Lonathema Stevens
Although Arthur Schnitzler is the
author of "Anatol, which was re¬
vived at the Lyceum last evening,
he is not the source of all its love¬
liness. Bela Blau has mounted it
handsomely, not forgetting the Vien¬
nese waltzes and the concertina,
which is the most heartening of all
musical instruments. And Joe Mel¬
ziner has lavished upon Schnitzlers
anatomy of love some of the most
alluring settings in years magic vis-
tas, exquisite interiors, and a spark¬
ling evening snowstorm beyond the
arch of a Vienna arcade,
With the actors, Mr. Blaus for¬
tunes have been mixed. As Anatol,
Joseph Schildkraut is mechanical and
constricted in a part that should be
romantically exhilarating. He has
little of the free improvisation that is
the charm of Schnitzlers bundle of
episodes. But Walter Connolly is
quietly merry as Anatoles navish
comrade. Patricia Collinge has one
hauntingly beautiful scene as the
wistful married lady who did not
succumb to Anatol. There are lively
scenes with Miriam Hopins, Anne
Forrest, Elena Miramova and Ruth¬
elma Stevens, If, as a playgoer, you
are as shameless a gourmet as
Anatol, you will find enough beauty
and comedy in Mr. Blau's ravishing
production to balance the wooden¬
ness of some of the acting and some
of the duller scenes.
When Anatole was first mounted
here nearly twenty years ago with
John Barmore was reputed to be
audacious. Anatol is a sinner. But
not to Schnitzler, and hardly to the
pernicious playgoer of today, for
Anatol is a syrite of love. He is
punctious about the deportment of
conquest. He loves love. The seven
scenes in his affairs reveal his sus¬
ceptibilities his anxiety over the
fidelity of Hilda, his wounded vanity
when Bianca no longer remembers
him, his anger when he discovers one
of his trollops covering the booty of
previous amours or another planning
to supplant him with a chorus boy.
For to Schnitzler love is full of savor
and deception, honeyed tenderness
and sweet languor. None of the hot
blooded passion of the modern thea¬
tre bursts into his amorous ho¬
house. There is hardly a kiss visible
to the naked eye. Silken in the writ
ing, it is overlong in the acting. If
it were half as long it would be twice
as good in the theatre. Certainly the
production would be brisker amuse¬
ment if a half hour were taken out
of it.
Although Mr. Schildkraut lacks
the spontaneity that Anatol needs
to keep you steadily interested in
his adventures, he has spirit enough
for the dramatic episodes. The two
lively concluding scenes are his
best. As the operatie huss Miriam
Hopins is vastly amusing, gazing
shamelessly at the table, flying into
a passion, tearing angrily around the
room. And the horseplay of the
concluding scene on Anatole wed-
ding day is likewise unconsciously
funny. As the possessive bagage
who finds that she is losing her
lover almost at the church door,
Ruthelma Stevens is immense. As
the directors Marc Connelly and
Gabriel Beer-Hofmman have done
their redest work here.
Despite these fitful thunderstorms
of comedy and the gossamer ro¬
mance of Patricia Collinges acting.
Anatol without a dynamic Anton
is makes it entertainment. You can
console yourself with the sundry
blandishments of the production, and
still reluctantly confers that there is
a murmur in the heart of Schitzlers
play.
4.9. Anatol
box 9/4
Zyklus

Anatol Revived
Bela Blau Offers Schnitzler Comedy Hand¬
somely at the Lyceum Theater.
By RICHARD LOCKRIDGE.
Arthur Schnitzler's "Anatol," that gentle merger of the
irony and sentimentality of old Vienna, was revived at the
Lyceum Theater last evening by Bela Blau, Inc., amid a pro¬
fusion of handsome sets designed for the occasion by Jo Miel¬
ziner. It was revived with Joseph Schildkraut in the title
role and with a hushed solemnity which, during four of the
six episodes, managed always to suggest that the next scene
would be from something with camels, produced by Morris
Gest, assisted by a large choir.
Anatol happens, however, to be
ANATOL
a play which it is very easy to lose
Granville Barkers version of Arthur
Schnitzer comes called "The Af¬
under a plus sota. It has charm
faire of Anatolin two acts and si
scenes. Setting by Jo Mietziner, Dire
rather than substance; it comes to us
Gabriel Beer-Hofmann and Wal¬
Connolly. Presented at the Lyceum
from a day when the epigram was
Theater by Bela Blau, Inc. The cast
more highly prized than it now is
Max Walter Connol-
and grace was at a greater premium;
Anatol............. Joseph Schau¬
Hilda
when love was a game played pret¬
Emily.................. Anne Forre¬
Blancalen Miramove
tily along the Danube, with just the
right admixture of sighs, and re¬
M.
signed smile and wistful memories
Frans ................. Roger Ramadell
Then, when there was so much time
Lon Ruthem even
for everything young men who had
the time devoted it to the collecting I have seldom seen an offering freer
of souvenirs and to the turning of from skimpines nevertheless proves
them over with far away glances and a handicap. Somehow in all this
occasional little comments, attune
carefulness and in spite of all this
just to the proper pitch of cynicism, effort to give full measure, the play
The enactment of such a play, is slowed down and impeded through¬
when really found necessary, mus
out the first long act. It is always
attain a light hardnessa hard light to slight for its setting.
ness will do quite as well. It is in¬
The last two scenes have, by con¬
stantly fatal if any one, from pro¬ trast, a singular sprightliness. For
ducer to the least member of the this quality we and Bela Blau have
cast, permits himself to believe that to thank Miss Miriam Hopkins and
any emotion is of the least conse¬ Miss Ruthelm Stevens, two of the
quence. The game is played on cer¬
half dozen charming young women
tain well understood terms each in the cast. Miss Hopkins takes her
path of eternal fidelity is worn with scene up and throws it into the air
an abiding sense of the relativity of
precisely as though it were a hand¬
eternity which is shared by every one ful of confettinet, on the whole,
and needs no Einstein for its expla¬
such a bad description of it. She
nation.
turns it into farce and into a per¬
One of the difficulties with the sonal performance but she turns it
present chronicling of Anatols vari¬ into fun, which it hadn't been earlier.
ous participations in the Viennes Miss Stevens, using somewhat simi¬
game is that Mr. Schildkraut, al¬ lar technic, performs a similar ser¬
though to all appearances ideally ce for the final scere, in which she
sulted for the part, does not ever pursus Mr. Schildkraut and the ad¬
quite attain the degree of superfi¬ mirable Walter Connolly who has
ciality which the pari requires. He not much of importance to do and
is too tender an Anatol, too disturbe¬
does it excellently to the top of a
an one has foelings not the piano.
pretty little feelings proper to the
The others, with fewer opportuni¬
moment, but real feelinge; emotions ties, perform with grace. Yet the
by the faintes shade too ingenuous difficulties inherent in the scheme of
for a character so brittle.
the play the half dozen episodes
The producers contribution, al¬
each telling of a different love, are
though it is in every respect ad
so many short plays grouped have
mirable the sets are beautifully thor not been fully conquered by any one
ough in their fidelity to detail, and save Miss Hopkins and Miss Stevens,