The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-22 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

On Saturday evening this theatre opened under
the management of Mr. Herinann Vezin, on which
occasion a new four-act drama, entitled the 46 Man
o' Airlie," was produced. It is from the pen Of
Mr. W. G. Wills, the author of " David Chantry,"
and other novels; and although we believe it is his
first dramatic effort, it is of such merit that we look
towards him hopefully for the future. To Mr.
Vezin, however, he is under much obliga-
tion, as for him he has assumed the reins of ma-
nagement a perilous enterprise to undertake,
especially at this season of the year. However,
without he had done so Mr. Wills's play would per-
haps never have been produced, because such a spirit
of cliquism prevails amongst our author-critics that
great indeed must be the merit of a piece, the produce
of a person so peculiarly placed, to insure its
representation on the metropolitan stage. There
is at times a loud call for new authors to come for-
ward, but when the cry is answered cliquism pre-
vails, and the aspiring writer, not being one of the
band of brothers, he is, after a little dallying, hop-
lessly put off with a recommendation to rewrite thi4
part of his play, to alter that, and reconstruct the
plot; in fact, to write another, which perhaps mai
be better suited to the stage than the one he has
had the temerity to submit for approval. gel"
ever, Mr. Wills has not fortunately been sub'
jected to such treatment. He has submitted
his first play to Mr. Vezin, and that gentleman has
had the courage to rent the Princess's Theatre
specially for its production.
The new play is entitled " The Man o' Airlie,"
the author at the outset himself telling us that he
is indebted for the leading incidents to a Gerniae
author, Carl von Holtei. The plot is as follows
James Harebell (Mr. Hermann Vezin) is a hill-sid°
bard, dwelling somewhere in the highlands of
Scotland. He has a wife and child whom he dearly
loves, but, if possible, ho loves as dearly the idea
of
making a great name as a poet, and bequeathing It
to posterity. Harebell is the poet of the people'
who look up to him with reverence and admiration,
and would fain make an idol of him. Like all
poets, he is a lover of nature, and in one of ins
rambles on the hills he meets with George
Brandon (Mr. 11. Forrester), and forms an ae.
quaintance with him. Brandon is enaged to be mar
ried to Miss Steelman (Miss Nelly Moore), daughter
of Lord Steelman (Mr. W. D. Gresham) ; but the
young lady, although she does not offer any objection
to the union, secretly affects Sir Gerald Hope (i\
E. Price), whom she has met on the Contincn'','
Brandon is, in short, a scamp, a gambler, a what"
not ; and being entrusted by Harebell with £2OO t°_
pay his London publisher for bringing out his volume
of poems, makes use of it to pay off gambling debts.
He also contrives to borrow some few hundreds
more--his wife's fortune, under various pretence!,
which, of course, he never refunds. Harebell 1°
driven to distraction by the loss of his money'
his goods are sold off, his cottage is taken fr°ra
him ; and, to crown all, his wife dies. Ile g°,3
1s
mad, and it is believed he has made away with
himself. Twenty years pass away, and the reineol,d
brance of the people's poet is brighter in the people 7
mind than ever. It is determined to erect a state°
to his memory. The money is found, the sculPtcr
~
is found, the statue is completed, and the day arrive'
when the memorial is to be erected to the honour
of the poet. The whole country assembles around
the pedestal, and the ceremony is preceded ha
singing one of Harebell's best remembered 313
most popular songs. The song is 4, The Alao
c,
o' Airlie," which gives name to the piece. 11,11;0
verses are chaunted, and when the last notes';
away another verse is taken up in a low, wailli3,7l;
trembling voice, which proceeds from an old 0:0
seated at the foot of the pedestal. It is poor 0
Harebell in beggar's attire, emaciated, woe-bcg°ll;
and devoid of reason, who talks of himself a°o.,
being he had known in his youth, and cannot. co
derstand for whom the glory of the day's busillo
is intended. The well-known air, however,"seetia,
at last to open glimpses of the past to his 'lllfort
The kind friends near him soothe and eelti,oto
him. Intelligence dawns upom him ; he recnbd.
the old familiar place, and his senses are rest°rzio
The part of James Harebell afforded Mr• Ve of
d
perhaps the best opportunity he has ever ha jog
exhibiting his talents as an actor. In the ope'ltio,
act his creation of the frank, open, manly, but oct
pretending poet was natural to a degrees
joa
his dress an appearaue'3 brought vividly t° ~ctS,
the remembrance of one of Scotland's greatest Pv-ezie
Robert Burns. As the play proceeded Mr..
won his way to the finest feelings of his a°a iectie,
and a more finished display of pith ill
earnest acting has rarely been witnessed.
the changing varieties of the character the .at..
consummate skill was exhibited, and the ealull o'
nig point was the burst of passionate einotio. f
P •
duced by the reading of the expressivemennorialweilich
countrymen. It was a genuine triumph of art' gig
called forth a perfect hurricane of applause. .0 the
Edith Stewart, as Mary Harebell, acted so
most charming simplicity. She looked the - :loot
joyous, and contented wife of the poet
.1-7crve°
to the life. Mr. Maclean, as Saunders, 'otion
the highest praise for his admirable represeu rjiss
of Harebell's faithful Highland servant. iece,
Nelly Moore had a prettly little part in the Ivit'
which she played with feeling and grace i an
d