New-York tribune., 1896-11-24
THE DRAMA.
ADA REHAN AS ROSALIND.

Shakespeare's beautiful COMEDY OF AS io~ -
II" has once more been produced in DAYS Inea.re'
s rs h ,roco,. onnortuny Of enjoying Its poetry.
rhuosorhv romantic character, and quaint humo'
has once more been placed within the pubic 'e..
That opportunity is privlege-for Oh d., ."e 49,
that ever are accessible. none Is more o"i "
happincss Shakespeare's comedy VEIN may =. - -
brilliant in much ADO" more humorous IN iwen." a
nigh, " more fanciful in The Tempest ana Inc
Dream, bur IN .As You Like It, the eiemen's Y,
light and JOY are evenly and del!cately oie"ueu, a
the whole fabric is ienderly sunused win a p pes
romantic grace To see adequate performance
OF that play is to rambe oare'essiy IN the eoosn
autumn woods to feel the soft caress OF irasia'
winds to hear the music Of running streams u''u ~
dream of all that Ia enchanting In wonia" "e""''
and ELL that is blissful In her love. ihere "as
numerous and brilliant audience IN Daiy ,''.'.
last night. and II had this peasu'e' Oil"
and deeply enjoyed ii. . A..
Ada pehan's impersonation Of Rosalind-nrst
given on December Il, lsSS.-aT once es'apn'ne"
her pre-eminencc as representative
and as a great actress Of Shakespearian comeay
Time has only deepened the impression "'''
then was made More and more. as MISS heh"
acting Is studied. the observer perceives tnat n.'
,,ouer ia intrinsic more than acqured,-that, asiue
from the yaried excellence Of her thorough ART
her victory Is gained by what she 49, NOR ,''''"
by what she does 1t suits the purpose vi i>"'
IN consecrate some Of her children 10 pe '"'
sn,r,ual benefactors OF the rest Ada Rehan was
horn
The fascina ation Of character survives Vic'SS.'u"
and even transcends the whitening blight OF Gus
tom and therefore the image of Rosaiind prese"'e"
by that actress Is az beautifui In the hoon"s 90
Il was I'm the dawn. To see this periorHah Il "
admire the felicitous demeanor OF an accom-
,i,abad dramatic artist,-clear In purpose, III"
and fine in execution. and so easily nt~'o'e az"
ouent "a always to seem unstudied ana spoh
,aneous-but also II Is to think OF an impe''a'
woman; and that thought.-becausc IL a"'"v''
,ho mind upon splendid reality and not upon 'he
shadows of hction-is one OF the pes' o' o''s,
ings It is good to feel that sumptuous ana ho"'e
wornanbood exists In the actual world as wen as
4, poe,rv Miss Rehan's ideal OF Rosalind re-
tected at the outset the old theory tha' .''S
character is made OF gossamer anu ii,oo,'",''.
and therefore The actress at once pahisheu al ,''
Ike incertude from her impersona''oh' noS"
lind is n tender affecionate high-spiri,eu "o''''
exuItant IN her happy vitality and In her char"i
and however exuberant be the sparkle Vi hei WV
and the Auency OF her banter. her whole dehgnt
IL human love and she knows OF nothihs pc".'
and thinks OF nothing else Inc Poe"N ~ ,
might sit hike Patience on monument '''''''' ,,
at Grief the brilliant. alluring Rosaiihd "ou''
descend AT once from that frigid eminence anu
with ore glance of her dazzling eyes ana one
wafture of her enchanting hand, wouid .'u''
ngurc grief into favor ard prettiness That Is
the Rosalind presented by Miss Rehah' anu 'o'
n proof of It's intrinsic power, the opse''e' ~
only to remark the elastic visor am in''''""'
sparkle with which she carries ana sus'a''S '"'
scenes OF loving mockery and tantalzinS Hiysus
cation In the forest. Those scenes otieh o'as' !"
