New-York tribune., 1909-03-09
THE DRAMA
LIE MANTELL AS KING JOHN.
New Amsterdam Theatre.

~E-4f-
,-ssr performance. gave conclusive proof that hs
great actor The character Of King John.
l,,.,-,ar not ~ the greatest Of ShalIespeares
.s-iors IS - all his characters, one of the most
s4ct of authoritative. euthra'lng representati0n.
=. -rs double that, while It is not uniformly
= ev,TI-irly drawn. il Is inibedded in a tumultu-
g and sorev hat dIstracting profusion ~ military
~rro5ts Almost all of the first half Of the play
= 5svoei 10 2 deIloyment Of the principal persons
-,.--ad IN g. and 10 preparation. by means or
s,bs-s and The clsngor - martial combat for the
.-,-sxsl NJ those persons. web Of movement
-.sr+fsIl-- dramatic: and during that preliminary
- -pz character Il the King Is. in q considerable
.z.e-ea reserved from full disclosure--for he ap-
s-e es an intrepid resolUte. expeditions warrior.
:. ,,e,1z exhibiting either mslevolence weak
=. r- guile When, therefore after the capture
a s,-5rOe arthur. he suddenly reveals himself as
. s-,rsls rraft.. treacherous. sinister villain,
-,7-r-frC the preparation of q dastardly murder,
- 7F5eh he scarcely has the courage 20 speak,
= s--rr,or's revelation II him In this new light
-ss % hiring with Il p sense Of discord- and 90
.ts rra character seenl anomalous Formation
!. clear consistent. definite practical ideal OF
80 Ta1r scCordinEly, requires keen discernrlent
-o--,--47 47e-sive survey Of the tragedy a
+,1s while the effective impairment of that ideal
:. theatrical audience eNacts the exercise of
-s-7r-77ste faculty Of IDsinUation ana eNtTdorul-
ri, ,f r777lerdin7eur The Crovning excellence
q NJ NfarfelTs Performance Is his interfuslon-
- 49, beginning. of naiEnity with royal ar
.-.e sunlici-y with irascitle valor- and 4 TURK
-. 5-,=--f-7,de beneath an outside show Of power
lie -sspe-f his acting eNCels that of 'harieS
- -l,e best and the most renowned representa-
-, =. KING John who has been seen here. within d
- .-,s-7brsrca Of our stage That lnterfusloi
- ~ aco7rriished by any eNpedients ~ 'N-
.--ea-t 5erneauor. nor by any eNacer'atl'HN "'
- traditional PiantaEenet temper iJohh- il :
.5.s rahtuaIly svoTe 'hE God : lee'1- -
- ssr7se- movement. facial play. modulatloIs
- ,oic- and such other close denotemenls of
- ,e-so7sH:y as while they cannot perhaps be
-s,-sa1y defined. are Intuitively co1preIlefldeo
- actor who Is 2 scholar VIII. Of course aFal'
,4ss1f OF whatever Biographical Information ne l.
-. n Obtain relative TO peculiarities n appear
,roa and manner known to have been charaele'l9l
of s7v historic person whom hs - d3slrous 10 ieP
- +-, the actor i not justified in going behind
"a ~,e-z -7criou IN order 10 derive an 'deai -i'
,.e historians alleged fact The character ol Flh
fohr ss represented 10y history. = far from be-iA
,s.-i-a7 with the character Of King John as repre-
.sr-ed lv Saakespeare. The actual man appears L"
have been a -rf1lai. and. though poSs-s7so W .t
5ss-ne qualities fs3cl pTonlpfitude "l Will i'l
,..-a-- a---horfrv and sporadic. bulldog courage
hR5ealsIv rr5eI. uonStr7Isly lrsnliouS- a sa' So
,,ra,,4 reradious ruthless. intrinsically wicked,
s,-h -ran as being practically almost d "A'
49, -o-ia not literally drawn - made inter
- 20 . ,-,,-l- ~ art II should ~ remembered
rs. che aze - King john was one Of F'oieAee'
that for the most part the chronl'eS OF MS
-,,az5 from rlouk5sn writer's. unlikely 10 ~ 'ei'
- ,,. -s-,-a-7or of prince who dened tie Pope 'I
80
= +.-es his za7-e-eig-ltv = England lasted roF
,irl-se- wears and was terminated not py ms "e
-,-s5rio1 hur rs lis natural death me P"'lo ~"
- -. --ss,ir,a- of such a pe~son.-whetner that ART
h. ~ drama or r1-7ance-Could only oe SelNen. -
:, has been in shakespeare's play OF KING JoHh
- =- S-a-f-s novel Of --Ivauhoe through 4 Juul-
lows consideration of those facts and through 'e
-.--s7rfru 0F character not compact O lleie-S
,aono-onous brutality but eoinFniig'eo OF ma.
