S
B
7
box 31/1
25. Professor Vernbundi
Ce
707
92
THE INTERNATIONAL
A GLIMPSE INTO THE THEATRES
Br JOSEPH BERNARD RETHY
THE IRVING PLACE THEATRE this fine play yourself. Rudolf Chris¬
this particular case the husband is a
tians has given it a notable presen¬
good man in the worst sense of the
IT is impossible for a great man to
tation. The performance in every
word. His patience is boundless. At
1 do a little thing. Arthur Schnitz¬
respect is adequate and woriny.
ler is one of the really big men in
times it is unendurable. We are al¬
the dramaturgic world of to-day. He
ways expecting him to say the one
THE PRINCESS
has never done anything stupid, inane
word that will break up the play. But
HE policy of the Princess has
or banal. Even his failures are char¬
he is angelic until the very end. Then
changed. Mr. Holbrook Blinn
acterized by the sharp gesture of
he does the right thing very hand¬
has decided to give only “moral'
genius. He knows life; he knows how
somely. Of course after he has killed
playlets. The latest batch of one-act
to write of life and he is wonderfully
her with his bare hands he walks over
plays given at the Princess are rather
capable of seeing all that is significant
to the telephone and calls up Police
disappointing. We were in hopes that
and dramatic about him. The very
Headquarters. The telephone, by the
Mr. Blinn might give us such things
way, is America’s single contribution
old and corrupt society of his own
as Countess Julia' (he could play
to the advancement of the drama.
native Vienna he has portrayed with
the part of the hostler magnificently),
No play has appeared within recent
cruel fidelity. And because he has
the Florentine Tragedy by Oscar
vears in this country in which the
done all this with a certain insouci¬
Wilde, some of the remarkable one¬
ance and with an air of cynical aban¬
telephone has not assumed the most
act plays from the French and the
donment all the little nobodies have
important role. But to come back to
Norwegians—in short, those things
To-day'' Four-fifths of the women
risen in revolt to exclaim: Insincere!
that presupposed some intelligence
who see this play say that it is true
Clever—but,?' etc. They have said that
among the audience. Instead we were
to life and that it reflects conditions
Schnitzler is too local, that his char¬
treated to a singular mixture of water
actually as they are. I have been in¬
acters are always Viennese and that
and a still milder liquid. There isn't
formed by a thoroughly corrupt and
they lack the universal appeal which
anything at the Princess now that can
makes for great art.
dishonest milliner that the practices
begin to compare with The Black
of which the dramatist speaks are of
At the Irving Place Theatre they
Mask.“ One of the little plays, how¬
more than frequent occurrences. And
are playing Schnitzler’s latest play
ever, is truly effective. That is The
dressmakers galore have testified to
Professor Bernhardi.“ No play pro¬
Kiss in the Dark.“ Here the spectacle
the correctness of the charge. And if
duced in New York this season is so
of a man revenging himself for an ir¬
these things are so, then this is a nec¬
appealing, so poignant, so bitterly
reparable wrong committed against
essary play and peculiarly timely and
true. It is quite devoid of the usual
significant.
him by a woman is done with sufli¬
clap-trap nonsense that goes so well
cient realism and convincing force to
on the Great White Way. There is not
THE THIRTT-NINTH ST. THEATRE
satisfy the most blase. And the last
piece,"I Can Be Done,' is interesting
acts. In fact, after the first act no
IT must be true that too many cooks
enough, too. The scene takes place on
woman appears on the stage. And yet
spoil the broth. That is the trouble
an audience of simple folk were abso¬
with so many plays now to be
ing at the rate ofsixty miles an hour. A
lutely-held spell-bound bythe discus¬
seen on Broadway. After the author
New Yorker, who prides himself upon
sion of abstract ideas and the higher
has written a play and it is accepted
his ability to look out after his own
ethics.
the stage manager re-writes it. Then
interests, is neatly trimmed, by a
Professor Bernhardi, wonderfully
the star has it completely altered.
voung lady from the middle west.
enacted by Heinrich Marlow, is the
Then the leading man inserts his
This is galling, but we, who are New
head surgeon of a hospitai. A woman
own individual “ideas'’ into it and
Vorkers, know that it can be done.
patient of his is dying. She is dying
after that the stage carpenter rear¬
Yes, it can be done. But the Princess
happily; for she thinks that she is
ranges the whole thing all over again
Theatre is not doing it. And that’s too
well and is about to meet her lover.
and so on and so on. Finally the head
bad. For Mr. Blinn is a fine actor and
At this moment a priest arrives to
usher gives the play its ultimate O. K.
a man of intelligence and he has gath¬
absolve her. But Professor Bernhardi
This has not been the case with Mr.
ered about him a company that act re¬
will not permit him to enter her room.
