Page:Taming of the Shrew (1921) Yale.djvu/141

of the Shrew and Sly—and Mr. and Mrs. Martin Harvey (Nina de Silva), 1913.

In America Katharine and Petruchio was first presented in 1766, with Margaret Cheer and Lewis Hallam in the leading parts. This version long held its place on our stage, being given by such actors as Fanny and Charles Kemble, 1882, Fanny Wallack and James R. Anderson, 1848, Mrs. Scott-Siddons and James K. Mortimer, 1869, and Clara Morris and Louis James, 1871. Petruchio was a famous part of Edwin Booth's, but he used a two-act variant of Garrick's piece, prepared by himself; it was always given as an afterpiece to one of his tragic rôles. His leading ladies in this play included Ada Clifton, Isabella Bateman, Rose Eytinge, and Fanny Davenport. In 1870 Marie Seebach, a German actress, produced in New York a German version of The Shrew, which purported to be true to the original version, but which was in four acts, omitted the In duction, and materially altered the subplot. The first performance in America to follow approximately the Folio text was that given at Daly's Theatre, New York, on January 18, 1887, under the direction of Augustin Daly. This revival met with remarkable success and continued to be given with various supporting casts all through the lifetime of Ada Rehan, whose Katherine was her best rôle and whose performance dominated the piece. The original cast enlisted the best talent of Daly's famous company, including George Clark as the Lord, William Gilbert as Christopher Sly, John Drew as Petruchio, Otis Skinner as Lucentio, Charles Leclerq as Gremio, Joseph Holland as Hortensio, James Lewis as Grumio, Virginia Dreher as Bianca, and Mrs. G. H. Gilbert as Curtis. Later Petruchios to Miss Rehan's Katherine were George Clark, Charles Richman, and Otis Skinner.

Daly's version of The Shrew was based on