The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-18

It was probably In the exuberance of
an onset of girlish enthusiasm that Miss
Annie Russell conceived the ambition to
play the part Of Puck in Shakespeare s
bewildering fairy extravaganza of "A
Midsummer Nights Dream" But she has
been fortunate that thus early in her
career she has found the opportunity
to undertake the realization of her giTllsh
fancy, while still agile and graceful and
full Of the youthful spirit of mockery and
mischief. The Puck she embodied in a
German arrangement of Shakespeare 8
riotous fantasy at the National Theater
last night is a delightfully."- gay and en-
gaging creation, a real fairy that circles
the earth on wings one can see in notion;
q fairy who lights on trees or on the
earth with elfin airiness, who speeds on
his errands of mischief as if unburdened
by flesh, and whose invisibility to the
dull mOrtals about needs hardly an effort
Of the imagination TO accept as reality.
Miss Russell abandOns herself with reck-
less daring alike TO her aerial flights and
her mission Of mixing the affairs OF
mOrtals she frOliCs and dances with an
infectious exuberanCe. and by force Of
mood Of the poet infuses life and warmth
and verisimilitude into the fantastic
scenes OF the strange sixteenth century
spectacle. She is assurediy as captivating
a Puck as this generation has seen. and
she has added notably TO her achieve
ments in her art by this addition to her
undertakings. From the first. she had
her audience with her last night. and
after the second and third acts she was
recalled again and again. The mechanical
devices by which she was enabled to
take her flights worked perfectly and
added greatly TO the charm of the per-
Torrance.
Next to Miss Russell the best
work is unquestionably done by
Mr.. John Bunny in the part Of
Bottom. for which the actors physical
equipment is exceptional He gives to it
all the broad, crude humoT the extrava-
CANT lines call for. and was altogether as
satisfactory a Bottom as any of those
seen in the productions Of the last twenty
years. The Hernia Of Miss Proctor was
a pleasing II not nicely finished presen-
tatiOn. Miss Rowan as Helena was too
declamatory, and overgesticuIated, faults
that il is probably difficult TO avoid in
comedy now almost archaic In conception
in the quarrel scene Of the third act Miss
Proctor, Miss Rowan. Mr.. Lawrence. the
Lysander, and Mr.. Yorke. the Demetrius,
were properly reckless, and the scene
went with great animation and TO the
entire satisfaction of the audience, ap-
parently. The Oberon Of MI Longman
was rather heavy and stilted. Miss
Brooks as Titania was in her first scene
open to the same criticism. but later she
gave more pleasing and fairy-like turn
10 her Interpretation. The swarm of at
tendant fairies were quite believable with
their flowing draperies that gave to their
movements an airiness and lightsOmeness
that left nothing TO be desired. The fairy
scenes We're excellently managed, and the
setting Of the enchanted wood was IN
usually fine. The last set. the palace of
Theseus, was classically beautiful. afford
ing fine foil for the preposterous foolery
Of Bottom, Ounce. Shout, and the other
members Of the company of player-Iouts
The incidental music of the piece was
pleasingly rendered by the orchestra.