Frank Craven’s first play“ Too Many
markably well. Some day when we
The least that I can do for her,? he
Cooks.“ This little comedy is really
shall have plenty of money we are
says, "is to see that she dies undis¬
bright and entertaining and presents
going to engage Mr. Blinn and hie
turbed and happy.? The priest de¬
asituation that is at once amusing and
company and make them perform
parts incensed, leaving a hint behind
novel. Ayoung couple are building a
plays that must be donc.
him to the effect that henceforth Pro¬
house that is to be their future home.
fessor Bernhardi will have to reckon
Throughout the action of the play the
THE FORTY-EIGHT ST. THEATRE
with the mighty power ofthe Roman
building rises. We see the founda¬
Church. And directly the trouble be¬
IN spite of the fact that“To-day''
tions in the first act and in the last
gins. The strings are pulled. The
reeks with a hard theatricalism
actthe home is completed. But always
pillars of society begin their work.
and is reminiscent of Sardou and
the young builders have been handi¬
The hypocrites attack all along the
his school there is something about this
capped by the advice and open inter¬
line.
play that commands respect and
ference of a whole world of ignorant
And in this terrible struggle Prof.
serious consideration, The plot is not
busy-bodies. In the samewaytheir fam¬
Bernhardi maintains his position with
new. It has been done over and over
ilies have upset their wedding plans.
suverb courage and with a beautiful
again. We all know the story. It is
Finally they both realize that if yon
dignity. Your faith in mankind is re¬
the eternal tale of the wife who de¬
want anything done in this world von
newed because it can produce a man
ceives her husband that'she might have
must do it yourself and in vour own
so great. But vou must go and see the luxuries he cannot give her. In way.
B
7
box 31/1
25. Professor Vernbundi
Ce
707
92
THE INTERNATIONAL
A GLIMPSE INTO THE THEATRES
Br JOSEPH BERNARD RETHY
THE IRVING PLACE THEATRE this fine play yourself. Rudolf Chris¬
this particular case the husband is a
tians has given it a notable presen¬
good man in the worst sense of the
IT is impossible for a great man to
tation. The performance in every
word. His patience is boundless. At
1 do a little thing. Arthur Schnitz¬
respect is adequate and woriny.
ler is one of the really big men in
times it is unendurable. We are al¬
the dramaturgic world of to-day. He
ways expecting him to say the one
THE PRINCESS
has never done anything stupid, inane
word that will break up the play. But
HE policy of the Princess has
or banal. Even his failures are char¬
he is angelic until the very end. Then
changed. Mr. Holbrook Blinn
acterized by the sharp gesture of
he does the right thing very hand¬
has decided to give only “moral'
genius. He knows life; he knows how
somely. Of course after he has killed
playlets. The latest batch of one-act
to write of life and he is wonderfully
her with his bare hands he walks over
plays given at the Princess are rather
capable of seeing all that is significant
to the telephone and calls up Police
disappointing. We were in hopes that
and dramatic about him. The very
Headquarters. The telephone, by the
Mr. Blinn might give us such things
way, is America’s single contribution
old and corrupt society of his own
as Countess Julia' (he could play
to the advancement of the drama.
native Vienna he has portrayed with
the part of the hostler magnificently),
No play has appeared within recent
cruel fidelity. And because he has
the Florentine Tragedy by Oscar
vears in this country in which the
done all this with a certain insouci¬
Wilde, some of the remarkable one¬
ance and with an air of cynical aban¬
telephone has not assumed the most
act plays from the French and the
donment all the little nobodies have
important role. But to come back to
Norwegians—in short, those things
To-day'' Four-fifths of the women
risen in revolt to exclaim: Insincere!
