New-York tribune., 1896-12-01
THE DRAMA.
DALY'S
LONDON ASSURANCE All DAAi
THEATRE.
ADA REHAN AZ LADY GAY

.D. REHAN As LADY GAY.
A sump,uous revival of Dion Boucicauts COM
edv of London Assurance. e.'-conuenseo ''i'o .o"'
acts-was accomplished last night al DaiS ine"
ire and Ada Rehan. for the frst time III new
York played Lady Gay Spanker. IL was "app'
thought to dress the familiar old play III .'e e
ments that were peculiar to it's period l'Londoh
.srrorco, was first produced at Covent Garden.
tondon bv Nine Vestris March 4, lSilI' ana
the effect OF uuaintness. and OF a certain re"o'c
and bizarre elegance. was delightful Inc co''e's
IS one that has not suffered for lack or co""e'''
Mr. Bonccault himself In the course OF MS ouSs
career occasionally found time to refer to 1t, and
various other persons have bee known 10 meh'ion
IT: so that probably. its propulsive course anu
nrosnerous continuance do not require present
comment as n means OF acceleration The charac-
ter of it, presumably is well understood. IL was
intended to be a comedy of epieram. in the school
of Wycherey. Farquhar. and Nanbrugh Inc au-
thor was a youth when II was written anu "e
knew but little Of English society and less OF hui
man nature but he had read some OF the comedies
of the period of the Restoration together with the
later comedies OF Sheridan and he wrote an imita-
ton of them.
"London Assurance" is pert. satirical, pungent.
sensuoiis and II teens with the coarse Vitahty OF
exuberant and reckless animal spirits. 1T sparkles'
but II no more resembles its model than coal
resembles a diamond. The spirit Is artificial The
feeling is tainted. The Incidents are mostly farci-
cal The persons.-with the single exception or
Max Harkaway.-arc distortions or caricatures.
There are profgate men and vulgar women IN
English society. but you do not come upon houses
fall of them everywhere and all at once: in Lon
don Assurance almost everybody assembled at
Squire Harkaway's Oak Hall il either dissolute or
vcnai. There Is touch OF feeling In the attitude
Of Harkaway toward Grace. and in general way
the Squire Is human and hearty: but all the rest
Of the piece is ignoble. unlovely. unsympathetic.
.rl NJ afr I'm. M
act as Lady Gay Spanker is made to act. and the
only method in which an actress can deduce any
pleasing effect from the situations in which that
character h placed Is that Of transfgura ton.-to
invest the part with attributes which II does not
possess. and make 1t something else. That course
was adopted by Miss Rehan who touched but
lightly on the ill-bred and degrading scheme to
bamboozlc the desiccated Sir larcourt Courtley.
ard whose artess glce healthfu goodness honesty
of purpose. and refinement of manner lifted the
character unusual distinction. The representa-
tive OF Lady Gay Spanker Is expected TO deliver
with exceeding voubility and ecstatic exharation
a fluent rhapsody descriptive of fox-chase. ard
when she has successfully accomplished that feat
Of memory and wind sh. is commonly supposed to
have reached the awful summit of theatrical re-
nown. The exploit is not one OF the slightes, diff
Guilty. but II has attained to prOdigious ESTIMATION
In the public mind. and therefore the fact Of Miss
Rehans signal success in this momen,ous crisis
becomes an important part OF the record. The
ample vitality and joyous spirit of that delightful
actress have seldom been expended Upon
artificial part than that OF Lady Gay Spanker. but
her inherent charm Of winning womanhood. to-
geth"r with her superb command OF her powers
ana or the scene all the conspicuous
because OF the conditions under which they were
rNerted' ana she received many tributes OF
applause.
Among the companion performa nces that OF NEEDLE
py Herbert Gresham. viii be remembered for
celtn Characterization ana JrOl humOr Some OF
MI Boucicault's Juvenile art l. Suggestvely SHOWN
IN the drawing or thar p-rsonagc-a lawyer who
che"rfully presents his person be kicked ord.r
70 get much mrth out OF that obnox animal. AMI
likcwlse 20 suggest vein of wholesome satirica
reflection upon the mrldlcsOm" intrusveness and
contemplate p"tiyfoGging which prevalent IN
and n" IN VS. tiis more and more his opportunities
hip1Ien Nh sidney ilerber' made 4 decided nj,
Dolly Splnkcr but more in ihe SOBER than In the
tpsy aspect OF that sheep-faccd Ounce. Mr.
George Clarkes performance OF Dazzle could
be- comfortably viewed without blue glassps
blinking upon the sparkle of Mr. Charles Rich
man a. young tOurtley. \ pleasing incident OF the
nlsht was the blum and genial embodiment OF Mav
iiarkaway. by Mr.. Narrry. London Assurance" 4"
colossal east Of II is no longer possible such for
example. as was now and then made In the various
days Of Mathews. Burton. BrOugham. fiamblin
Piacidr NanI"nnon. Wh-ifley Wallack. Blake
Fisher Gilbert. Waco john T.. owens. Mark Sm
Charlotte Cnshman. Mrs Barrow. and Mrs Wood
wish To 50" II IN 4 richer guse than that which
tn" present revival OF II at Days Theatre.
crowded and brilliant audience received every one
OF is fHrccal strokes with evident relish and
greeted the merry. ingenious acting Of Miss Rchan.
Miss liaawr and their more conspicuous associ-
f.ft al fNh