New-York tribune., 1902-02-04
THE DRAMA.
MISS CRosMAN AT THE REPUBLIC.
JOAN OF THE SHOALS"


Miss Henrietta Crosrnan was cordially welcomed
last night at the Republic Theatre, where she
made her re-entrance in play called Joan of
the Shoals" written for her by Mrs. Evelyn
Greenleaf Sutherland. of the authors of Mr.
Mansfeld's picturesque comedy of "Beaucaire."
This play is fabric of narrative and picture tell
Ing n fanciful. romantic, incredible story about
a young woman of hardy constitution intrepid
spirit, and nautical habits. who dwelt on one of
the Isles of Shoals. which are contiguous to the
harbor Of Portsmouth, n. H, who loved an ad-
Venturous young English noble gained his affeC-
tons. and. under perious circumstances saved
his life. The character enlists Of those
faculties of embodiment and expression for which
Miss Crosman is agreeably noted-it being
|. character compounded OF energy, readiness ex-
ecutive force expeditions alacrity and q spirit Of
gleeful mischief slightly tinged with sentiment
The period of the fable is the time Of Charles II
when the New-Engand coast. from Massachusetts
to Maine. was precarious and often imperilled
colony.
The hero. Vivian More. who has given offence TO
the King, takes refuge in Portsmouth. with an old
college friend who is settled" there minister
and, subsequently. being pursued and in peril of
capture. this gallant fugitive accepts the preferred
protection Of the somewhat lawless but exuberanty
benevolent denizens of the Shoals-a band Of
rugged fishermen. seemingly dominated by a valiant,
picturesque, and eloquent girl named Joan. who
wears lovely clothes and sells FISH. This expert
nerone,-exceedingy pretty and wonderfully
spirited. IN the person of Miss Crosman,-is occu-
pied during the first half OF the play, in saving
grandmother from the ignominious punishment OF
the duckng stool" and during the last half. OF
ii in saving the elusive Vivian from the clutches
Of a villanous magistrate, whose vndictive
wrath she has especially intensified by the ruse OF
causing him be ducked in place of her aged an
cestor. In scene Vivian proposes that Joan
shall become his mistress, but upon being
hementy repused, he intimates the better aIterna-
tive Of natrimony In another the inventive Joan
contrives that he shall himself impersonate King
Charles's royal representative and order the way
cleared for his own escape but this expedient fail
ing, she manages to extricate him by
adroit subterfuge, and again they seek the
shelter Of the inaccessible Shoals. At the last
she delivers a tremendous exhortation to her
marine associates against their feonious in
tention of extnguishing a beacon in order to
wreck a boatload Of her lovers and her own
enemies. and thereby she saves the life OF Vvian's
mother, who has crossed from Portsmouth, in
midnight sea and tempest. to bring his pardon. The
piece is obviously the work OF amateur, bent
arranging situations. and it is written in stilted.
artificial style supposed 10 be such habitu-
ally inflicted on each other by the early inhabi-
tants OF the colony OF Massachusetts, Bay.
Through all those situations Miss Cronnan flashed
like a sunbeam. and although. in the love
with Vivian, she swamped by Mr.. Henry Wood
ruf's absurd and abomnable vociferaton and
much hampered by her own vehemence, and al
though, later IN binding the magistrate and
in addressing the fishermen she exhausted
herself and became merely noisy and
ineligible, she nevertheless gave a pleasing
suggestion of attractive ideal of ardent ad-
venturous grlhood. The piece contains far too
much rhetoric, not say fustian The revelation
of purpose and character and feeling, on the part
Of the actress sympathetic. and her general
success can be recorded. She was many times re-
called. The scenic picture. at the close, is
mantle and elective rocky shore beacon far
ing through the night. and the intrepid, hand
some heroine holding the vagabond in check by
her eloquence and her beauty. W. w.