that presupposed some intelligence
who see this play say that it is true
Clever—but,?' etc. They have said that
among the audience. Instead we were
to life and that it reflects conditions
Schnitzler is too local, that his char¬
treated to a singular mixture of water
actually as they are. I have been in¬
acters are always Viennese and that
and a still milder liquid. There isn't
formed by a thoroughly corrupt and
they lack the universal appeal which
anything at the Princess now that can
makes for great art.
dishonest milliner that the practices
begin to compare with The Black
of which the dramatist speaks are of
At the Irving Place Theatre they
Mask.“ One of the little plays, how¬
more than frequent occurrences. And
are playing Schnitzler’s latest play
ever, is truly effective. That is The
dressmakers galore have testified to
Professor Bernhardi.“ No play pro¬
Kiss in the Dark.“ Here the spectacle
the correctness of the charge. And if
duced in New York this season is so
of a man revenging himself for an ir¬
these things are so, then this is a nec¬
appealing, so poignant, so bitterly
reparable wrong committed against
essary play and peculiarly timely and
true. It is quite devoid of the usual
significant.
him by a woman is done with sufli¬
clap-trap nonsense that goes so well
cient realism and convincing force to
on the Great White Way. There is not
THE THIRTT-NINTH ST. THEATRE
satisfy the most blase. And the last
piece,"I Can Be Done,' is interesting
acts. In fact, after the first act no
IT must be true that too many cooks
enough, too. The scene takes place on
woman appears on the stage. And yet
spoil the broth. That is the trouble
an audience of simple folk were abso¬
with so many plays now to be
ing at the rate ofsixty miles an hour. A
lutely-held spell-bound bythe discus¬
seen on Broadway. After the author
New Yorker, who prides himself upon
sion of abstract ideas and the higher
has written a play and it is accepted
his ability to look out after his own
ethics.
the stage manager re-writes it. Then
interests, is neatly trimmed, by a
Professor Bernhardi, wonderfully
the star has it completely altered.
voung lady from the middle west.
enacted by Heinrich Marlow, is the
Then the leading man inserts his
This is galling, but we, who are New
head surgeon of a hospitai. A woman
own individual “ideas'’ into it and
Vorkers, know that it can be done.
patient of his is dying. She is dying
after that the stage carpenter rear¬
Yes, it can be done. But the Princess
happily; for she thinks that she is
ranges the whole thing all over again
Theatre is not doing it. And that’s too
well and is about to meet her lover.
and so on and so on. Finally the head
bad. For Mr. Blinn is a fine actor and
At this moment a priest arrives to
usher gives the play its ultimate O. K.
a man of intelligence and he has gath¬
absolve her. But Professor Bernhardi
This has not been the case with Mr.
ered about him a company that act re¬
will not permit him to enter her room.
Frank Craven’s first play“ Too Many
markably well. Some day when we
The least that I can do for her,? he
Cooks.“ This little comedy is really
shall have plenty of money we are
says, "is to see that she dies undis¬
bright and entertaining and presents
going to engage Mr. Blinn and hie
turbed and happy.? The priest de¬
asituation that is at once amusing and
company and make them perform
parts incensed, leaving a hint behind
novel. Ayoung couple are building a
plays that must be donc.
him to the effect that henceforth Pro¬
house that is to be their future home.
fessor Bernhardi will have to reckon
Throughout the action of the play the
THE FORTY-EIGHT ST. THEATRE
with the mighty power ofthe Roman
building rises. We see the founda¬
Church. And directly the trouble be¬
IN spite of the fact that“To-day''
tions in the first act and in the last
gins. The strings are pulled. The
reeks with a hard theatricalism
actthe home is completed. But always
pillars of society begin their work.
and is reminiscent of Sardou and
the young builders have been handi¬
The hypocrites attack all along the
his school there is something about this
capped by the advice and open inter¬
line.
play that commands respect and
ference of a whole world of ignorant
And in this terrible struggle Prof.
serious consideration, The plot is not
busy-bodies. In the samewaytheir fam¬
Bernhardi maintains his position with
new. It has been done over and over
ilies have upset their wedding plans.
suverb courage and with a beautiful
again. We all know the story. It is
Finally they both realize that if yon
dignity. Your faith in mankind is re¬
the eternal tale of the wife who de¬
want anything done in this world von
newed because it can produce a man
ceives her husband that'she might have
must do it yourself and in vour own
so great. But vou must go and see the luxuries he cannot give her. In way.