Evening star., 1901-04-02
ADJUSTMENTS.

NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-It is
scarce needful to comment on the art OF
Ada Rehan, who appeared as Nell Gwyn at
the New National Theater last night. 1t
is an established quantity; a standard Of
measurement, so to speak, by which the
attainments of later cOmers to the theatric
stage are gauged. Her Nell Gwyn is a
revelation of the ardent Celtic tempera-
ment combined with womanly grace which
has so often charmed the multitude. 1t is
doubtful if the time will ever come when
Miss Rehan will not be welcome and ad-
mired figure on the stage, for she possesses
a certain artistic fervor which is genu
Inc and yet SO invariably well directed that
a few glimpSeS of her personality, even un-
| der adverse conditions, would be worth
more than hours of communion with others
at their best. In the first act Miss Rehan
demonstrates how great may be an author 8
| obligation to the player who interprets his
| work. Nell s emotions discovering that
the man whom she has been bombarding
| with her impudent wit is the king himself
| are portrayed without the utterance of
| syllable. The face alone tells the feelings
| of this girl who stands abashed, probably
| for the first time in her life, and words
| would be only a hindrance to the elOquence
| of her mobile and expressive countenance
The close stickler for historic truth would
| be tempted to dismiss Sweet Nell of Old
| Drury'' as a dismal failure. 1t is, indeed
| difficult for the judicially disposed auditor
| to open his heart and receive Nell as the
| creature of sweetness and light whom Miss
| Rehan so graciously depicts. The one fault
| which the dramatist chooses to recognize
| in her is deficiency of early education.
The playgoer is introduced to the ques-
| tionable companionships of Charles II In
! such an easy matter of fact way as to dis
arm suspicion. He Is reminded by many a
| flashing bit of repartee and ingeniously de-
vised situation that he is witnessing only
| a work of stage diversion. and not a study
| in social science And In CLOSING the de-
| ficiencies and emphasizing the graces Of
his heroine the chances are that the dram
| atist may be only averaging up the score.
| Poor Nell undoubtedly had her faults; but
| the chances are that her character has
| been blackened beyond it's deserts by some
relentless Puritan biographer. Historians,
| as well as dramatists, have their tendencies
| to distortion, and it is not impossible that a
| dramatic authors intuition and finer per-
| ception of character may serve to correct
/ the calumnies or gross batteries set in mo-
| tion by prejudiCed chroniclers. After all,
the stage Nell Gwyn" is more important
| to this generation than the real one. And
| there is no harm In yielding for the hour
| TO the pleasant spell which Mr.. KeSter,
| dramatist, and Miss Rehan, actress, have
SO artfully contrived. Let close our
| ears against the inuendos that have come
sitting through posterity and believe that
Miss Gwyn was as guilelessly affable when
she peddled oranges through the pit as is
the rosy-cheeked boy who now circulates
! through the aisles of Washington thea
ters exclaiming Gold drink O. water" or
| words to that effect
| The work in the supporting company
| most notable for merit was that of White
| Whittlesey, who played the part of the
| king very handsomely both from a physical
| and an artistic point of view. The manage
ment of certain effects behind the scenes,
such as cheers and music, was not what ii
ought to be in a performance of such mag
nitude. But the playing of Miss Rehan
was what the large audience last night
cared for most, and minor defects could be
easily forgiven, so long as they were not
permitted to interfere with her scenes
Her welcoming was most enthusiastic and
sincere.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE
Many playwrights have maintained witt
much ingenuity and equal positiveness that
1t was ethically permissible to take any