IN. ra,,resontation never when animated ps
The strenuous vitality. the ever-chansiHb ue
meanor. tie glowing ardor. ana the oupi""s D.
with which this actress nils them I'LL thes S'"
and trembe with feeling Nothing coui" Dc "'o'N
delightful as an image OF piauhncy an" lro''
nothing truer. image Of the eSu'ta''o" -
hannv love The statement OF details In the act
ing has often been made In this place, ana II he'N
not now be repeated The most. indeed '''' ''"
be accomplished. In the treatment OF acuhs' u ~
Indicate a general Judgment. based upon "S s'"
cral drift. Miss Rehan holds nope '""''1''
and the public is fortunate one that can e"Jos
her beautiful art and honor her behenceit Su0
cess .
The scroarlike. wise, and pracuo"i sp'" %
which Mr. Daily has treated "As You Like -
scarcely requires present recognition. yet IL may
not be amlss TO say that now. as heretofore '"e
comedy is shown as one OF gladness and not Oh
gloom The controlling purpose was 10 pr"''ch tue
Imagination. and thus to begule the mihu '',o
r.,i,p Of low ,lv visions ard happy Dreams ana III
accordance Win tha; design. every einoeh'sn"'''
of the piece has been made conducive 10 ''"'""'
and chee- The scenes have an ample persPeO""s
and a,c lnstinc, with breezy life. the woo''anu
clales are fun Of sunshine. And even though 'ne
music strikes a pensive chord. II is one that VI
hr,,es hack o cmembered JOY rather than reinen-
,orod grief In All particulars the treat ment wds
,ppropria,c and the effect delicious. The cast, Il
not as potential some that were posslp'e III o"'
dovs =. Interesting and it proved judicious MI
charles Rchman. who appeared as oria'"o' Po9
scsses several OF the qualifications that are essen
,ial foi tha. character;-the fine ngure the ease''
kindly countenance. the pleasing voice the sweet
r.ss n, tc,nperament. and the manly bearing; put'
on ,his ocra son he did not display lightness Era'e'
pass.on exal,ation or much sen-ibility fern'pS
the rart does not. yet. fully awaken the ACTOR
sympathy Il is one that never mas been greatly
lkon bv many actors and indeed IT IL possiple
that Ros,Ind sees more In Orlando than ever mas
hs.n soon nc ANYBODY sse.-for the glance OF love
picrces deep But surely Orlando should he MADE
sensitive alert. expeditions impetuous' ana aruch'
us nus, no, seem inert. lie must not flag. He
needs above all things vitality. iumination' anu
romantic glamour. He can phslosoph'ze'-'che
the cui Of sweet and bitter fancy: the dritt OF the
MAY IN various currents sets toward half ruefu
half mrthful philosophy but. after all Orlando Is
a perp'cxcd and doubtful lover and he does not
accept his trials In "A spirit OF entirely hoh'na''t
resignation lie Is not 1.-THE painting OF sorrow"
nor that II a 10y Mr.. Richman has. with modesiy
and dignity laid the foundation of fine perform
ance His reading OF the text was sweeuy mt
lodious and aptly expressive.
Mr. sidney Herbert gave uncommon distinction
10 m. part OF Duke Frederick making him. as
he ought 60 be- suspicious. ill-at-ease with NM
self rtstrainful OF violent temper and darkly ru-
mlnant OF cruel purposes which he knows TO be un-
lust and reprehensible Mr.. Herbcrts denotement
of that condit on,-in the pale and ravaged coune-
nance the harsh incisive voice, and the splenetic
movements OF the tyrannica usurper.-was ex-
ccedingly subtle and sharply effective So good
performance OF this part has not hitherto been
seem Mr. Edwin Varrey spoke the words OF Adam
with authoritative intelligence. and gave sweetly
sincere and perfectly simple expression Of that ven
erable character.-perhaps as fine an image OF ee-
mental wisdom and righteous fidelity ever was
delineated Mr. John Crag's pre- sentiment OF Oliver.
particularly prior to the conversion made the
darker lineaments OF that composite character