perils bitter terrible only when confront
ed with evil: and he is tenderly human The darker
side Of his mind is craft his craft is that Of
the sstute statesman, that Of the trtckster.
His Of indirection is never mean.-it Is only
such as 2 profound knowledge OF human nature
and worldly affairs has taught him 10 be essential
and indeed indispensable, in the government Of
! mankind. this drama he is portrayed as the
savior Of the monarchy from betrayal as the ga
yior Of his country from deliverance 10 a foreign
foe He defects political intrigue and he reFcues
pair innocent lovers from the clutch Of deprav-
ity and the blight OF shame. The CHIEF objects or
! a re n.
/ and those are the objects upon which the intel
lectual powers ~ Echcleu arr seen 20 be expended
His little vanities deity eontrasted with Ms
Erest virtues. but he never declines from = royal
poise Of stately intellect. As much as any man
who has been drawn in any fiction he represents
the icv loneliness Of the towering mind TINT age.
thought experience. action. and suffering have hft-
ed above It's contsmp poraries AMI above ths common
| life or the human race. one OF the most uluni-
J native moments in the play is the moment when
the Cardinal recalls his youth and tho friend. long
! dead and gone by whom innocent. gentle girl
/ was committed his paternal care. The actor
! who misses that moment has yet to comprehend
| Richelieu Mr. Mantell. happily. does not miss It;
| and Of his embodiment IN general II can be de-
| clared With hearty sympathy and admiration. that
! he portrayed Rchelieu as noble old man. In
whom the affections subsst in passionate vitality;
! who s constant the north rtar to purity and
! honor: who wears with authentic right the royal
| sarh Of authority: and vho.-sbove all else mot
ohtr7IdinR his ecclesiastical coEency but happily
| curhing Il till the supreme, dramatic momenp, is
| clothed with the tremendous majesty and awful
! power OF the Church Of Rome.
The spirit tho performance IS noble the texture
Of fl requires that peculiar refinement which is in
spired by the realization and acute remembrance Of
| suffering and which evinCes itself in ways that
! are not readily defnsble but which. nevertheless
practically exist among others. the distribution OF
| emphasis and shading OF accent upon particular
| words The method OF the whole personation was,
to some extent. marred by haste. There Is in the
| character Of Richelieu solidty that makes
! pidity Of any kind impossible. There should he
sadness even in his smile He is alone and lonely.
| Nowhere perhaps could be found type Of man
! more completely representative Of the truth
| potently expressed in that great stanza of "Chde
J Harold which begins:
He who aso.nds to mountain-t9ps shall and
IN clouds and
| He Vho surpasses subdues mankind
down the hate Of those below
| MI Mantell however, deeply affected great mu-
titude by the splendid power Of his acting and his
popuar triumph complete. Marie Booth Rus
| sell who appeared Julie de Mortemar. charmed
| by her personal beauty,-but Julie is tmid girl
| not a dazzling matron; and the style OF Miss
/ sells acting is mature and massive. Mr.. Fritz
! Teiber possesses plenty Of vigor and dash, but he
spoils De Mauprat, precisely as he has spoiled
| Faulconbridge and Macdun.-by lack Of study. dis
cration and good taste, and by self-suf1ciency.
Mauprat is a gallant gentleman, not a bouncing
1 braRgart The single act of pounding the Car
dinslp table with handful of documents, in his
! first scene enough 10 signify his complete
disqualification for the character Francois, though
! made too old was exceedingly well acted by Guy
! Tindsey The presentment, 3 a whole. Is worthy
! Of emphatic commendation. and indeed 'Richelieu'
ought really 10 have a run and not be made merely
! an incident Tonight Mr.. ManteI will Shy
| lock. w w
CAST OF "RICHELIEU."
Cardinal Richelieu ManteIi @