The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-10


Societies; Award Of the Nobel Prizes:
1.-THE Determination Of Sex"
ADJUSTMENTS
Audltorium--'tThe Darling Of the Gods"
..Ah-e-e- e!'' Belasco, wizard indeed OF
theatric naturalism, Of light and shadow
and prodigality Of detail; master, truly,
Of marvellous artiice. It's really won
derful how this stage manager compels
one to superlatives, or at least to ex-
clamation points. And yet, Is 1t so |
wonderful after all? For here come |
groupings and backgrounds and richness
Of accessories. sunlight and twilight, |
moonlight and lantern CLEAN, gliding in |
series at the call Of this man who |
thinks In pictures with such flood of
thoughts as fairly to hold one en-
chained, with never a mental wander
Ing from the play. Literally. he creates
the atmosphere. alrnpst transports to
old Japan Of the samurai days, with
''The Darling Of the Gods"
The play was written by David Belas-
co and John Luther Long. The pro-
| duction was contrived by Belasco. It
Is in the production that the chief
strength lies. The play Is builded on
| the love tale of the samurai Prince
Kara and the Princess Yo-San, just
when Kara was leading the last Of these
| sword warriors Of old Japan, a band
OF ten outlawed by the emperor when
he took away the swords Of the samu-
raj Kara, wounded by the emissaries
Of Zakkuri, the minister Of war, is hid
den by Yo-San in her shoji (pavilion)
and there nursed to health while loves
prisoner for days. Realizing at last his
1 apparent desertion of the samurai band,
but torn between love and duty, he con-
1 1oo 4p Va Go, 41o 80 49,
warriors stronghold and goes forth to
fall captive to Zakkuri To ZakkurPs
swordroom goes Yo-San to plead for his
| release, and Zakkuri sets the price
herself. The war minister possesses the
samurai secret; he bids for that Prince
Kara'g release, to gain the ten at price
Of one; brings Kara in, blinded and
dazed by a shaft Of light from shinto
deity; and Yo-San yields, betrays the
lighted torture pit Then both are freed
and next are seen in the rock bound
refuge of the samurai, where. as Kara's
disclosure Of the rendezvous is revealed
to the warriors, Kara's life almost be-
comes forfeit, but the swordsmen relent,
tho booming Yo-San's soul to wander
a thousand years 'twixt the heavens and
hells. The samurai go forth to die in
combat or on their own swords, and Yo-
.San seeks out Kara as the daimio prince
commits hari-kari. But he forgives her
as he dies, and she follows him in death.
her soul entering its thousand years
quest to be united at last with the soul
of Kara. t-
!, Thru ten pictures-nay, bronzes, vases,
and lacquer work of Japan-the story
is unfolded In a marvellous succession,
beginning in "a look into the garden
within the yashiki Of the prince Of To-
SAN" Yo-San's father, where the but
! terfiy is learning to use her wings.
Then an elaborate banquet hall. Then
Yo-San's pavilion-and what a scene is
3 there! The moon Is rising, silvering the
) waters, its rays lighting the flowers an6
7 the pavilion. Crouching assassins Greer
from ambush. seeking the prince, and
these are forms from ancient Japan's
/; bronzes. The girls alarm gong sounds
3 and as her father comes she stands
: batted in the mellow light from the
81 pavilion, swearing she has not seen hel
e lover. The scene In the war minister's
, swordroom, with its somber settings
! darksome hooks and fiery tortureroom's
mouth, is perhaps the strongest Of the
play, and not the least in stage effects
I But in the succeeding scenes the beau
< ties of preceding acts sink into mere
;, trickery beside the marvellous lighting
= effects Of the stronghold in the hills
the forest and the world beyond" II
the mountain refuge sun, dusk ant
night succeed in indispensable distribu
ton. The daimio's death in the bamboo
forest is in no less satisfying artific,
of lighting, as night and death blot on
7 the rays that fall last upon the face
: Of the dying princess. And then sue
. ceeds a marvellous picture-''the brinl
K Of the river Of souls" where. between
e dimly awful towering cliffs the water
e ebb and flow, beclouded now and thel
: as shadowy shapes of spirits are born
d along. And out Of the cleaning, opales
q cent depths We hear the cry Of Yo-San-
e "Ah-h -ee-e-e! Ah-h-ee-e-e!'-for Kara
II darling of the gods is seeking her soul
e mate. This is the triumph Of Belasco
e ism, only approached by the last pic
d ture, "the first celestial heaven" whe
a the souls are reunited and the curtaf
l. falls on a cloud-set cameo in a wonder
l. full converging Of lights. 1t Is almos
a nature almost the superna tural, merg
le ing one into the other.
) Tho this Is production first and pla
I'd afterward, the human figures are eve
ye in the pictures, their words, their voice:
IS the action Of it all in satisfying keep
m ing with the setting. It is no sma
m task for an acton, this sort of worl
but in no particular do these player
| seem to lapse below the standard Mis-
Percy Haswells is the greatest task, an
hers the most praiseworthy achieve
ment. She is the butterfly, the lovabl
the loving naiden-then the woman
walked to sense Of mans wickedne:
a. and mans honor. And she portrays tt
a. transitions consistently and without fol
l. getfulness. Robert T. Haines, as tt
of daimio Prince Kara, Is dignifed, COZ
rs sistent: his work is characterized /
g. gratifying repression and smoothnes
OF the others, no one stands forth SAL
a.. zakkuri, and Frederick A. Thomsc
C. gives fine portrayal Of this schemin
oa plotting war minister. Atkins Lawrenc
20 Rankin Duva1l, Miss Faye Cusick al
Id Miss Leslie Preston deserve mention f
as adequacy
ne No small portion Of the production
on completeness is the oriental music thr1
46. out, by William F'urst. And the fl
he enunciation Of every player, making II
nv lines clear turnout the auditorium,
r. highly commensurate
e Harry B. Wakefield.
nd -
d Etfaz ~ rs ~ 49,