f a Greek bark.... And when she interprets the
_Marseillaise_ she seems indeed to feel the mighty moment.
_July 14, 1917._
IV
Margaret Anglin Produces
_As You Like It_
Of all the comedies of Shakespeare _As You Like It_ is the one which
has attracted to itself the most attention from actresses. No feminine
star but what at one time or another has a desire to play Rosalind.
Bernard Shaw says, "Who ever failed or could fail as Rosalind?" and I
am inclined to think him right, though opinions differ. It would seem,
however, that Rosalind is to the dramatic stage what Mimi in _La
Boheme_ is to the lyric, a role in which a maximum of effect can be
gotten with a minimum of effort.
Opinions differ however. Stung to fury by Mrs. Kendal's playing of the
part, George Moore says somewhere, "Mrs. Kendal nurses children all
day and strives to play Rosalind at night. What infatuation, what
ridiculous endeavour! To realize the beautiful woodland passion and
the idea of the transformation a woman must have sinned, for only
through sin may we learn the charm of innocence. To play Rosalind a
woman must have had more than one lover, and if she has been made to
wait in the rain and has been beaten she will have done a great deal
to qualify herself for the part." Still another critic considers the
role a difficult one. He says: "With the exception of Lady Macbeth no
woman in Shakespeare is so much in controversy as Rosalind. The
character is thought to be almost unattainable. An ideal that is lofty
but at the same time vague seems to possess the Shakespeare scholar,
accompanied by the profound conviction that it never can be fulfilled.
Only a few actresses have obtained recognition as Rosalind, chief
among them being Mrs. Pritchard, Peg Woffington, Mrs. Dancer, Dora
Jordan, Louisa Nesbitt, Helen Faucit, Ellen Tree, Adelaide Neilson,
Mrs. Scott-Siddons and Miss Mary Anderson."
Of those who have recently played Rosalind perhaps Mary Anderson, Ada
Rehan, Henrietta Crosman and Julia Marlowe will remain longest in the
memory, although Marie Wainwright, Mary Shaw, Mrs. Langtry and Julia
Neilson are among a long list of those who have tried the part. Miss
Rehan appeared in the role when Augustin Daly revived the comedy at
Daly's Theatre, December 17, 1889. We are told that an effort was made
in this production to emphasize the buoyant gaiety of the piece. The
scenery displayed the woods embellished in a springtime green, and
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