ruene Kakadu
Der
9.4eeesesereenee eeee ee
A
L3 E
2.2.—
TSPENDEMRTTP
IEANNELE
GzERAET
box 15/3
*
MUTNN M
TNAATEE
Dazust- rer 57
CNNEZ
Hannele Forbidden in Citu
16 Vcars Ago. Reproduced
By CHARLES HENRV MELTZER.presented on the boards, Amazement
for some minutes was the chief emotion
Some of the newspapers had de¬
noticeable. But ere long. as Hauptmann
nounced“ Hannele.“ It was sald to be
whispered to me. it gave way to interest—
an intérest so real that in some quarters
blasphemous.
it became hysterical.
Reports from Eurone, following on
The house, I may remark, was almost
the heeis of its production in Berlin, dark. Every light in front had becn ex¬
tingulshed. And, to emphasize the sig¬
had hinfed at what the Germans, in
nificance of the play (which deals, as you
their mellifluous way, call" Gottésbe¬
may know. with death—the death of à
leidigung.“
poor, suffering little child, who has lovely.
On April, 1894, after the indignationf dreams and harrowing visions as she
of New York had been stirred up byl passes from this earth to the Beyond),
between the first and second acts the cur¬
misleading editorials and inaceurate
tain was replaced by a thick, black crape
rumors, two German managers began
vell. drawn solemnly across the stage.
Never in the history of this citv had
rehearsing ihe play at the Fifth Ave¬
angthing like.“ Hannele“ been seen. Never
nue Theatre. The author, a young
had so still and awed an audience been
genius, Just becöming famous abroad, lassembled in a theatré here. Rarely, let
had come to America. Not, however,
it be added, had actors seemed more
in search of more fame or of notoriety
strangely or sincerely moved by the words
(which he despised); but to Jein his put into their mouths and by the situa¬
wife, who, for reasons of her own, had
tions in which they flgured.
left her native land and was visiting
friends of hers in Connectient.
There Was No Blasphemy.
Oue day Commodore Elbridge T.
Gerry, president of the. S. P. C. C. and
But—wien the lights went up again,
prominent in 'society,“ called at the
theatre. He was welcomed with thejätter a tense hour and twenty minutes,
Honor due to his exalted rank and hisethe pretended blasphemy had not reveaied
admitted piety. Without responding 10
itseif. For there was no blasphemy.
the civilities heaped on him, he de¬
The pietists who had protested so ig¬
mändedof the management a copy of
norantly against “ Hannele“' had assured
the “prompt'’ book of the play, glanced
their friends that thlSaviour was one öf
at it, handed it back with a shocked
the characters in the play. And there
groan and a few. comments, and pro¬
was no Savlour—only a dream vision of
tested against the production.
à good sschoolmaster, who had been kind
The play was Hannele.“ and I had
to Hanhele, and to whom, in her child's
made the English version.
mind, she had attributed some of tie
Christ-like qualities.
Bitter Fight Was Begun.
Next morning a. majority of the critics
The author of the original Germanjacquitted Hannele.“ Some declgred that,
far from being irreveren:, it made ons
work, which had created a sensation
feel as if one was in church. The Dis¬
abroad, was Gerhart Hauptmann.
trict Attorney found it advisable to
Constituting himself a public censorlthe# lese majeste implied in in
genius. For, as I have sald, Hau
of morals, Commodore Gerry proceeded
is à genlus—and some thought t
to move heaven and hell, the churches
in him a possible Schiller or Maet
Hall, to „prevent the
Inspector Byrnes was instructed
and Tammany Hannele. The few
production o
make arrests. And, on the opening
Inewspapers already opposed to the play
the crowds which stood öutsidesthe Fr
Trenewed their onslaughts—before theu
Avenue Theatre, waiting for“sensations
had learned, some of. them, even ho#
went home unsatisfied. Alllthe Lsensa¬
to spell the names ofthe work and oritions“ were inside the house, In the minds
its author.
The Mayor, a Tammany magnate, wasjand in the hearts of those who watched
appealed to by Commodore Gerry. Asitthe performance.
an easy wav to prevent the sacrilegell That was the beginning of thereputa¬
complafhed of, the young actress engagedltion which Hauptmann ha“ won here
Soon after, the production of his “Sunken
for the part of Hannele was forbidden
Bell,“ which I had also hä
ivilege
to appear on the stäge. She was not six¬
bf putting into English, P
poetic
teen. The heroine of the play was sup¬
and dramatie claims.
posed to be about fourteen.
