Loyola University Maryland - Evergreen / Green and Gray Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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4 THE LOYOLA ANNUAL tions, — regarding ‘ Lear as they generally do, merely as an old despot, and his sorrows and sufferings as measurably de- served by his own folly and tyranny. Nor can youth have ac- quired knowledge enough of mankind to detect and appreciate Shakespeare’s exquisite art and profound philosophy in the drawing of ‘ Lear’s ’ madness, its origin, progress, and climax ; nor his frightfully faithful portraiture towards the fatal denouement of nature’s last and abortive struggle with extreme old age and bodily infirmity, to restore Lear’s mental balance, and re-establish his reason. Therefore, this play is better adapted to the understanding of the sage, and the scenes, especially, to the appreciation of experienced and scientific physicians, who have been accustomed to witness profession- ally and contemplate the subtle workings of the maniac’s mind.” The occasional bursts of anger of ‘‘ Lear ” certainly re- quire of an actor earnest and forcible ex pression, in order to realize fully to an audience the extent of Lear’s ” outraged sensibility. But anger which can find words should at the same moment obtain a comparative temperance, to give it smoothness. All the foregoing can be justly applied to Mr. Mantell’s “ Lear.” In the defiance of the storm — “ Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks,” Mr. Mantell puts forth that wild energy im- plied by the text, and demanded by the circumstances. Few will dispute the fact that Mr. Mantell ' s impersonation of ‘‘ Lear ” is his masterpiece. As Macbeth, in the tragedy of “ Macbeth,” Mr. Mantell presents the theatre-goer with a sublime peace of art. He does not mouth the lines, as many players do, and “ in the very tor- rent, tempest, and as I may say, the whirlwind of passion, he acquired and begot a temperance that gave it smoothness.” What is of great aid to Mr. Mantell is his rich musical voice. His physique and personal bearing are very distingue; his

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THE LOYOLA ANNUAL 3 fusion will reign and much of the effect of the comedy of the play will be destroyed. But identical as the “ Dromios ” are personally, in Mr. James’ clever handling, “ the merry, prank- ish, agile Dromio of Syracuse was an altogether different fellow from the “ slow, heavy and matter-of-fact Dromio of Ephesus.” The humor, too, of each character is distinctive, each within its own flavor and each within its own proper sphere. As ‘‘ Shylock ” in “The Merchant of Venice,” Mr. James presents a picture of a simple, but dignified man, whose anger is aroused by the jeers of a taunting, antagonistic race, and by the filial ingratitude of the unfeeling “ Jessica.” What is strikingly noticeable in his “ Merchant of Venice,” and what most modern actors are wanting in, is clear enunciation. As Mr. James is the only Shakespearean comedian of note, as we have remarked, since the days of James H. Hackett, so Mr. Mantell is the only really great American tragedian since the days of the immortalized Edwin Booth. Mr. Mantell is, indeed, a genius among geniuses, a man among men, an actor among actors, a gentleman among gentlemen. In “ King Lear ” Mr. Mantell attains the height of dram- atic art. “ King Lear ” is his most perfect effort. In this part he is without equal or rival. He is transformed into a feeble old man, still retaining, however, an air of loyalty. His gestic- ulations were not of the violent sort, and his starts were not sudden ; his movements were slow and languid. In every fea- ture of his face misery was depicted ; he moved his head in the most deliberate manner. His facial expressions were harbin- gers, as it were, of what he was going to say. “ King Lear ” is not a popular play with the actor, nor with the multitude, because “ the young,’ says Mr. James H. Hackett, “ who constitute the great majority of playgoers, are too inexperienced to comprehend the dotage of the aged and tender father, and to sympathize with his consequent afflic-

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THE LOYOLA ANNUAL ,5 features are fully chiselled, and this together with a natural conformation of head, throat and chest, enabled Mr. Mantell to present a remarkable specimen of the type of Macbeth. He is true to nature in “ Macbeth,” and, consequently, cannot help but be successful. There have been several productions of “ Othello ” in our city during the past few years ; but in our opinion the portrayal of the Moor by Mr. Mantell far eclipses that of the other actors. He conceives the character of “ Othello,” not as an Ethiopian, but as a Moor; not as black, but as tawny. He meets all the requirements for the part of the Moor, because of his stalwart appearance, and a deep, resonant voice. These two essentials, linked with his subtle forethought, all combine to make his im- personation of the Moor a wonderful one. Mr. Mantell alter- nates the parts of “ lago ” and “ Othello,” but his delineation of the character of “ Othello ” is considered far superior to that of the Ancient. From the view-point of deep Shakes- pearean students, “ lago ” is usually conceived as a slender, graceful figure, with dark eyes and sinister smile; his step is cat-like, stealthy, serpentine and malevolent. Now Mr. Man- tell does not fulfil these requirements perfectly. His produc- tion of “ lago ” has a number of points of merit, particularly the humor, for ‘‘ lago ” enjoys his own malignity ; and the sardonic malevolence of the scenes with “ Rhoderigo ” and some of those with “ Othello” himself, were well conveyed. Mr. Mantell’s presentation of “ the melancholy Dane ” may be considered deserving of great praise. We have become fully convinced of the truth of what Schlegel says of the character of “ Hamlet,” namely, “ many of his traits are too nice and too delicate for the stage, and can only be seized by a great actor and understood by an acute audience.” “ Hamlet” is the most philosophical of all the plays of Shakespeare. The role of Hamlet is characterized by dig- nity, intelligence and melancholy. Indeed, Mr. Mantell in-