New-York tribune., 1897-08-11
THE THEATRE.
SOME GERMAN WORKS FOR AND
ABOUT 1T.

DER soHN DEs KALIFEN. Co. Dramatische' Sci,a
Marchen von Ludwig Fulda. s'uusal.. .o,'"
DIE yERs,,NKENE GLOCKE: Elm deutsches
Marchen drama Gerhart Hauptmann. Ber-
'oB Berlin: rim r. Boil
TKEAgER voS SSD AdosS DsSrfthE
ronge. Berlin: Concoroia Deu'sone "e
Anstat
II we Anglo-Saxon shopkeepers militant were
10 bestow more attention upon the artistic
amenities OF life we would seem more urbane
OF spirit to others and less awkward to ourselves
Our achievements IN music. painting and scuipt-
ure stand pale in the book Of fame, and our giori
Gus primacy In the drama is history-myth
almost. to Judge the past by the present. of
that which remains TO us Of the metrical drama
Dr. Mensch tells us the sad truth: 1T is iact
acknowledged by cultivated Englishmen that
Shakespeare's plays are seen at tneir pest III
Germany" This the scenic genius OF henry
Irving has belied. but only to degree; so tha''
take II all in all. the statement Is OF course u"e'
But that does by no means exonerate DR.. Mensch
from the omission Of Goldsmith, Sheridan ana
,rennyson from dictionary Of theatrical htera-
lure in which score upon score or Frencn ana
German trvialities are chronicled Inconsst-
encv thv name is Dictionary. Why no occupa-
tion here for Crebillon. Patterson. Coppee. and
vet space for De,pit Ferrier. Lavedan? Why is
Messire du Guesclin of greater note than lie
Youeur? But the inconsistency Is not all amiss,
for within the compass Of his $50 pages Dr.
Mensch gives enlightening paragraphs on the
Indian Drama Moralities. Hanswurstiade, Bau-
ern-theater A less pretentious title would have
done sufficient justice to useful little book for
reference of limited scope.
There is some humor in Der sohn des Kali
eofr
able poetic beauty are contained in the fourth
and fifth scenes of the second act, into lhe shoi'
sixth scene of which is compressed deal OF
nsthos spoken and acted and the curtain falls
,non q prettv piece Of verse. Although no SIN
gle massage or sentence of the play bespeaKs
lasting record still Fuda's lines are smooth
snd pleasinc throughout there are no lmpedi-
ments TO stumble over. no ugly, clumsy phrases
70 rend ahe ear. Fulda's verse Is nelther ruseeo
and bold nor fierce and strong; 1t Is niceiy pal-
anced. polite tasteful; II Is well planned ana wen
planed Dramatically, also the author displays
more taste than power His characters are con-
sistent clear cut distinct from one another' ana
none of them superfluous Dramatic conference
and interest are properly maintained; long oec-
Iamations are absent: OF striking soua'iohs
there are enough probability OF mo'iNes anu
event. ,s observed the climax is reached at the
IS of the simplest, follows logically upon it, the
language is adapted TO the Hubject not TOO iolt!'
not too lowly The divine afflatus missing, the
sun, total is a very acceptable drama. The
third act is the richest. dramatically; and right
lv so because the fourth is the last This third
act has seven prominent incidents OF dramatic
force and value. The ending Of the play is in
geniously conceived. and those curious about IL
may find the key in the Dervishes fareweh 10
Assad: Der du warest starb.'
"D,e versunkene Glocke' is fairy drama.
with witch fawn. a watersprite and gnomes'
and all their "auips. and cranks and wanton
1yies" The versification is not uniform; the
verse measure of a play may to good effect be
fitted TO the behavior and sentiments OF the
characters. Euripides. Milton and Goethe staho
warrant for this If support be needed. A sensi-
b,e innovation of form is Hauptmann's mode OF
beginning the line with small letter when the
rules Of grammar require no capital, as:
"Wo das LIGHT
sich i'm Wasserstirze bricht,
und die Fut. vom Schen durchhellt'
sausend in die Tefe fallt.
bort sntstegt die feuchte Nacht'
This quotation from Die versunkene Glocke
gives promise Of sweet harmonies of rhythm ana
dainty portrayals OF nature. In the picturesque
ness the fantasticality the brilliancy. the orig
,na,,ty. the spontaniety of poetic dcton. Haupt-
mann as easily distances Fuda as in the con-
ception of individuaities and the calculation OF
dramatic results Fulda outdoes Hauptmann.
Hauptmann's grave transgression is precisely
TO take no account of dramatic necessities. Con-
seouently Die versunkene Glocke' must seek
renown as Marchen. not as Drama II Is al
romantic dreamy. elaborately vague-the quail
ties wanted for a fairy tale in rhyme. But with
out tangible personalitieS-or elfs-schemlng TOT
definite ends; without the expectation or some
occurrences: without action and progress ana
nurpose. plain to the understanding. Being
without these. die versunkene GlocKe Is ho'
entitled to comment as play, in spite or It's
lyrical perfectionS
Dr Samuel johnson, assured that piece or
music which he had just heard played was ex-
tremely difficult of performance. reJoined' l
wish it had been impossible Would that la'e
had interposed mountain or waste-paper
basket. between Herr LArronge and the publ
cation of "Vor der Ehe." of which we merely
wish to state the existence-three acts or prosy
prose-for the information of theatregoers VINO
have enjoyed the fun and vigor OF "Doktor
Klaus" and "Mein Leopold"
much more interesting book is "Deutsches
Theater und Deutsche Schauspielkunst." Lar
ronge playwright and theatrical director, Oh
Berlin knows all worth knowing OF modern
theatrical affairs in Germany. The theatres Oh
that land greatly multiplied he tells u.s. after
the system of concessions and privileges unoer
police regulation, had been abolished. An era OF
prosperity set in The Berlin theatres were kept
omen all the summer long; they afforded their
visitors the attractions of outdoor beer ana
music, between acts. in pretty. cosey little gar
dens. There was a garden theatre with an open
air stage. where operas were given. where the
winds of heaven blew upon Agathe and Max.
But the tramway tariff was lowered, so that peo-
pie might take the air at the Th!ergarten or be
1olted out to the suburbs of summers evening.
and In the winter the seduction Of dancers (of
d.,in drau fhnn Y