The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-12 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S THEATRE,

-4- -

DONNA DIANA.
" Derma thaua," a c3rr.,A137 in three acts, adapted

from the Spanish of Moreto, by Westland Marston,
E,q., was produced at this theatre last evening,

and met with the most brilliant success.

It is with more than ordinary pleasure

we record the fact because the result was as

genuine as it was spontaneous. In many in-

stances means are taken to secure an apparent suc-

cess of a new drama irrespective of its merits, but
generally in such cases, although the end desired
may be attained for a time, the play, like other
things, finds its own level, and notwithstanding the
most fulsome adulation has been heaped upon it after
a few representations it passes into oblivion, and

is heard no more of: This has certainly
been the fate of most of the " new and:extraordi-
nary successful" dramas produced of late years ;
but such will not be the case with " Donna Diana."
It will become a favourite and stock comedy, and
will take its place amongst the brilliant comedies
of Snakespeare, which are never represented with-
out producing the most elevated thoughts and
feelings. _ _

The plot of the new comedy is clear and
compact—virtues that are not now common
amongst dramatic authors, for intricacy, not
to say impenetrable mystery, is often relied
upon to procure a favourable verdict. The
comedy opens in Barcelona, the duke's daughter,
Donna Diana being the bright sun round which all
the love-sick sw :ins in his domains revolve. This
lady, strange to say, has foresworn all allegiance
to love, and has determined to set a pattern to her
sex, and showithem that woman has a right equal
to that of man. The lady at the time the play is
supposed to commence has three lovers, all dying
for the posession of her fair hand, but, notwith-
standing their entreaties, she coldly repels two of
her flutterers, and determines to do the same with
the third. Don Cesar, however, previous to his

interview with Diana, meets, and makes a confidant
of Perin, a gay light-hearted countryman of his
own, and who, moreover, is a gentleman attached
to the suite of the imperious beauty. Peri❑
advises Cesar not to approach the lady, as all
before him have done, with sighs and entreaties,
but to meet her disdain with disdain, and thus
create her astonishment at his seeming indiffer-
ence to her great attractions. This he resolves
to do, and Diana is piqued nearly beyond endurance
by the declaratio❑ of Cesar that he has determined
to solicit her hand—not because he bears the
slightest love for woman, but simply because it is
necessary for state purposes that his dukedom
should have an heir. Diana stung at his coldness,
determines spite of himself he shall fall in love
with her, and that when she has the pleasure of
seeing him at her feet she will have the still greater
delight of rejecting his proffered love with scorn.
She arranges her plans accordingly, and begins her
attack on Don Cesar's heart by making it appear
that chance has made him her cavalier for the
Duke's masked ball. Cesar is informed by Perin of
the stratagem, and for a time he acts with the
utmost coolness towards the scheming lady,
but most unfortunately his resolution forsakes him,
and in a short time he is brought, on his k nee, to
the feet of the triumphant beauty. With im-
perious scorn she throws back his proferred love,
and Cesar is, for the moment, lost,in utter despair
Fortunately he remembers the character he has been
selected to fill at the ball, and collecting all his self-
possession, he calmly raises himself erect, and in
the most careless manner asks the lady whether she
really thought him in earnest. Amazed at the
mistake she imagines she has made, Diana's pride
is sorely wounded, ,and she determines on another
scheme more potent, she believes than the first.
This also fails, and thus, while she is using all her
arts to subdue the :stubbornness of Don Cesar
her heart gradually opens to real and un-
affected love for him. Her pride prevents its
avowal, the sentiments she formerly held compels
her to be silent, and her only hope of forcing from
her seemingly adamantine lover a declaration is to
work upon his jealousy. Here Perin has again to
screw up the Don's failing resolution, because he
imagines the fruit is not ripe, and that the proud
and disdainful lady has not felt the anguish of un-
requited love long enough. The last scheme fails,
and Diana, with a bursting heart, is about to pro•
nounce, in the presence of the Court, her intention
of marrying Don Louis, when she encounters the
gaze of Don Cesar, and her resolution falls irre-
trievably to the ground, Pride is conquered—Cesar
makes an avowal of long hidden love—
the lady hears the delicious words with
ill concealed rapture, and the curtain falls
of course upon the union of Don Cesar and Donna
Diana. There is a capital comic underplot for
Perin and the lady's waiting-maid, the former re-
pelling with a bluntness almost amounting to rude-
ness, the spells of the pretty little coquette, although
he is, in fact, as madly in love with her as Don
Cesar is with Diana. It told immensely, and pro-
voked the most enthusiastic applause.
The part of Donna Diana was allotted to Mrs.
Hermann Vezin, and, great and numerous as have
been this lady's triumphs, she has never
achieved a more splendid one than that of last even-
ing. The different and difficult phases of the part
—coldness, indifference, scorn, and contempt almost
amounting to hatred, jealousy, and utter despair—
were pourtrayed with consummate art. It was, in
a word, a charming performance. Mr. Vezin
as Don Cesar was also highly successful.
His coolness as the indifferent lover was finely and
carefully hit off; but his great triumph was i❑ the
second act—his warm, impassioned, avowal of love
to Diana, and the sudden change to freezing cold-
ness on recovering the mastery over his feelings,
which he had temporarily lost. It is an admirable
performance, and one that cannot but add an-
other laurel to his well-won wreath. Mr. G. Vining
as Perin had a character that fitted him to nicety—
an assumed woman hater, but in reality a perfect
volcano of love. He was as full of spirit and vivacity
as a bottle of champagne, and never have we seen
more genuine comedy embodied. Mr_ D. Fisher
has a small but telling part, and the same may be
said of that supported by Mr. Forrester. Miss Rose
Powell acted delightfully as the pretty little wait-
ing woman in love with Perin, and Miss Carson and
Miss Emma Bennett gave their parts with good
effect.
The applause throughout the piece, and at the
fall of the curtain was unanimous and enthusiastic.
The calls for Mr. and Mrs. Vezin were frequent
during the representation of the comedy, and at its
conclusion they had again to appear to bow their
thanks. The same mark of honour was conferred
on the talented and energetic manager, and
although a strong determination was shown to have
Mr. Westland Marston " before the floats," the
audience were ultimately satisfied with his bowing
his acknowledgments of the appreciation of his
latest work from a private box.
The dresses were sumptuously beautiful, and the
scenery and appointments were elegant and appro-
priate.