Pictorial Shakespeare, 1880-1890 - eTheses Repository - University ...

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any specific ccscrijtion oi the eiiect.
The fourth act of Mansfield's version began ;.ith an
abridged text of ohekespe^re's IV.1, situatec ithin the lower,
ihe set wrc by -..U.ttanks, and a., conmendec by Tha j.t^-.e as
another fine bit of stage masonry, in hich the cto e ork
stands out PS if in re lity it existed" - the texture ep e; rs
to r ave be^n achieved by trompe ci^oeij. pt inting rather th; n
moulding. This sceae :vos "lugibrious", thought The Saturday
ft*view (6 Ipril), £.nd might - ell be c^mcierised further. After
the second sc.ne, in vaich uicharc., :: a striking violence in
his air and eye", suggested the murder of the princes to
Buckingham, the tableau-curtains fell. They rose on the s.me
setting, but sonu hours later, rt evening. This w*s the
occasion of one of Mansiield's most striking visual effects:
...the sun is stressing through a coloured
'.-drido', making all within blood-redi Tyrrell
tells how the muraer of the children was
enacted, and then Rich* rcl enters cuo, after c
speech solus, seats himself upon his throne.
It is here that lir Mrnsfield introcuces some
highly drastic business. Richard is alone,
the nevs of the children's d-^ath has fallen
into open ears, but there comes a brief riioi^ut
of fear or remorse, and Aic'n. ru looks upon his
hand, on i.hich t ;e 1 st dying sun is sijoclcini,
is r^y: to his incgirution it is bloody, ana
in an a^ony oi nina the monarch cries aloud,
a cry that is half stran, led in its birth by
the entrance of Crtesby...
(The dtaAe)
The 3c-tui da,y Revie Oi:ve aauitionol detail -^: uicharu, sc-jiug
tiio "oloou" on his hanas, v.rung ti.e.n, ; ttempted to » i >o them,
and, nin an agony of terror 1 ', le.pt irom the throne . nd
crouched in its shado. . Ivos t..is legitimc.to? It apveurec th, t
Mensfielc's hi chard folt vury early the conscience to wi.ich
in ^hakespe.. r^ r s text be first admits in the t^nt sceii-. A
review of the lie- York production 614..,et>t;. tn.-.t th.., violence
of this piece of business hed been diminished, by the time
tf. nsfield returned to America, and that ourn n'o music -ein-
forcca itc eifect:
fxhe music, x.hich is peculiar to ti o_ rriiices
ana x:nich has been l.e re whenever they hc've
cp e rea, iu played, end t= « r.ucicnce c.t oncu
feels tr.at Richtra is thinkihj, oi tiio nurcorot,
i H'jcants, & .d th-: t t..e r-a l^^.t Sa^^osts to