box 30/3
25. ProfesseEnhandi
Aussohnitt aus: The Times, Gonder
en 10. 1913
vom:
SOME RECENT GERMAN PLAYS.
is one of several satirical pieces onthe class indieated hy
Ithe title. Tilman Hicketier, goldsmith, Krey, a sub¬
ordinate official in the Prince’s court (angwhere), und
Maung. By F. A. Bureatein. (Berlin: Vita. 2m.)
Wolke, a master printer, are three surviving members of
Den MANN in Sourrenvakasren. By T. Rirraen.
a glee quartet, whose tenor is dead. They are forced
(Vienna: Deutsch-oesterreichische Verlag. 2m.)
to apply to Schippel, a poor wretch who curns a scanty
Frsrsrirr. By G. Haurrmany. (Berlin: S. Fischer. 2m.)
Iving by playing the flute in beerlonses, to fill the part
and thus enable tho quartet to gain the Prince’s prize
Paorzsson Beasnaunr. By A. Schamzten. (Berlin“:
S. Fischer. 3m.)
at the annual festival. Hicketier represents the burgher
type who knows his place in the social order, and docs not
Brnoen Scmeren. By C. Srenyuum. (Leipzig: Insel¬
Verlag. 3m.)
desire to go above or beyond it. Schippel’s exquisite and
indispensable volce gives him the entrée into this magio
Ensere Scnwänkr. By H. Eunnynune. (Leipzig: Kurt
cirele; the liaison of Hicketier’s sister, Thekla, with the
Wolff. 2.50m.)
Prince affords him another chance of casting down tho
Das WuypxauAnenes voy Bratin. By H. H. Ewrns.
burgher House of Pride, and bis assmmed courage in the
(Munich: G. Müller. 3m.)
duel with her Nancé, Krey, wins him at length full ad¬
" Hehad a face as though he pitied mankind“' is asaying
mittance into burgher rank. Thekla, like most of Stern¬
that overy dramatist ought to take to himsel“. Sympathy
heim’s women, is unsympathetically drawn. We are pro¬
may indeed degenerato into sentimentality und. tience into
bably to regard her as one of the detestably shrewd, who
hypocrisy and falsehood, but through this gate alone
pays as littlo as may be for her pleasures.
Ich habe
lies entranco into the inner sanctuary of drama. Thus,
Zucht,'’ she says to the Prince at their final meeting. This
such banality as Beyerlein’s Frauen rings truer than
belittling of the burgher corresponds to the scorning of
many a more pretentious piece. Tlie dialogue is poor,
suburban types by our writers, wWho are often themselves
tho treatment conventional, and yet his sincerity and
suburb-born. Such satirists on the one hand speak that
hman kindliness carry it off. That a good domestie
they do know, but do not always make it clear that what
woman like Regine has no chanco against her husband's
they satirize is not a class in society but a state of mind.
infatuation for a magnetie woman like Hilda Wengel
Sternheim’s dialogue is often brilliant; his treatment is
las been sufliciently proved by generations of dramatists.
original and sincere. If the quality of mercy were added
That she triumplis in the long run by her very
to his other gifts le might in due time achieve front rank.
limitations, and that family ties attach the teinperurily
He represents, no doubt, a certain trend which had its
faithless, is a commmon experience. But in the current
beginning in Ibsen, as the direction taken by H. Eulenberg
welter of New Moralities these truisis are apt to be over¬
was perhaps influenced by D’Annunzio. The Ernste
looked. Beyerlein does a service to that section of tho
Schwänke must not be taken too seriously, nor do they
public to whom his work appeals in presenting the truth,
represent the best that Eulenberg can do. A humourist,
though not perhaps the whiole truth, of a triangular situn¬
for example, would scareely have chosen the title for thiese
tion. Hemakes a real effort to get to the heart of the matter,
little one-act pieces. The best of the four is Die Gesch¬
to go as deep as he can, or as deep.as his public can follow
tister, in which Paul and Paula, having made a full mutual
him. To unjesting Tolstoi asking“ Wiet is Art?“ onc
confession, as each supposes, of foriner frailties, are sud¬
might reply, Art is for each man just so mnich as he can
denly confronted, she with a little'' Paul, and he
understand of universal design. In that sense Frauen is
with a“ little?' Paula, out of their respective pasts. Die
a work of art.
