New-York tribune., 1876-11-20
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
THE REVIVAL OF "As YOU LIKE IT.n


sunset-which clothes this lovely comedy as with
garment of light Something evanescen elusive, in
descIibabe, an enchantment recognized felt, onged
for but named, still TO escape the most
competent processes of dramatic art in its treatment OF
this theme. Men who have walled alone in the Autumn
wOods-cang to mind the words OF the royal exile the
sad wisdom Jacques and the richly tender songs Of
A8enS songs which the perfect and immortal voice
OF broken hope and wasted faithare aware of these
qualities and understand why they can never bereached
in practical expression. Nature keeps ber secret-anu
this great comedy with nature. The strong genius
of Shakespeare. likewise, looking down on all mortal
things and touching in this play, with heavenly colors,
the sweetest and the saddest experiences OF human me-
assumes an exataon of pensve beauty far above the
reach of the world fact. Art to limit at last
where all 1t do ia to stretch it's hands toward heaven
There mysteries Of starry night and solitary ocean
and mountain solitude which II can interpret
There music in the voices of some children an ei-
fable loveness in The faces of women. which IT
never can preserve and so, in this comedy, there is
an interior spirit celestial fragrance secure beyond its
reach and coy all its suppcation. The stage may do
much but these ideals elude it. and
No speed avals
To hunt upon then SHINING trans.
Nevertheless the dramatic manager who brings for
ward AS You Like It, and places it upon his stage in
conscientious spirit and adequate dress is public
benefactor All the influences that flow out of it
gentle and noble Its development Of pure love kindles
the heart Its pastoral pictures tranquiize the mind.
Its pIesentment contrased character and experience
broadens the intelligence. Its philosophy exalts the
SOUL Its poetry sings itself through the thoughts Ike
evening wind that murmurs in the dry grasses by the
broosde on late October days And its mingled sheen
OF warm youthful life and shadow OF mOurnfu senti-
ment fascate every perception of the beautiful ana
satisfy us with nexplicabe pleasure Though the effort
10 interpret this comedy therefore, fall short OF perfee
ton in results ye. noble effort and its results
cannot fail to be good.
In the revival OF it which has been made at the Fifth
Avenue Theatewhe the greatradc defect is the al
most total absence OF poetry OF emotional and intel
lectua treatmen-there Is, accordingly much to well
come aud admire. Mr. DAILY has made splendid en-
deavor in perfectly sincere spirit with taste. with
scholarship with berality, and with judgment; and 1t
is difficult il impossible to wherein he could nave
made better use Of his privilege manager or OF the
materials at his command Record Of the proceedings
of Saturday night when As You Like II ws reViYed,'
observe many incidents of the peasantest descrlp-
ton The audience was numerous, intellectual, refined,
attentive, and delighted. The promise OF the manager
as to scenes end dresses found 10 have been entirely
fulfilled. The play given with almost complete ad-
herence the text OF Shakespeare The performance
WAS very thorough in execution part being FASTENED
and DO point being surred. The woodland scenes, CON-
posed with feeling and handled with skill, made TO
present the loveest confusion eafy vistas connu-
ally changing and sunset cOOrs softenng into DUSK Inc
dresses were TO be rich and handsome ana some
times almost scrupuOusly accurate in historic de-
tails. The music executed in manner altogether
delicious. There moment when. if completeness
and decacy OF picture considered the stage ceased TO
be luxury TO the eye accomplish this result was to
accomplish much and are the more wshiul to recog-
nize this achievement with wholehearted cordahty,
since we are compelled add that the acting OF the chief
parts in the comedy was, with scarcely an exception
saturated with prosness that stalled the entire pageant
The ungracious part of critical duty cannot be per
formed too briefly; anG, but with kind intention as 10
suggestveness Of comment. It would not here be per
formed at ALL Miss Fanny Davenport appeared as RoSd
lind giving her second performance of the part in this
city is not yet good RoSalind II is very pretty II
is exceedingly well dressed it s at times, coquetish
and tanalizng; IL Is notable for unusual hdelty 20
nature essential element OF assumed D0yshnessi
1t has freedom and viyacity and 1t Is graced in the
musical episode with neat execution and arch manner
But there is much more in the part than pretines raj
liery and bewitchment; much that Miss Dayenpots
nature convey and obaby does not seize Ihe
intellectual character, the luxuriant womanhood, SEN
suous yet spiritual the childke purity the fascination
the gleeful radiancc-ke morning sunshine on the sea-
and, above all, the afectionate heart OF R0sdiind
this actress did not indicate. and, apparently does
not apprehend. Her R0SaliRd is first
buxOm beauty and then saucy boy The froc is pres
ept but not the soul Such a woman might tease mans
fancy could not break his heart Aside from meageT
ness o. IDEAL too. there grave defects in Miss Dayen
ports execution. Her often thin and metallic
her enuncation is often too rapid, and sometimes she
clips of the sentences with nasal twang that cuts the
nerves like veteran All this could surely be
repaired: and, 10 the higher matter Of IDEAL 1t is
enough to say that there depths Of feeling and
thought which only be sounded in the actual expert
ence OF hgearted natures and that for some Of the
conceptions Of poetry the artist must be born and cannot
be made As Emerson has said, with such faIreaching
significance and beauty,
You must have also the untaught strain
That sheds beauty on the rose.
Much was expected OF Mr. COghlan as Orlando, and,
mechanically much was given. His Orlando, however,
was rustic Hamlet, incoming about in the woods, list
less as ideness and lymphatic to the Of sleep
The text of the part though. read by him with com
neant and with correctly diyersedfceng;
the actor depicted with equal force and truth. the
amazed and bewidered surrender OF Odndos heart to
Rosglnd and nc was exceedingly fclicitOus In express
ing the humor tina. resides in certain delicate infections
Of the voice, when utering banter and mild sarcasm
But an Orlando who has neither Joyous buoyancy pas
sonate fervor airy grace need not long detan the
passinp thought Mr. Coghlans performance II fine at
ALL Is fine only in practical executions and TO summarize
itas highly respectable and tedious will not be unjust
This public has seem OF late years. but one really spleD-
did Orlando and that the lamented Walter Mont
conery-a man by Imagination temperament, ana per-
sopaI craces so fitted TO part that he lived II to the
fins Of his fingers and while he lived it filed the stage
with sunshine. But he too has gone, with so many
Others the nobest Of their stran," and
Fallen into the dusty crypt
OF daTkened forms and faceS
Mr. Fisher was even greater DISAPPOINTMENT az
yoeo,,s II the part is anything II Is sadly humorous,
disapponted warped nature, Teposef dreamy, pctur-
osoue and strange. Mr.. Fisher made him bstllng'
Hebraielookng parsonage now jocnar' now gum ana
much addicted to elocuton There was no sign in the
lifo 4 hat hasb he