New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-13
THE DRAMA.
ADA REHAN AS MEG MERRILrza.
THE WITCH OF ELLANoowAN.'


matte house in this cty,-Ada Rehan, for the first
time assumed the character OF Meg Merries, In
play derived from SCOTS novel OF Guy Manner
ing" produced under the title OF the Witch Of
E,langowan" and largely devoted to the exposition
OF that weird. romantic character Inc part wnen
alphabetically apprchended, deeply s'irs the
Imagination and awakens strange. Wild, passion
ate lf-delirious feeIing-a poetic frenzy. that
must express itself with certain designed ex-
travagance. the large. free, patheticaiy ero'esaue
manner of disordered nature, swift, siartins' om'-
nous vehement but always dominant win impe-
rial power In that way Miss Rehan mas under.
stood the character and in that way she presented
IT. The play that Mr. Daily mas produced was long
ago planned by him, but the execution OF II mas
only OF late been accomplished under his super
vision by Mr.. Robert Chambers. Inc piece IN
based partly the novel. and parity on the o'd
play. by Daniel Terry. brought non the English
stage In SCOTS time and with rs sanction and
made familiar long ago in The American 'hea"e'
by companies that included. in the part OF Meg
tho proficient Mrs Adds the Incompatible Char
,otte Cushman and the versatile Ann Waring.-
who Is remembered both as Mrs. W. oef'oh ana
Mrs J. w. Wallack.
The essential novelty Of the new version II the
nresentment OF Meg Merres. at the beginning
as woman Of comparatively youthful years ana
rho portraya of such pivotal occurrences as the loss
~ Harry Bertram and Meg's syblke warning ard
farewell to the Lord OF Ellangowan Immediately
after the expulsion Of the gypsies from MS WOODS
There f. II will be remembered a lapse OF about
seventeen years between the murder OF the super
visor Kennedy and the death OF ola ber'raH al
-. oo,rciaent with Colonel Mannerines return
. tho scene Of his astrological divinations ana OK
his first meeting with Ellansowan Domino samp-
son and Meg Merres. on the rocky seacoase OK
the shire OF Dumfries Meg may, therefore, De
woman of about forty at the opening OF 'ne s'o'y'
and Of about sixty at the close Inc chanss
a ono. FOR II serves the triple purpose OF clarity.
tho tho narrative as set forth in the play intro
ducing new stage effects and intehsiy'"e 'ie IN
torres, by means Of powerful dramatic cohuasI
Other notifications might be noted pu' III se"'
oral the new play follows the old CORRESPONDING
the return Of Harry Bertram. in young manhoou,
-, .ho rlaces of his youth; the fidelity ana hufnor
90 bIe rough friend Dandie Dinmont; the loves OF
Frank Lakewood and Lucy Bertram' the uouoes
NJ Harry and his romantic julia; the dehsh''u'
eccentric,tes of Dominic Sampson the stP'ense
% rood Mrs McCandlish the temporary triumph.
to he followed by the righteous do"hld"'-ot
cihh,a Clossin. tho blunt ard brutal Viiany OF
D,rL Ua,teraick: the protective vigilance OF the
witch OF Ellangowan, In her guardianship VI INC
returned wanderer; the meeting ol r'en' as.
Might. and the restoration Of the young ho,o VI
E.IIangowan to his honors. his digniues, ana MS
ancestral home. No play can do fuii Justice 10
c..,.s novel because the strongest ana most TER
rifle of its scenes-such as that OF Meg hoo.u'"ai
| rescue OF young Bertram from 'he "'
| ovnsies in the death chamber or that Oh mat
| ,raicl,s murder of Glossin,-cannot be repro
| duced But this drama presents cohereht S'o'y
| complete in Itself and it has the decisive '''s "
| abundant excellent and cumulative effect Inc
scenery with which MIR. DAILY has inVesteu IL 10
| magnificent The climax OF Hatterdlchs caP,''"
hitherto effected according to the ORIGINAL AZ
| cave-s accomplished in precipitous seas'u'
| gorge among the black jagged rocks, ana the ell
| feet greatly enhanced by the music WHICH,
| throughout the performance. is rich appropriate
and stirring 10 the feelings) was indeed SUPERB
| however homogeneous such posture Vi iio'
| might be with the possibilities OF actual IRE
| Miss Rehan's revelation of power, IN PORTIONS y.
