iebel
5. 11
box 11/2
Lreeum theatre last night. Ir was
achieved br Katherine Grer. She actell
the leading role in The Reckoning. a
plag from the German, with a variety of
meaning, a restrained power, and, finally.
a series of bursts of feeling that surprised
even those most familiar with her abili¬
ties. Excellent player though she has
proven herself. Miss Grer, never before
gare ang demonstration-pf. the full scope
of her powers.
The gift of a girl’s first love, its pre¬
cions and undeviating quality, its fine
and subtie devotionthen the rude, vio¬
lent shattering of her faith through the
news that her lover has been shot in a
7 duel br the husband of the woman with
whom the young man has had an daf¬
fair''—that is what this three-act drama
mainly exploits.
It is a sad and somber theme, accentu¬
ating human weakness and concluding
with the acconnt of a. funeral and its
altendant circumstances; and there is
scarcely ang of that element of comedy
relief with which even the juvenile lov¬
ers provide“Camille.“
Natual throughout, with moments of
unusual strength,The Reckoning,
withont ang doubt, profoundly. impressed
the “special“ audience gathered together
last night. This was dueras much to the
acting as to the plot andits development
by Arthur Schnitzler, its author. For,
though Miss Grey easily captured first
honors, there was not al member-of the
cast of seven that did not play, with-most
ccmmendable ratioliality—so sthatt the
personages involved in the cast all took
on the semblance of actual beings, each
actuated by separate motives.
The stage management and appoint¬
ments also helped toward the accomplish.
ment of ilusion. The first act, represent¬
ing a supper party of four, including
Fritz, the “hero“ (John Deau), Theodore.
Lis friend (Robert Conness), Christine
Wehring (Miss Grez), and Mitzi“ (Phylles
Rankin), a sophisticated little #milliner,
is full of appropriate frivolous detail, re¬
lieved by the tokens oflthe whole-souled
love of Christine for the erring Fritz,
and later, in stronger contrast, by tiie
sidetracking of the party while the of¬
fended husband (Albert Brunning) ealls
and issues the duel challengé:
The next two acts take place in the
humble home of Christine and her ven¬
scrable father (George Heury Trader), an
old black violinist. Herein the young but
deep and stanch eiotions engendered
in Christine by Fritz, his growing realiza¬
tion of the unique value ofther unsullied
love and his dismag at the thought of
his danger in the forthcoming duel are
represented withont any undue stress.
It is like a glimpse into a real room;
holding real feelings.
The final act is devotedto the break¬
ing of the news of Fritz’s death to the
unsuspecting Christian—first by her
kindly father and then by the deceased's
companion, Theodore. It teems with
grewscme information, but is plagen „,
Mr. Trader, Mr. Conness and illss Grey¬
with a realism, an absence of theatrical
trickery of speech or gesture that merit
unstinted praise, Miss Grey’s grief and
despair must have wrenched every heart.
Mr. Robert Hunter is to be commend¬
ed for placing this play upon the local
stage with such skill. It is not likeiy it
will ever make an appeal to the big pub¬
lic that fills theatres throughout this
broad land, for it is much too brooding
und sinister. But for those who are
willing to take their drama in mourning
il will'loom big.
5. 11
box 11/2
Lreeum theatre last night. Ir was
achieved br Katherine Grer. She actell
the leading role in The Reckoning. a
plag from the German, with a variety of
meaning, a restrained power, and, finally.
a series of bursts of feeling that surprised
even those most familiar with her abili¬
ties. Excellent player though she has
proven herself. Miss Grer, never before
gare ang demonstration-pf. the full scope
of her powers.
The gift of a girl’s first love, its pre¬
cions and undeviating quality, its fine
and subtie devotionthen the rude, vio¬
lent shattering of her faith through the
news that her lover has been shot in a
7 duel br the husband of the woman with
whom the young man has had an daf¬
fair''—that is what this three-act drama
mainly exploits.
It is a sad and somber theme, accentu¬
ating human weakness and concluding
with the acconnt of a. funeral and its
altendant circumstances; and there is
scarcely ang of that element of comedy
relief with which even the juvenile lov¬
ers provide“Camille.“
Natual throughout, with moments of
unusual strength,The Reckoning,
withont ang doubt, profoundly. impressed
the “special“ audience gathered together
last night. This was dueras much to the
acting as to the plot andits development
by Arthur Schnitzler, its author. For,
though Miss Grey easily captured first
honors, there was not al member-of the
cast of seven that did not play, with-most
ccmmendable ratioliality—so sthatt the
personages involved in the cast all took
on the semblance of actual beings, each
actuated by separate motives.
The stage management and appoint¬
ments also helped toward the accomplish.
ment of ilusion. The first act, represent¬
ing a supper party of four, including
Fritz, the “hero“ (John Deau), Theodore.
Lis friend (Robert Conness), Christine
Wehring (Miss Grez), and Mitzi“ (Phylles
Rankin), a sophisticated little #milliner,
is full of appropriate frivolous detail, re¬
lieved by the tokens oflthe whole-souled
love of Christine for the erring Fritz,
and later, in stronger contrast, by tiie
sidetracking of the party while the of¬
fended husband (Albert Brunning) ealls
and issues the duel challengé:
The next two acts take place in the
humble home of Christine and her ven¬
scrable father (George Heury Trader), an
old black violinist. Herein the young but
deep and stanch eiotions engendered
in Christine by Fritz, his growing realiza¬
tion of the unique value ofther unsullied
love and his dismag at the thought of
his danger in the forthcoming duel are
represented withont any undue stress.
It is like a glimpse into a real room;
holding real feelings.
The final act is devotedto the break¬
ing of the news of Fritz’s death to the
unsuspecting Christian—first by her
kindly father and then by the deceased's
companion, Theodore. It teems with
grewscme information, but is plagen „,
Mr. Trader, Mr. Conness and illss Grey¬
with a realism, an absence of theatrical
trickery of speech or gesture that merit
unstinted praise, Miss Grey’s grief and
despair must have wrenched every heart.
Mr. Robert Hunter is to be commend¬
ed for placing this play upon the local
stage with such skill. It is not likeiy it
will ever make an appeal to the big pub¬
lic that fills theatres throughout this
broad land, for it is much too brooding
und sinister. But for those who are
willing to take their drama in mourning
il will'loom big.