Show r AMUSEMENTS J SALT LAKE THEATRE The last event in the notable season of drama seen the past week at the Salt Lake theatre was the presen presentation presentation tation of the tragedy King ICing Richard III Ill with Mr Mantell in the title role The version used is a n free adaptation of or Shakes peares play by Colley Coiley which in involves involves many cuts transpositions and ad additions the only intention of which ac according according according cording to a 8 footnote on the program seems to have been to make the char character character character acter of Richard as odious and disgusting as possible As portrayed portra ed by Mr Mantell Richard Is Isa Isa isa a wicked ruthless monster without moral sense and amenable to the laws of neither God nor man Misshapen from birth the deformity of his body is only exceeded by the deformity of soul but buthe buthe buthe he Is a man of genius of personal brav bray bravery bravery ery and tremendous will that carries all before it His career according to the play Is without a single singie ennobling act but contains human interest in that it is the drama of a heart corroded by re remorse remorse remorse morse In Mr delineation of the char character character character acter Richard is at first shown to be crafty implacable and cruel but he has hasa a certain cynical blithe spirit that gives the impression of bravery without arous arousing arousIng arousing ing sympathy As he becomes steeped in evil the light manner disappears and he is frankly the vile and detested monster In mocking cynical cynic c spirit Mr lIr Mantell Manteli says Was ever woman in this spirit wooed Was as ever woman in this manner won But what a change there is when he ut tens the line To have no creature love me living Nor my ray m memory when dead Remorse begins with the curse pro pronounced pronounced flounced by Richards mother upon her detested son From then on he seems to listen perhaps to inner voices and then to the fantasies of his dreams These dreams are visualized to the audience in the apparitions of the last act when Rich Richard Richard Richard ard sees the ghosts of the murdered As always Mr Mantell makes the re remorse remorse remorse morse felt in some inexpressible way that impresses es his audience powerfully but for which there is no adequate ex explanation explanation explanation Such effects are due to his high hi h art which lies in part p rt in the elo eloquent eloQuent eloquent quent voice and more In the quiet force of his personality Richard is one of the greatest of Mr creations and an immense audience sat spellbound to the end There was but one matter for regret that in this presentation Salt Lake was forced to bid farewell to Mr Man lIan tell teU whom It has royally appreciated and I i by him been more than royally enter tamed At the end of ot o a week of great tragic drama As You Like It the merriest of comedies afforded a momentary relaxation that was only half welcome And that because the play contains no role suited to Mr Man tell But the play playas as presented Satur day afternoon was a notable addition to the weeks offerings and it was re received received received with the greatest enthusiasm and admiration The delicate charm of the comedy found adequate expression in the presentation by br Mr lIr company There was noticeable the same perfection of detail that charac harac each of the other productions The settings were picturesque and the I costumes correct and attractive Five musical numbers of exquisite melody and charm aid In giving the idyllic character by which the comedy is best besl remembered The role of Orlando played by Mr Mantell Mantel affords no opportunity for the display of his marvelous powers There was sas the same careful Interpretation to which his audiences are accustomed but the lack of heroic occasions of de demands demands demands mands for sublimity and pathos made madeI what he must feel himself to be an In Inferior inferior I tenor part Orlando is a brave youth of o simple goodness Oh why art thou so gentle genue strong and valiant vallant cries old Adam and the unnatural elder brother describes him as never schooled and yet learned full of noble device of all sorts enchantingly beloved and in indeed indeed indeed deed so much in the heart of the world and especially of my own peo people people pie who best know him that I am al altogether altogether altogether together By his rare art Mr Mantell expressed the youth pas passion passion passion sion and untutored goodness of Orlando with seemingly unstudied effort and the result was In every respect a fitting I impersonation Playgoers who have not wholly liked Miss Russells work should see her as Rosalind In As You Like It The characteristics of the part are the char characteristics characteristics characteristics of tho the woman as they may maybe maybe maybe be determined by a close study of her personality during the past week Freshness health exuberant vitality sound mindedness these qualities of a richly endowed nature she brings to the role The merry pranks of Rosa Rosalind Rosalind Rosalind lind with her affectionate cheerfulness and flow of spirits are delightfully acted Nothing better is possible than her work in act net IV when she deceives and torments Orlando with happy mis mischief mIschief mischief chief Her recitation of the epilogue is isa Isa isa a perfect ending to the wholly artistic presentation of the role Mr Leiber as the melancholy Jacques added another triumph to his work of the week The part Is not lengthy but It contains some of the finest philosophical speeches of Shake Shakespeare speare spears which Mr Leiber delivered In admirable fashion Other parts were taken satisfactorily and nothing was omitted that could add distinction and charm to the production |