| her well-considered. picturesque ana eAeeeu'e"
touching embodiment of Meg Meiriiies did not Su'
nrise those observers Of her acting who nave con-
sdared the indication of her past achievements ana
| thoughtfuy noted the trend OF her menta CROWN
With the bleak loneliness of age ana misery sue
| has hut a theoretical acquaintance. and there IL
| ravaeed and desoate dignity In SUCH a nature as
| that of Meg Merries which 1t Is dihicuit lor mo
| tar, of honeful youth TO comprehend ana 10 ihe-
| mate The tenderness and the long endurance Oh
| that isolated and suffering woman are afhohs 'e'
4 highest attributes and they are Uhspeahap'' '''e
| IL TheCromantic side Of the character however -
| entirely omen to Miss Rehan. and she gave per-
| foot nresentment of it, Her embodiment espe-
| ci,v in the scene Of the recognition OF berraih'
| nos sunerblv potentlal and in the death scene
| although that passage a little protractea'-"
| had both pathos and grandeur. the actress mas
| made a poetic use Of that peculiar TASTE LUZ
striking foreign dress which Is named ny the mover
| 4, "a ono OF Meg's attributes. The impersonatioh
| WAS marked all along its course with "elro anu
Wild physical beauty. rot until now impaired 70 |"
| - 49, s,age and II consistently preserved a GER
ir suhtle tone OF incpient insanity. Its dramatio
| effect would be augmented by the exercise ..
| greater vocal power. and by the assuihp'ion ~
| times of a more rapt and concentrated demeahor'
| which necessarily would prescribe less move.
nan, Miss Rehan's success was decisive ana IL
e" aoan,y felt and was ratified by such plaudits
| No. ar. seldom heard The entire production ga'o
| roa, Measure and an audience more happy IN APP
| nearance than the one that received II with sue"
| extraordinary favor has not been seen
| rba characters throughout the story h''e oee"
| considerably changed, equally in their intrinsic
| ,,aIt,es and In their relations TO each otner.
| -, ,,,r.r,ng becomes Colonel ManIerngs
| 80 ,pstead of being his daughter. Mrs. Nc
! Candlsh Is made the widow. not only OF McCaho'
| lish but Of Kennedy. Dandie Dinmont ana r'o'"
| ora made 10 be lovers. Dominic Sampson IS per
| ,rittsd 10 give limitations of amorous sentiment
| ,,,a tible with his known disposition
| clnss,n is made a bold and fiery rascal rather
| tban a polltic and crafty traitor Hatteraick -
| made alert and expeditions and has been snorh ot
| his erufrness and his grim and sombre menace
Those changes necessarily AFFECT the actors anu ="
| several of the performances there was resultant
| tome OF uncertainty But all were good. from new
| or almost new point OF ideal The house wei
| coined Mrs Gilbert with rrepressible enthusiasm
| expressed In long-contnued applause ana u nal''
| tested great satisfaction AT Miss Percy hds"shs
| singing of Rest Thee. Babe" Miss Macintoshs
| singing of Robert Adar" and comical song ana
| dance by Mr. Gresham and Virginia Earle Inc
| vocalism OF Miss Macintosh and Miss Haswel
touched every heart by its sweetness. and satisfied
| severe taste by It's beauty OF execution Much OF
the music has been composed. or newly arranged
| by Mr. Ecke and his work has been done with ad-
| mirable discretion and taste. There are seven
stage pictures all of them effective and several Of
| III. OF extraordinary merit. Mss