value of his plays constat rather in
quality of the characterization and the
speech, than in the illustrative incident. As
for Affairs of Anatol. it is not dif¬
felt to understand how in its original
shape, and with Viennes actors, experts in
the delicate art of skating over thin ice¬
it may have appealed to the more fas¬
tidious class of playgoers by its cynical
humors and to the crowd by its grosser
suggestions. Here it is revealed in muti¬
lated shape, but there is not the slightest
reason for complaint on that score. It was
thought best to omit two of the seven epi¬
sodes, and to paraphrase instead of trans¬
late. Doubtless, discretion in both respects
was amply justified, but the fact remains
that whatever brillancy may have existed
in the original German, is very badly
faded in the Englishalthough there are
vivid flashes of its occasionally while the
surviving episodes contain very little in
their details that is either amusing or
shocking, but a great deal that is foolish,
stale, and futile.
The idea that a production of this sort,
which, in spite of its pretentious affecta¬
tion of literary, philosophie, or artistic pur¬
port, is stale in incident and vulgar in
spirit, is a sort of intellectual manifesta¬
tion a step forward in the march of the¬
atrical progressis melancholy in its ab¬
surdity. The only advance of any kind
which it marks is in the excellence of
modern stage setting, upon which Mr. Ames
may be heartily congratulated. His four
ses are admirable in every way. Nothing
better of this kind has been done even by
David Belasco. But he has not been so
happy in the selection of his players. Ana¬
tol is a character requiring the finesse,
the varied resource, and the authority of
an accomplished comedian. His successes,
as well as his failures, with the fair sex
have to be accounted for Mr. John Bar¬
rymore to whom the part was entrasted
has none of these qualifications. His style
is stiff and rigid, he has very little power
of facial by-play, poor faculties of speech,
and a manner that has as yet acquired no
distinction. In five different situations, of¬
fering opportunities for infinite variety of
treatment, his performance was monot¬
nous in speech and spirities in action.
Oswald Yorke, as the older and experienced
friend who laughed at his enthusiasme,
chafted him on his disillusions, and succord
him in his difficulties, exhibited a much
clearer perception of and a much firmer
grip upon his character.
It is not necessary to discuss the epi¬
sodes individually. The most effective of
them, perhaps, is the first in which Anatol
discovers that a woman can lie when asleep
as well as when awake. The fourth, which
is the only one with a dach of respectable
sentiment in it, was spolied utterly by Mr.
Barrymore's stolidity and particulateness.
The fifthis amusing in its farcical vio¬
lence only, as in its implications it is
abominable. It has been asserted that in
combination Anatole experiences contain
a philosophy and a moral. If so a search
for either of them is not worth while. On
the surface they are a cynical exhibition
of the misadventures of an unprincipled
young profligate, who prates about the
romance of impulses and conduct which are
wholly base. Mr. Ames could easily put his
beautiful playhouse to much more worthy
and much more artistic use.
4.9. Anatol
Zyklus box 9/1
de Nor¬
ber 12
SELLS
LA HAS ATHENEE
The Affairs of Anatol, at Lit¬
te Theatre, Keenly Appreciated
and Enjoyed by First Audience.
fato, by the
Brilliant Vienna writer. Arthur Schnitz¬
ler, had its first New York perform¬
ance last night. This undeniably clever
werk, highly seasoned with Continen¬
tal paprika, reached the stage under
conditions best suited to its apprecla¬
tion. It was acted at the Litte The¬
are before an audience almost entirely
composed of people engaged in the ar¬
tiste professions, dilettante and no¬
phisticated persons whose tastes are
no longer ticked by the usual produc¬
tions of the play house.
Before an audience such as this a
work which in form, so daringly dire¬
gards the conventions of playyriting
and in substance so recklessly runs
counter to the narrower Anglo-saxon
sense of the proprieties could not cause
resentent even if the present toed¬
down version, by Granville Barker
actually encountered the risk. So there
was every evidence that the play was
greatly liked, not less for its oddity of
them and form than for its humorous
sparkte and literary cleverness. But
the young feminine person who prides
herself on her innocence should beware.
The Affairs of Anatole are no affaire
of hers.
These affairs are fine amatory episodes
quite disconnected, of course in the
philandering escapades of a polite rake
who flutters in the gunshine and sips the
honey from every flower in his path. He
tarries not long. Each new flower drives
out the memories of the old and some
of the flowers have thorns! He is a
licentius Lothario, but so engaging is
he tu his to philosophy, as he calls
it, that he quite disarms all sterner
judgment in his case.
To go into the details of Anators
swiftly changing love episodes with
Hilda, with Bianca of the creus, with
Mimi of the ballet, with Gabriele of
more circumspect standards of con¬
duct and with Lona was she not of
the streets is not necessary now.
Another opportunity must be found
to describe how the gay deceiver,
whose passion for the sex bloweth
where it listeth, is himself deceived
by the one to whom he momentarily
bares his fickle heart. But the epi¬
sodes with one exception, in which
there is a vein of real sentiment, are
humorous and sprightly, cleverly con¬
trasted and pointedly significant of
what to the sophisticated is written
between the lines.
John Barrymores habitual debonnai¬
manner assumed to an extent at least,
the needed foreign gloss for the charac¬
ter of Anatol, which Schnitzler develop¬
only along the side of its amatory in¬
dulgences. His performance was excel¬
lent, but the play needs a lighter, more
delicate touch than he is able to give it,
Oswald York was the friend and con¬
fidant to whom, in his disengaged mo¬