Last night, after sixte
Her mother her mahagers, the author,
inele'' was revived—in à n
the translator, in valn protested against
the Lyceum. No Gerry
the bigotry of the respected Gerry and
the production. No newspape
the perhaps less respected Mayor. Uhen
unced the play blasphemon
they engaged an elder lady, of diminutive
To be sure, between the M
tature, to interpret Hannele, She had
tion and the last Cardinaf6
een twice divorced and was uncommonly
sis at least as good a pietis
ntelligent:
Meanwhlle the adversarles of Gerhartlidore Gerry—had indireetle
Hauptmann's"dream play“ had not beeniinele“ under his protection bi
idle. They compelled Hauptmann, theilit to be read for the benefit'of à Catho
German managers and some of theilorganlzation in Baltimore. And, possibig,
actors who were to appear in“Hannele''/sthé public had grown broader thanIt
to go down to City Hall and defend
used to be in the bad days when öne öf
themselves against the charge öf irrev¬
the most famous of living dramatists was !
erence, Now, they went further. The
persecuted in New York.
District Attörnéy of that day, Colonel
Fellowes, was requested to take action,
He gave orders t0 Inspector-Byrnes, then
a man
might, to arrest all concèrned
including Hauptmann, his translator and
he managers, if they persisted in their
ntention of producing““ Hannele“ for
money pühliely.
But they persisted. Thev scoffed at
the iden that the play was blasphemous.
They objectédto one narrow-minded gen¬
tleman,
howüver plous he might be
arrogating to himself the nower to pre¬
vent American theafregoers from exer¬
eising their own Judgment in regard to
drama. They anounced that they would
produce Hännele,“ even though they
went to Jall.
To test their case in the great publie
court, on the Sunday evening prior tothe
first regular performance they gavé a
edress rehearsal,“ to which hundreds of
leading cittzens, among them the oppo¬
nents of the play, were invited.“ The
Catholie Archbishop of New Fork, the
Tammany powers that were, the dry-as¬
dust magazine editors, the popular min¬
listers ofethe hour and the dramatie
crities were all present when the curtain
rose.
Fromüthe sest in the balcony which I
occupied, next to Hauptmann, I couid
dimig sec thepolice deputed by In¬
spector Byrnes to watch the proceedings.
Great was the hush that soon feil on
ithe audience and deep was its amaze¬
ment at the unusual nature of the scches
Der
9.4eeesesereenee eeee ee
A
L3 E
2.2.—
TSPENDEMRTTP
IEANNELE
GzERAET
box 15/3
*
MUTNN M
TNAATEE
Dazust- rer 57
CNNEZ
Hannele Forbidden in Citu
16 Vcars Ago. Reproduced
By CHARLES HENRV MELTZER.presented on the boards, Amazement
for some minutes was the chief emotion
Some of the newspapers had de¬
noticeable. But ere long. as Hauptmann
nounced“ Hannele.“ It was sald to be
whispered to me. it gave way to interest—
an intérest so real that in some quarters
blasphemous.
it became hysterical.
Reports from Eurone, following on
The house, I may remark, was almost
the heeis of its production in Berlin, dark. Every light in front had becn ex¬
tingulshed. And, to emphasize the sig¬
had hinfed at what the Germans, in
nificance of the play (which deals, as you
their mellifluous way, call" Gottésbe¬
may know. with death—the death of à
leidigung.“
poor, suffering little child, who has lovely.
On April, 1894, after the indignationf dreams and harrowing visions as she
of New York had been stirred up byl passes from this earth to the Beyond),
between the first and second acts the cur¬
misleading editorials and inaceurate
tain was replaced by a thick, black crape
rumors, two German managers began
vell. drawn solemnly across the stage.
Never in the history of this citv had
rehearsing ihe play at the Fifth Ave¬
angthing like.“ Hannele“ been seen. Never
nue Theatre. The author, a young
had so still and awed an audience been
genius, Just becöming famous abroad, lassembled in a theatré here. Rarely, let
had come to America. Not, however,
it be added, had actors seemed more
in search of more fame or of notoriety
strangely or sincerely moved by the words
(which he despised); but to Jein his put into their mouths and by the situa¬
wife, who, for reasons of her own, had
tions in which they flgured.
left her native land and was visiting
friends of hers in Connectient.
There Was No Blasphemy.
Oue day Commodore Elbridge T.
