New-York tribune., 1905-02-14

a IN
senses and a treasure to the mind
Miss Rehan uses the version of ''The School for
SesndaF' that was prepared by the late Augugtin
Daiy onrst shown at his theatre on January 90
AHsl when she acted Lady Teazle for the first
TINE. Innovations occur IN It, which caused some
distress to purists (meaning those scrupulous OBJ
servers who insist every feather of the Phoenix)
but the changes fmpart to the comedy a certain
piquant element OF freshness. The stately minuet
introduced at Lady Sneerweil's house, TO conclude
act first is Of those Innovations and the effect
Of IT (whether the sword-dance be probable or not
as social incident) is felicitous. The shifting Of
the movement In the house of Charles Surface.
from dining room to parlor is another of those
changes. An earlier practice,-for the usage has
nor been uniform,-was 10 present Charles and his
friends at the dinner table introduce Moses and
MI Premium into their presence, and then to
cnange to the picture room. In the DAILY version
charles and his guests enter paTlor after dinner,
70 smoke and drink and TO listen to the singing
OF Sir Harry Bumper; and, as the portraits Of
ChAFless ancestors are hanging the walls of
mat room. the auction occur there and no
ehange Of scene required. In his disposition of
Ohe characters. during this episode Of froic, the
expert manager made q picture worthy OF the
pencil OF Hogarth.-a picture remarkable for its
I,'eiiIy 10 llfe and to the prpfiigate manners Of
0heriaans time. The transpostions of text that
occur IN the first and second affect the actors
more than they do the audience and are not
material The omission of coarse lnes-such as
@ 1ne aAusion 10 Miss Letitia Piper."-is q gain
me condensation OF the scandal episodes into one
prominent scene brings all the tattle at once and
the excision OF its coarseness does nor mar its
dramatic utility. The indelicacy of the original
was always offensive. The alterations crcumscrfbe
-h @ act Wlthln a single picture. Stage setting is
oiIieTent now from what it was in the DAYS of
oherloan. and II that accomplished dramatst were
IiVlng he would make use OF the facilities at his
1aho; IN which case the first act of mis- great com
e1S "ould oe furnished with something more than
pair of fats. Whenever in the stage treatment
fba afFa
change. without sacrifice Of anything essential in
'iie original stage manager would be unwise who
should neglect his opportunity. Plays do not be-
come sacred simply in becoming antique and moth
lhs Is more comic, to persons acquainted with
stage usage, than the assumption that an old pIay
must never be cut The fact is that no one Of the
0io pays, whether Of Shakespeare, Sheridan. or
any other author. is custonariy acted or has
neen acted. or can be acted. unless under excep-
uonal circumstances, such as those of academic
ihsructloa or experiment, precisely according to
lhs author. Sheridan himself when he altered
Fanorugh's Relapse" calling 1t "A Trip to Scar
borough" wrote that 1T would surely be a pity
TO exciude the productions of some Of our best
writer's for the want OF q little wholesome prun-
ing adding. that this might be effected by any
one who possessed modesty enough to believe that
we should preserve al! we can OF our deceased
authors, at least till they are outdone by the Iiv-
ing ones" Miss Rehan's present dramatic season
VIII close on next Saturday night-so that IL is In
Lady Teazle- the representative type and image OF
Farewell.
Among the actors associated with Miss Rehan
in this presentrnent Of The School" are Mr.. Red
mund. as Sir Peter Teszle: Mr.. Wilfred Clarke, as
Sir Oliver Surface; Mrs. Barry, Mrs. CaudOur
and Mr. Oliver D. Byron. as Crabtree. These are
among the veterans. and they bring to the per
formance the resources OF large experience. Mr.
Redmond invests Sir Peter with formal gentilIty
and, in the confidential interview with Joseph he
strikes the note of dignity and tenderness. Mrs.
Barry, who has acted in this pisce ever since the
old days Of the the Boston Theatre, makes Mrs.
Candour all that the name implies OF spectous
frankness and cordial genial malice The i'm
portant part OF Joseph,-n some respects the best
part in the play-is intrusted TO Mr.. William Rosel,
jr The more brilliant part Charles Surface falls
to Mr.. Richman, whose personation Of II has
been here before. and admired for It's vigor.
buoyant spirit fresh. boyish giee- This public
viii not see again such company as MI Da4y
assembled around Miss Rehan, for the performance
Of the old comedy but her present associates have
been carefully chosen. and all Of them seem ami
mated with something OF the fine spirit that still
is bright nd beautiful in her. W. ".