The Indianapolis journal., 1903-03-09

To the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal:
With great interest have read the Jour-
nails criticism upon Sudermanns "Es Lebe
das Leben," as presented by Mrs. Patrick
Campbells company at English's. Suder-
mann is always intensely interesting in
how he says things. His stage effects pre-
sent surprises, and he quite often con-
quers cool logic with a rush. But L think
that in this instance, and, upon second
thought, one cannot help to notice a lack
of the dramatic truth in this last play of
his While I do not agree with the ex-
tremist that this play represents the low
est possible level in German dramatic art,
/ see no occasion for any rhapsodic eulogy,
as INDUCED in by considerable part of
press and theater-goers. 1 believe that 1t
was written in the greatest of seriousness
and with a burning desire to help make the
world brighter and better. The theme itself
is neither new surprising; 1t is merely
predominant. / would never waste words
with the man who finds lack of morals
fit objects for the conventional and ubiqui-
tous moraist. That is not the fault of
this play, anyway.
convincing acting will not better play
which lacks in dramatic truth. The most
accomplished prima donna has not yet sung
sense into the librett of III Trovatore' or
1.-The Magic Flute" | merely question that
''The Joy of Living presents it's facts in
necessary dramatic truthfulness or that il
even tells us a probable dramatic story
The Journals critic says 1.-The story 1t
tells is not one that would be analyzed in
polite drawing-room conversation" but
that does not hinder that occurrences like
these generally emanate from there. The
particular class that this one deals with
is a set of the German nobility known TO
the Agrarian party. and if we trust the re-
ports we get of them, or even rely on
Sudermann's own narrative. there is not
much sympathy to be wasted on them. 1t
is loves labor lost to attribute to the noble
Agrarians any very high ideals or great
and unselfsh motives in politics. And pol
Beata's sole ambition is to see her quondam
lover at the head of this party. What a
lofty ambition! Unsophisticated people,
not acquainted with the awe-inspiring
wealth of intellect in the Agrarian party,
might seriously doubt the ability of a man
of Richard Voelkerling's caliber to run this
thing successfully They would be quite
right If this party would represent anything
else but the most reactionary, greedy and
selfish interests of a lot of people who in
all sincerity believe that they are in the
special grace of the Lord and that the bal
ance, of humanity exists but for their con-
venience. How Sudermann could try to
base part of his story on ideals to be found
here is an unsolved mystery.
The Journal further says: There
be no doubt that The Joy of Living will
fail TO appeal to American audiences in
also wonder to whom in general ii might
appeal in Germany. The German, to be
true, understands the situation itself bet
ter than an outsider but whether his un-
derstanding would make the thing more
edifying was probematic from the begin
ming. Now the play has been abandoned.
Sift the drama down to the affair of
Beata and Richard and you will find an
altogether improbable story. Fifteen years
before the scene is laid she had love af-
fair with this man. serious one, to be
sure, for i'm one of the compromising let
ters we hear him link their fate to that of
Tristan and Isolde And that is universally
considered the climax of seriousness But
during these fifteen years all has changed
Not that they have grown tired Of each
other and parted, or in stern resolution
within their hearts have suffered all the
pains that human flesh is heir to. All, no.
They have if we believe Mr.. Sudermann
succeeded In a task compared to which
herculean laborS are mere baby prat.lngs.
They have not ceased to love each other:
they have only tuned their cooling in a diff
ferent key. They tell us that they have
done away with some Objectionable fea-
lures and reduced their communion to a
platonic basis. This story of renounce-
ment believe who may. To 1T is an
absurdity-a sheer impossibility, and one
| is almost tempted to wish that this villain
| Meixner would have never found an op-
portunity for exposure, for in that case
of the occasion to tell us how ii ali hap
| pened.
Long Live Life" is misnomer; the play
| should have been called Much Ado About
! Nothing" RICHARD LIEBER.
INDIANAPOLIS March Z