Gerry, president of the. S. P. C. C. and
But—wien the lights went up again,
prominent in 'society,“ called at the
theatre. He was welcomed with thejätter a tense hour and twenty minutes,
Honor due to his exalted rank and hisethe pretended blasphemy had not reveaied
admitted piety. Without responding 10
itseif. For there was no blasphemy.
the civilities heaped on him, he de¬
The pietists who had protested so ig¬
mändedof the management a copy of
norantly against “ Hannele“' had assured
the “prompt'’ book of the play, glanced
their friends that thlSaviour was one öf
at it, handed it back with a shocked
the characters in the play. And there
groan and a few. comments, and pro¬
was no Savlour—only a dream vision of
tested against the production.
à good sschoolmaster, who had been kind
The play was Hannele.“ and I had
to Hanhele, and to whom, in her child's
made the English version.
mind, she had attributed some of tie
Christ-like qualities.
Bitter Fight Was Begun.
Next morning a. majority of the critics
The author of the original Germanjacquitted Hannele.“ Some declgred that,
far from being irreveren:, it made ons
work, which had created a sensation
feel as if one was in church. The Dis¬
abroad, was Gerhart Hauptmann.
trict Attorney found it advisable to
Constituting himself a public censorlthe# lese majeste implied in in
genius. For, as I have sald, Hau
of morals, Commodore Gerry proceeded
is à genlus—and some thought t
to move heaven and hell, the churches
in him a possible Schiller or Maet
Hall, to „prevent the
Inspector Byrnes was instructed
and Tammany Hannele. The few
production o
make arrests. And, on the opening
Inewspapers already opposed to the play
the crowds which stood öutsidesthe Fr
Trenewed their onslaughts—before theu
Avenue Theatre, waiting for“sensations
had learned, some of. them, even ho#
went home unsatisfied. Alllthe Lsensa¬
to spell the names ofthe work and oritions“ were inside the house, In the minds
its author.
The Mayor, a Tammany magnate, wasjand in the hearts of those who watched
appealed to by Commodore Gerry. Asitthe performance.
an easy wav to prevent the sacrilegell That was the beginning of thereputa¬
complafhed of, the young actress engagedltion which Hauptmann ha“ won here
Soon after, the production of his “Sunken
for the part of Hannele was forbidden
Bell,“ which I had also hä
ivilege
to appear on the stäge. She was not six¬
bf putting into English, P
poetic
teen. The heroine of the play was sup¬
and dramatie claims.
posed to be about fourteen.
Last night, after sixte
Her mother her mahagers, the author,
inele'' was revived—in à n
the translator, in valn protested against
the Lyceum. No Gerry
the bigotry of the respected Gerry and
the production. No newspape
the perhaps less respected Mayor. Uhen
unced the play blasphemon
they engaged an elder lady, of diminutive
To be sure, between the M
tature, to interpret Hannele, She had
tion and the last Cardinaf6
een twice divorced and was uncommonly
sis at least as good a pietis
ntelligent:
Meanwhlle the adversarles of Gerhartlidore Gerry—had indireetle
Hauptmann's"dream play“ had not beeniinele“ under his protection bi
idle. They compelled Hauptmann, theilit to be read for the benefit'of à Catho
German managers and some of theilorganlzation in Baltimore. And, possibig,
actors who were to appear in“Hannele''/sthé public had grown broader thanIt
to go down to City Hall and defend
used to be in the bad days when öne öf
themselves against the charge öf irrev¬
the most famous of living dramatists was !
erence, Now, they went further. The
persecuted in New York.
District Attörnéy of that day, Colonel
Fellowes, was requested to take action,
He gave orders t0 Inspector-Byrnes, then
a man
might, to arrest all concèrned
including Hauptmann, his translator and
he managers, if they persisted in their
ntention of producing““ Hannele“ for
money pühliely.
But they persisted. Thev scoffed at
the iden that the play was blasphemous.
They objectédto one narrow-minded gen¬
tleman,
howüver plous he might be
arrogating to himself the nower to pre¬
vent American theafregoers from exer¬
eising their own Judgment in regard to
drama. They anounced that they would
produce Hännele,“ even though they
went to Jall.
To test their case in the great publie
court, on the Sunday evening prior tothe
first regular performance they gavé a
edress rehearsal,“ to which hundreds of
leading cittzens, among them the oppo¬
nents of the play, were invited.“ The
Catholie Archbishop of New Fork, the
Tammany powers that were, the dry-as¬
dust magazine editors, the popular min¬
listers ofethe hour and the dramatie
crities were all present when the curtain
rose.
Fromüthe sest in the balcony which I
occupied, next to Hauptmann, I couid
dimig sec thepolice deputed by In¬
spector Byrnes to watch the proceedings.
Great was the hush that soon feil on
ithe audience and deep was its amaze¬
ment at the unusual nature of the scches