New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-06
THE DRAMA---MUSIC.
DAYS THEATRE-THE DREAM

-
1t is remarked by Hazt that the stage is an cpiS.
ONE bctcred likeness of the world. with the duh
part left out7 and the fine thinker adds. with subtle
insight and quaint wisdom. that Il" indeed with this
omission, 1t is nearly big enough TO hold all the ret'
There Is profound and significant truth IN ths OBJ
scrvaton Actual life, in most Of its aspects, Is dull
and tedious Almost all persons are commonplace
except at moments Almost all scenes are lnSlpid-
except at moments. Nature will not show herself
you at all times. The glory Of sunrise is revealed
only once in day, and then you Will not sec
1t unless you in the right mood The uncommon
element in human creatures must be awakened before
they can really discern anything Most persons who
have reached middle age. for example. know absolutely
nothing that is worth knowing except what they saw
during the brief and sweet youthful hour when
they in love. II is the uncommon element t1at
cndows man with perception and it Is the uncommon
element that make, humanity interesting.
Common life is barren: and sometimes it Is worse
than barrcn-bccausc the contemplation Of IL IS ex-
trcmey apt 10 engcndcr a bitter contempt for human
lty as altogether vacuOus. frivolous and trivial.
Those writers 0f whom there Is pestllent proiuslon
at the present tlmc) who advocate and who practise
what is called realism in art exempfy and emphasize
these views Internationally, Of course, but not the
less positively. in every moment Of their misguided
and uncouth Industry. The world Of art has no room
for the commonplace. No properly organized mind
will ever be contcntcd with photograph u II can
get anything better. We do not wish to know "hat
people are i'm their ordinary state We know, only
too we'll that human nature. in its average condition.
is full Of selnshncss envy malice ana gfeed' inee
is no circle into which any man enters anywhere IN
which he does not invariably hear people sooner or
later speaking i'll Of other people behind their backs
DetractiOn j. universal. and IL j. perennial We 10
not wish tor for that matter III iSlihS eiscl ~
hear the small talk the cacklc the babDe Of e'eiSuy
life Humanity should be contemplated IN III lu'di-
lied aspects. Shakespeare has endured and he VIII
which an effort is already in formidable progress To eH-
cludc him. a, being archaic and not coniemporahe"i'l'
because while absolutely true 10 truth III Ms fcnc'
tons Of human nature. he localized and trlnshSurei
IT, shake pcale, accordingly, coming upon Us If
such play as his Midsummer Nights Dream, Is
refre,hnent beyond all words and just now upon
the better spirit Of this tone, in contrast with tho
melancholy and deplorablc stun which In many
quarters makes the theatre incubus, he comes TO
use his own lovely words.
Like the sweet south.
That br. athe, upon a bank Of yoiets
Stealing and giving odor"
This thought is prompted by the reproduction OF
"A Midsummer Nights Dream which was elected
lat nieht I'm Days Theatre. and TINS thought WIZ
indeed do good work II II p'r'iace, r-"es I" nm
provc the privilege which this revival once m"ip
place within ,hcr reach II is solely ;or iielr Wei
fare that ms view Of te sube1t urea e,'on ~
1----'.G i'm "A setting Of cNtf1Ordlnary p'auy
and with good cast of the characters and met WIN
Skinned about with little tape 10 satisfy Their
minds that the production Wa not without ta"1 ana
dnubtlc.s thcy found consolation. Bat Tie Dream
held the STAGE for more than fifty n!cht-. and y gave
Innocent and enrolling pleasure - hundred, of spIo,
tators in whom IL, poetic charm awakened ne
imagination the heart the slumberns spark OF al.
,mifv that rc,.cms man from the clod. That benelr
II can give again. and therefore il ought eagerly TO Ne
Welcomed II r4cir, In the opulent and lovely
die-,: 1t is staged with more skil than before -
reriay in the u,c Of lights and il Is acted IN rplrt
- close and gentle simplicity with Ms atmos phcre 81
dream and drift. The cast Of parts 1, somewhat
changed. but not in the more important features,
Ada Rehan as Helena John Drew as Demetrlus, James
Lewis As Bottom and Charles Fisher - Egeus. remain
The music Of Titana IS SUNG by Kitty Chcahail whose
sfa.e auauncat lions exclusively musical 'e'l-"
Clarke enacted The>ous. and Miss Isabel lrVlnE as
-uulcd Oicron for the first time. The REPRESENTATION
l. marked bv great spirit and sncegliy-the htch'o
feeling with which Mis- Eehan plays Helena anlmath;
,.l tomato Vitality passages such as the quarrel
i'm me woods which as usually acted are left III
somnoent languOr.