Life — March 4, 1886 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘LIFE: R. AUGUSTIN DALY'S inspiration may come from Teutonic sources, and his frank avowal that “ Nancy and Company,” his latest production, is based on Julius Rosen's German comedy, may prove interesting to a few. But the confession is really a matter of little importance as far as Mr. Daly's admirers are concerned. With the period of the play set down as “now,” and the locality specified as “here,” Mr. Daly has produced a comedy which it is extremely improbable that Julius Rosen, Esq.— I was forgetting the Esq.—wouid recognize as his handi- work, Rosen, Esq., must not ask me to believe that through- out his Teutonic country a counterpart of Nancy Brasher would even be understood. The dainty ¢#souciance and the artistic delicacy of Miss Ada Rehan would fall over- whelmed in the atmosphere of sausages, sauerkrauts and “ach, Himmels.” Let us dispose of Rosen, Esq., if you please. He may be a sort of masculine Mrs. ‘Arris, or he may positively have supplied Mr. Daly with inspiration. But is is not of much consequence in either case. In “ Nancy and Company” the situations into which all the members of Daly's company fall so naturally, and to which his admirers are becoming more than accustomed, are seen in a slightly exaggerated form. There are the impossible complications brought about by everybody entering the same room, inexplicably at the same time; there are the always charming scenes between Mr. John Drew and Miss Ada Rehan; there is the comedy per- siflage of the lesser lights. Just a dash of “ horse-play” forced itself into the first pro- duction, to be probably eliminated in after performances. Two gentlemen tumbling over ottomans and chairs; Miss Rehan slapping a hat upon Mr. Drew's head; and the con- fusion and athletic movements at the end of Act IL, is not Mr. Daly’s work, I am quite sure. At the end of the act to which I have just referred there was a scene which nearly resembled the time-honored Eng- lish pantomime. Only a few carrots, turnips and babies were wanting. “Nancy and Company,” however, is a most fascinating comedy, full of human interest, and written to suit the re- quirements of a company which is unexcelled in America or in England. Occasionally Mr. Daly, in his situations, has meandered apparently involuntarily to the brink of riskiness; but he hurries away from it absolutely unhurt, and the audi- ence are hardly aware where they have been led. Miss Rehan, as Nancy Brasher, was Miss Rehan, and no more need be said. Miss Virginia Dreher as Ortana, Miss Edith Kingdon as Dazsy Griffing, Mrs. Gilbert as Mrs. Huldah Daugery, and Miss May Irwin as Betsy, all had small parts to play and disdained to overplay them. On Mr. James Lewis, as Ebenezer Griffing, and John Drew, as Kiefe O'Kiefe, Esg., the burden of the play rested, and was admirably sustained. George Parkes,as Sikes Stockton, was somewhat monotonous, and Otis Skinner, as the gallant captain, looked far too juvenile. * . * F Mr. David Belasco really understands the American public, he introduces us to a state of things which is so thoroughly abnormal that a committee ought to be imme- dately appointed to investigate it. In adapting Sardou’s play “ Fernande” for the American stage, he casts every scene in England and makes every char- acter English. There is no earthly reason why Mr. Belasco’s adaptation, which he has called “ Valerie,” should not be purely American, or why a man of Mr. Belasco’s evident ability should not do something to popularize America for American people. Suppose Sir Everard Challoner had been Senator Chal- loner—since you must have a title; that London had been New York, and St. Leonards Saratoga or Lake George, do you think your audience would have condemned the play? And as the adaptation rested entirely with yourself, don’t you think, my dear, good sir, that you might have made a step in the right direction ? You and yours are first to squirm at the stories a foreigner may relate of your country. But if it were not for those in whose footsteps you so blindly follow, those stories would never be told. “Valerie,” aside from these objections, is extremely entertaining. It is well written from beginning to end; the interest never flags; and the situations are suffi- ciently unordinary to make the play successful. The some- what pathetic story is enlivened by the purest comedy, and it is not thrown in with the careless irrelevance which is the custom of the day. Mr. Lester Wallack as Walter and Miss Helen Russell as Julia Trevillian make you long for their presence on the stage when you really ought to be glad, in the interest of the play, that they are absent, Miss Annie Robe, as Va/erie, is as charming as ever. One of the most artistic features of the play is the admirable way in which she adopts the French accent. She never forgets this accent, even in her most tempestuous passages, and it is hard to realize the fact that it is assumed. I have never heard anything of the kind half as good. Miss Sophie Eyre, as Helena Malcom, is not particularly edifying. The methods she adopts are rusty with age. There is the antique wriggle; the time-honored nervous movements of the hands; and the.antediluvian gurgle sup- posed to represent the swallowing of a sob. Kyrle Bellew, as Str Everard Challoner, is not quite masculine enough for the part. Madame Ponisi is very amusing as Lady Bettly, and Mr. Ivan Shirley supremely stupid as her honorable son. Alan Dale, comicbooks.com