New-York tribune., 1891-12-23
THE DRAMA.
REVIVAL OF "As YOU LIKE IT.,

shakespeare's beautiful comedy OF "As You Like sta
was reproduced In Days Theatre last night and N.
performance Of II was heartily enjoyed By A rocS
audience. This record is SIMPLE but 1t is p,essans,
significant and In a marked degree IL Il ausp,c,on.
Such a play as this would not be enjoyed II IL ver.
not arrayed In the garb Of beauty, and II 1t were MA
acted In mood Of poetic feeling and with the fslc,
Of expression that humor ond grace inspire. A com
petent Interpretation Of AS You Like IT. denote.
entirely capable and liberal stage management. aod
better still it signifies strong, various ami dcc,ts
faculties in the art Of acting An audience that A
preciates such Interpretation Of that comedy Is A
audience that can feel the spell of genius and rspouA
10 the charm Of poetry. Many features In aspect
Of the contemporary stage aI6 panfnl, and som. "A
them are odIous but the period that graecd With
successful presentment Of the pastoral cemedy a
Shakespeare Is not period Of unmtsated folly. Ths
setting the performance and the reception last nsbt
we're in every way delightful and the result IA not
less bonprabe 10 the public than 1t Is 10 the manage,
and tho actors
With increased facilities for scenic Husration--s
deeper and higher stage and more abundant room for
pictorial displayMr DAILY has been able 10 supass his
previous portrayal OF the woodland scenes 10 this
comedy, making 1t TO approach as near 10 the efeet
OF absolute nature as 1t is desirable that sas
picture should come. The spectator looks into
bird-haunted region OF mossy gades and DARK
empowering branches and along forest vistas that
slumber in shine and shadow and seem not anywhere
TO end 1t Is the wood Of Arden, that grows In tas
land Of dreams; and as the music sounds and the
echoes OF the hunters horn die away in the mysterious
distance the gazers fancy is ured further and further
into this fragrant and teeming wilderness tll As
forgets the common world and the OF life and
at peace. That forest scenery Of AS You Like ~
has always cast a glamour over the appreciave mind.
The escape that 1t suggests from the bonds OF con
yentionalty Is perennial refreshment, and this viii
always 20 far 10 captivate an audience OF the fnu
quality But something more Is needed than pictorial
effect however beautiful, to rescue this piece when
placed on the stage, from the peril OF nspidty. "a
You Like IT. can always be read with delight, but
It's e.oulsite loneliness generally suffers partial
blight under the rough treatment OF the actual theatre
long remembrance Of theatrical representations H
this comedy recalls only few OF them that did no
presently grow tediousin spite OF the sylvan spectacle
and the sweet music The Salvation OF the play, when
Il comes to practical use, Is a woman who can act
Rosalind without making her literary abstraction
and q creature OF the air. In addition to pictorial
effect there must be enchantment in the physical
presence OF Rosallnd, and this has happened only
two or three times within the memory Of the gener
alton now drawing TO an end. IL happens again wa
Ada Rehan In the character OF Rosand, and that
Is the principal reason OF the success, alike
in London, Paris and New-York OF Mr. Dalys pro
dncton OF "As You Like It.
indeed lperfection. Its identification with Shake
speare's thought, would, perhaps, be closer II il
were little more exalted more arlstocratlc in fibre;
at certain moments more spiritually regal. Yet even
II 1t were perfection. 1t still would fail TO sausI
everybody. There has long been theory IN the
critical mind that ROsalind transeends embodiment
She is held to be something absolutely uniquA
She Is in this world but she is not OF It. she Is
an ideal She is a dream. She IS the fine frenzy Of
n,alxe
was tuIy and wholly acted, and she never VIII Dc.
Precisely what sort Of @ goddess should be dispayee
in her person no one Of those exigent worsmppen
has ever distinctly stated but II Is strongly lnslsed
that she Is poetical; and, this being ue fact' II
urged that nobody resembles her who ventures 70 d
play young wcman's natural passion or
her unbridled animal spirits, or Der wsnton excess
OF frolicsome glee. And yet these are exactly tue
attributes of Rosaind upon which Shakespeare mas
laid the strongest emphasis. The excellence oil MISS
Rehan's embodiment, from the beginning, mas OeNn
the womanhocd OF 1t. Rosalind Is lover. sne noe
only wishes to inspire love- but she feels H. she
perfectly pure but she is neither fairy noF VISION.
She is not an actress OF the old school, Se docs nov
give readings from the poets, and neither does she
sit like patience on monument She IS az Tue season
of youth and love and she enchants the WoodAnd
world with her glowing beauty and innocent aIdor'
she ought not 10 weary her listeners wha
she Is Oh the stage she ought to dazzle ana oe"ien
them and, while seeming unattalnao'e ana sphelea
in light she ought to make them feel that Tor hf
also there Is a reward in love and u solace IN gee
The obseryant reader OF the original text Of the piece
and that Is Il good guide To Shakespeare hitfihnsH
not left In doubt 10 her sentiments on tat supes
All the nebulous essayists from Mrs. Jameson 70 L
Martin, cannot obi crate The OBVIOUS af lAat ho,It
with all her poetry, Is exceedingly huhah Ass
Rchans performance Of the Isirt, because u sought
Interpret this character enchantlnent ana lu
as a phantasy, has seemed admiral g all along, anu
seems now and the testimony oi It's charm lhat Nss
long since borne In this place can only ITO" % rs.
peated. She presented once again the image OF tae
unconventional woman, at the basis OF whose haeuss
are sincerity and innocence, ana whose pure spnS
brilliant mind and beautiful person are cotheo Win ~
pi0uant sprightness that nothing resist; ana I'M
She did with the spOntanety of cloud and breeze ne
success emphatic and unequiyoca MOST oi ,1 ~
women who have acted Rosalind within the last thnL
years grew tiresome that il was comfort 70 ieas
them after the third curtain. Ada Rehan's Rosa ins
holds the pleased attention Of her auditor u the eoss
and Is a gentle remembrance long after IL mas 'A~
ished. -
Mr. Drew is invariably graceful as Orlando, sns en-,
equally by his impetuous spirit, his delicate, pISx
humor, his vein OF tender sentiment ana MS .1d ierd
admiration OF friendly public The dry humor hlu
quaint wisdom of TouchstOne were once more arualg
conveyed by James Lewis. The part has never oeeS
considered rich for comedians-suggesuye thongn
it be TO the imagination of reader yet occasonsy
1t has been made the vehicle OF remaIE
ably deep and significant acting Mr; Hsss sns
dron Mr.. George Clarke was again welcomed ane
earnestly admired for his smr6 aud touching Pel.
formance of the Melancholy Jaques-an excellent pss
OF srt-for which alone, there nothing ese una
revival should be seen by students Of snsss n',
speare. Mr.. Charles wheatleigh Adam, amPy
satisfies the requirements of the part, ana ,nS Ms'
Prince as Celia ana MISS Isabel ,rvns NS saay and
mrth TO finished and very pleasing representation
Shakespearean comedy.