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

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

On Saturday evening this theatre opened under
the management of Mr. Hermann Vezin, on which
occasion a new four-act drama, entitled the " 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, hope-
lessly put off with a recommendation to rewrite this
part of his play, to alter that, and reconstruct the
plot; in fact, to write another, which perhaps maY
be better suited to the stage than the one he has
had the temerity to submit for approval. Hort-
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 be
is indebted for the leading incidents to a German
author, Carl von Holtei. The plot is as follows :---
James Harebell (Mr. Hermann Vezin) is a hill-side
bard, dwelling somewhere in the highlands of
Scotland. He has a wife and child whom he dearly
loves, but, if possible, he 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 bib
rambles on the hills he meets with George
Brandon (Mr. H. Forrester), and forms an ac"
quaiutance 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 Ir.
E. Price), whom she has met on the Continent.
Brandon is, in short, a scamp, a gambler, a what-
not ; and being entrusted by Harebell with £2OO to
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 pretences,
which, of course, he never refunds. Harebell is
driven to distraction by the loss of his money ;
his goods are sold off, his cottage is taken from
him ; and, to crown all, his wife dies. He goes
mad, and it is believed he has made away with
himself. Twenty years pass away, and the remeln"
brance of the people's poet is brighter in the people 'S
mind than ever. It is determined to erect a statue
to his memory. The money is found, the sculptor
is found, the statue is completed, and the day arrives
when the memorial is to be erected to the honour
i
of the poet. The whole country assembles around
the pedestal, and the ceremony is preceded bid
singing one of Harebell's best remembered an
most popular songs. The song is " The Mall
o' Airlie," which gives name to the piece. icl°
verses are chaunted, and when the last notes die
away another verse is taken up in a low, wailing'
trembling voice, which proceeds from an old lan
seated at the foot of the pedestal. It is poor John
Harebell in beggar's attire, emaciated, woe-begone:
and devoid of reason, who talks of himself as "
being he had known in his youth, and cannot Inv
derstaud for whom the glory of the day's bushe°:
is intended. The well-known air, however, seeril.
at last to open glimpses of the past to his rahldrb
The kind friends near him soothe and cord°
him. intelligence dawns upom him ; he recollect
the old familiar place, and his senses are restore.o
The part of James Harebell afforded Mr. Arcilof
perhaps the best opportunity he has ever bad.og
exhibiting his talents as an actor. In the opetn
ti,
act his creation of the frank, open, manly, but 1-10
pretending poet was natural to a degree, 0
his dress and appearance brought vividly to meets,
the remembrance of one of Scotland's greatest PO in
Robert Burns. As the play proceeded Mr. Niece,
won his way to the finest feelings of his audienio
and a more finished display of pat tall
earnest acting has rarely been witnessed. In
ost
the changing varieties of the character the in
at,
consummate skill was exhibited, and the cultranro,
tug point was the burst of passionate emotion libis
duced by the reading of the expressive memorial ech
countrymen. It was a genuine triumph of art, Miss
called forth a perfect hurricane of applause. the
Edith Stewart, as Mary Harebell, acted with of,
most charming simplicity. She looked the 113113 yet
joyous, and contented wife of the poet-grro
to the life. Mr. Maclean, as Saunders, dt:setioe
the highest praise for his admirable representngio
of Harebell's faithful Highland servant. ':ece,
Nelly Moore had a prettly little part in the Pi Ds
which rihe played with feeling and grace i WI