New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-20
THE DRAMA.
SHAKESPEARE AT DALY'S THEATRE
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.

| famous
| most widely known and the most popular OF Shaks
speares comedes-was received with manifesto
| lions OF eager Interest and profound pleasure ~
an audience at once imposing In numbers and I'm,
| pressive In character The charm OF the occasion
was enhanced by Ada Rehsns frst appearance IN
/ the lovely character Of Porta and by the ers,
essay Of that talented and versatile comedian Mr.
sidney Herbert In the great character OF Shylock
The piece was set in scenery OF exceptional msznr
cence and II dressed with q splendor OF costly
apparel unprecedented in lis stage history IN
fact the luxury Of environment seemed 10 have
been carried quite beyond the limit Of necessity 81
that the comedy overloaded with opulence and
decorated TO excess. Our stage may not intellect,
ually. vie with that OF ancestors but certainly
II ranscends all precedent. IN the matter OF orra-
mentation
The public benefit which accrues from an amb,-
tious and earnest. even II wholly adequate ore.
sentiment and Interpretation OF one OF Shakespeares
great plays could not readily be overstated. and Mr.
DAILY richly deserves the public gratitude FOR nj,
superb achievement in this instance The conquer.
ns dement's OF The Merchant OF Venice" are
vitality OF story felicity OF dramatic mechanism
spontarety OF rapid movement. poeti, atmosphere
and slowing beauty OF style. In no other play. ex-
copt perhaps. that marvel OF feliciious dictiOn
Richard the Second" has Shakespeare written with
such splendid eoquence as IN certain passages ~
this comedy-passages. for example, such Bas-
sano's apostrophe 70 Portals portrait. Portals
speech when plighting her roth. and Lorenzos
paan to the stars in the midnight sky The Win
tcrs Tale excels The Merchant o. Venice in
imagination LAS You Like It. is richer in romanu,
fancy pensive philosophy, quantness and sprightly
mirth Twelfth Night" contains more humor ana
more wealth o. variegated character. Much Ado"
is more crisp and more brilliant. But neither o.
those comedies is fairly the equal OF The Merchant
OF Venice" in human interest o. plot passionate
Intensity OF feeling. absorbing dramatic suspense. Or
the perfect harmony OF ira glca and comlcsl In
gradients symme,rically Blended. and made pro-
puls.ye to one clear result. In Mr. Days stage
treatment of II there are few triflng
blemishes The consonance that should exist
between rairnent and character has MOI IN
every case been scrupuously considered. The occa
sonai attempt at verisimilitude In every DAY We
(street scenes frolics and the like accessor'esl.
sometimes ends in commonplace prosiness OF detail
The aspect OF the Duke and his judicial associates
is "vggy and queer although, OF course. the near
ing OF the Duke judciously played by MI Narrey,
IS full Of simple dignity The presence or throhs 81
spectators at Lorenzos wooing and Jessica e'ope-
ment with him is ludicrous and Incredible Ire m
PRODUCTION Of children proved a needless tTNo"V'
On the other hand the acting is noble In purpose
and often is splendid in effect. the settlng COM
prises many elements Of beauty; the overture ana
the incidental music composed and arranged ~
Mr.. Ecke. happily appropriate ana are OF o.
lIcious sweetness: the humorous Attributes OF the
play are made brilliantly efective.-Mr owen oelns
spontaneously comical old Gobbo. and Mt VIII
fred Clarke being perfect. and exceedingly amusing
In his expression OF Launcelots quaint "aegegy
and drol exuberance OF sapient humor and ANIMAL
spirits. while the air OF romance that especially
should accompany the play is In general admiraoy
sustained and preserved. Where so much has been
accomplished the community would indeed be IN
appreciative and ungrat eu II il we're no; sa sAei
In any presentrnent of The Merchant OF Venice
Porra and Shylock OF course The salient
features. Portia resembles Rosand. and in that
way her character has been comprehended by Ada
Rehan who. playing this part for the hrst time IN
her life presented exquisite image or stately
grace and dfused a rare influence OF deep emo
ton It. manifestly, Shakespeares design 10
make Portia a dazzling white and golden beauty
and, while endowing her with exceptional intellect
10 invest her with Irresistible feminine enchant
ment. She is more inte8 ectual than Rosaind. and
more passionate; but like Rosaiird. she Is an
adept In satirca mockery and playful banter. Ike
Rosalind, she puts mans apparel in order 10
accomplish a purpose. and like Rosalind she is
self-contained and holds her feelings in complete
control Unlike Rosal!nd however, she Is con
cerned In high employment she confronts situa-
ton OF almost tragic import. fraught with ire
nendous responsibility and with agonzing sus-
pense. and In the course Of most painful and
exactng ordeal. she manitests force Of charac-
ter which is beyond Rosalinds capacity and which
would not be anticipated In any other Of Shake
speare's comedy women with the single exception
of Imogen From the first Portia IL a lover AID
the denotement OF this emotional fact-the
preservation of the exalted, romantic. tremu'
lous condition that appertans TO sincere
love-was the primal and chief felicity Of
Miss Rehan's performance Portia has seen
Bassanlo. and her eyes have given 70 MIN
those fair. speeches. messages" which only true
love either transmit or comprehend she loves
Bassanio and she longs for his coming. and thaf
IS why her first words apprise that her little
,ofs Vie u0rl
sonal happiness Is not the chief end OF lie 10
Portia The basis OF her mind is a vital sense OF
duty. and should the need arise she is suiicent
unto herself and 1--we without love Inc
revelation of Portals intrinsic superiority.-tnat Is
to say. OF those attributes Of natural. inherent
stately arstocracy intellectual acueness and iorce
and noble magnanimous spirit. for which she IS
rer1arkable-are specifically made in her conduct
during Bassanios inspection OF the caskets IN he'
speech OF ecstatic surrender 10 him. as ner &C.
cepted lover and aianced husband. after his fol'u
nate choice Of the leaden casket has been maze
and in her superb demeanor toward ShylocH' ~
the Trial when she meets the Jew upon me COM
mon ground of humanity. to test him and 10 make
sure Of his atrocious wickedness On which al h's'
she cannot BELIEVED before she smltes away MS
evil and cruel hand, and commits him 10 MS doom
This Is the ideal that was interpreted oy Sl'S'
Rehan In the last OF those pivotal situations "e'
Porta would be more impressive II 1t were
freighted with more passionate intensity ''o
crisis is semi-tragical. the vein OF feeling is no
longer that OF unmixed comedy and the subject U
be considered is a question OF life or death ac'o
OF Portia have usually been light, easy a"'
over-conhdent. when beginning the Tral'-plr
maturey assuming success: whereas Porua .A'
no right anticipate that her point OF "a"
will be accepted The strain upon her feehnss' :"
this novel situation and beneath this agony OF sus
pense Is prodgious. and II seems very clear "a'
her approach TO this terrific ordeal should De nd'e
in a spirit OF the deepest solemnity. and in the most
extreme and exalted state OF tremulous nervous
tension and this. Notwithstanding the presence u
latent element OF merry mischief in the scene 10
be liberated when the danger is past. Miss Rehan
clearly indicated this emotion and herein she
differed from previous Portals, of recent years
but the pre-emnent beauty OF her acting was her
steadfast. sustained and continuous denotement OF