---=les susceptible Of artistic treatment ana o.
harfc
-rlre7 in the industry Of ordinary crime Is pI@1
rf~aIv useless whether IN play or a novel 'l''
a-er order that II may ne interesting. mus '-
diversified Shakespeare in delinsa1Ing KING J"I'
lss rarga ignored the testimony ;f such records
- v-ar+ accessible 10 him and,-c"selv following.
s To plot and q 10 The ground plan Of the several
monument persons old PLAY. or "flrh llir
authorship Is ulSupWn. but with which Shahe-
sr.ear5aa scholars are faHiiiaT,-las drawn man
and NOS : brute Beneath tie magic touch or the
1,ae hrlrIv barbarian IS transfEured, so tlal ne
1scorres creature Of imagination being capa'ie
q fnerf~ing Friendship We'} anlmositN- q being
rone 10 f-ightful ickaduess. but not immune from
esraFry frgl1tful rerru,se The historian MacanIay
desfeuates King John trifer and a coward
Shakespeare has depicted him A. an incarhall'H 'L
rslo- policy and depra yity.-Valor that Is deeaJed
tv 7asueSs and misfortune. policy that Is lhVarla
-r-nu-sr and sIperStitlo5s fear ana neI'ra'i'N
that * rsp7She6 ty tie detection Of his harcns ano
.F7e r-ur-acted tortureE II an aEontzlng deaih IN
that vav Nj Mantell has apPrehended and repre-
scented the character nlanifesr1ng broad coIhpIe-
hsrsiar af the whole subject and enr1ching the
trs-e with Shakespearian figure not less maEnih-
osnJ than urue-
The dramatic thread or the tragedy IS the on
position Of King John and Prince Arthur IN a con
.es, for the crown Of England. the title to which
is lawfully rested IN the Prince while the posses
zfon of So IS unlavfuy vested in the King Behind
.se Prince stands his mother the passionate,
picturesque Constance. clsmorous for his royal
firthrlsht and frantic ia dolorous lameutali"i
when that nirthriEht Is bartered. Behind me KING
stands The arrogant Queen-M0the-, Elnor, lnspiT-
ine he son 10 hold by the strong hand. that
sqyerefzrts- 10 which she knows he is not entitled
and cannot Otherwise maintain and behind him
also stands rhe gay martial, buoEantr lrGculsh'-
honest Faulcoubri6ee. whom no peril can calIl
snd no obstacle impede. Sometimes in alliance ana
sometimes ir opposition. the schenins. potent
Phnir King of France. whether friend or zoe,
continual menace 10 the English usuFIef- te-
hind aH.-the spring and impulse Of the action
stands Cardinal PandujIh leeate "f the Pope
prompting 10 war or peace, as best BELTS his
political purpose 10 augment The Papat power
Viewed even as fancfful epitome of old Engilsh
Eist0rr-vhfle allowing foT its compressor "l
and proved errors of alleged fact-tle
fisv exceptionally luminous a7S vitality lnteres
irs Viewed study "f human nature il is
precious for rs substance of truth and marvellous
fo- i-s beauty of expression Maternal love and
grief are nowhere else put into such superiat''H
words those Of Constance The exquisite scene
in which Arthur pleads and Hubert relents Is OF us
pathetic order unmatched and unnatchahle tn"
ooosstent preservation of poetic tone Is not less
absolute than The sUstainment Of perfect hdeiy -
nature and essential fact. KiHg John, III reality.
vas c9ntemDtuous of the bell. book ana
rand3e" Of the Church Faulconbridge Is IN the
play F4ix surrender to Rome. like his surrender
- the Farons when he signed the Great Charter
Esf an act conceived ia policy and performed under
compuEiou.-for he we'll knew that what was de-
manded would soon be eXtorted If IT were not then
Eiren- IN rhe t-ageay he is shown-after the death