Welt will betrogen werden refers to the world of art,
Ona considerably higher level is Der Mann im Soupleur¬
and a faked “ Reinbrandt.“ The farces are in rhymed
kasten, whlich also seeins to mark a reaction in favour of
couplets of varying length according to the mood sug¬
wholesomeness. Thie man in the prompt-box is a stage¬
gested. They are pleasant to read, and prove how rich
struck youth who gives rise to legends of a ghost, by his
in divers tones is the instrument upon whlich Eulenberg
habit of walking the boards and comnposing plays after the
80 skilfully performs.
closing of the theatre for the night. He is discovered by the
Tlie vigorous talent of H. H. Ewers is independent of
leading lady with the inevitable sequel. He has his
style. His works run into double-figured editions, and
succ’e d’estime, thienco develops into popularity, aspires
are translated into many langnages, though probably not
to the hand of Corelli, who hias ouly been the director’s
more than a few dozen English readers are aequainted
wife in name, and all ends happily with marriage bells.
with his name. He belongs to the “echt Deutschen,
There is a delicate and delicious flavour about this comedy.
for whiom the grotesque has a peculiar appeal. Das
It is neither farce nor burlesque, nor any othier substitute
Wundermädchen von Berlin, #. second of two published
for thagenuine artiele. Frau Wieselin, mother of
plays, of which the first, Delpht, appeared in 1906, presents
Heinrich, whese one desire in life is at last to feel that
acharseter in which mystie eleinents merge into the sensual.
she is his mother; Angiolina, whose“ noble profile“ is
Luise Braun, the miracle worker, the Grüfin Ida Haln¬
eclipsed by the youthful charms of Corelli, and whose
Hahn, and others are historical personages, and though
carcer is marred by devotion to her child; the fat, jolly
Ewers disclaimns anv attempt at liistorical pedantry, his
director himself, man of the world and man of business,
rendering of the atmosphere of 1848 is admirable. Ile has
get with a very himnan side; all these and others are
hardly perhaps succceded in the central figure, whioso
true comedy figures. In a word, Rittner, too, is evidently
Jekyll-and-Hyde reality was surely stranger than any
one of those wlio love mankind, It is humanity again,
fiction. Luise’s development from a Wundermädehen to
above all, that has given to both Selmitzler and Gerhard
a light o'love ends on a melodramatic note, wllich is hardly
Hauptmann their assured niche in the temple of dramo.
in keeping with therestraint of the earlier scenes. But tho
The peculiar gentleness characteristic of these writers is
technical excellence of a dramatist who ranks pre-eminently
displayed in he Festspiel and in Professor Bernbardi.
as à novel writer is reinarkable.
Hauptmann’s attempt to place the German nation as pro¬
Space serves merely to mentien the amusing Ver¬
tagonist upon the stage, compared with uny of our pagennts,
lauschte Seelen of W. v. Scholz; a successful“ big bow¬
in whlich class of drama it naturally falis, is, of couese, as
wow? by Sudermann, Der Beitler von Syrakus; some
wine unto water. Many things are said wittily, manz¬
pleasant diminutive dramas, something in thie vein of Mr.
beautifullg; and the crowd moftn, always attractive to
Maurice Baring. Der spielende Fros by W. Sclnnidtbonn;
Hauptmann, is skilfully used. He divides his stage into
A. v. Kahlenberg’s ambitions and partially censured social
three parts, one above another. Below stands the director.
drama, Der Aeiser; Schönherr’s effective and popular Erde:
wlio takes out of his box one puppet after another, witli
and, lastly, as in dramatie duty bound, the strange queer
satirical commnent upon each, as they are about to appeur
Franziska of Vedekind, half eriminal, half Madonnn, ay
in large upon the second stage. The third and highest
Wundermädchen indeed.
compartment represents the temple of Eros, to which
the whole nation in union is bidden to nspire by Atheno