The Minneapolis journal., 1906-12-02

Dial, called attention to the universal
appeal of ''Peer Gynt' as produced on
the stage in Chicago in the following
words:
The vast audiences that filling the play
house must include many types of spectators
but so rich is the play in various kinds of in
terest that no one is likely to go away alto
gether unrewarded. At one extreme of appre-
c1at1on we have the deyotee of musical comedy
and spectacular fable and at the other we have
the lover of poetry and the seeker after ethical
ruth truth and both may find in peer Gynt some.
thing Of their affair. For those whose dramatic
| ideal is found in 1.-THE Wonderful Wizard of
" there Is the giant pig, and the ugly urchin,
| and the dance of the Arabian maidens and the
gorgeous scene at the court Of the old man Of
the mountains. What better sport than this
couid the most frivilous ask? For those who
ask the stage to present embodiment Of
| poetry and pathos there are the Solveig scenes
ana the death Of Mother Aase accompanied by
| Gries,s inspired music. And for those who
iook to the drama for an envisagement of the
deepest problems Of character and fate there
are the striking symbolisms of Bojg and the
Dutton- -molder, the contrasted PHILOSOPHERS OF
SELF -suf1cency and sefrealizat tion and the stern
enforcement Of the only law by which a man
may save his soul. Truly, here is feast where
OF the scraps alone would sufficiently furnish
forth any ordinary dramatic banquet table.
For the Norwegian segment of
Minneapolis, the coming Of "Peer
no doubt seen one Of the rare produc-
tions at the National theater in Chris
tiania, where Bjorn Bjornson, the
actor son of the great colleague of
Ibsen, Bjornstjerne -Bjornson, has ap-
peared in the title role. In Copenhagen,
too, has the poem been staged. But
until Mansfield essayed it, "Peer
GYnt' had never been done in En-
glish. To those familiar with the orig
inal text, full Of poetic beauty, there
will be some disappointment in the
inadequate Archer translation, which
preserves the form but not the rhymes
of the original. This handicap is not
to- be escaped, however, until a great
poet arises who can do for Ibsen what
Fitzgerald did for Omar Khayyam.
There was some criticism in Chicago
from Norwegians who complained that
the costumes were not truly Nor
wegian, such as the costumes they
knew at home in the mountains. Hasty
critics should remember that the first
three acts of "Peer Gynt'' are sup
posed to take place early in the last
century. =
The opening engagement of the week
at the Metropolitan will be that of
William II. Crane and Ellis Jeffreys
with all-star support in t'She Stoops
to Conquer that wonderful old COM
edy of. Oliver Goldsmith, which is as
fresh and humorous today as the day
it was written. BY many critics it is
considered the most nearly perfect
comedy ever written, and certainly it's
kindly humor is of the undying kind,
while its plot is joined with the skill
of a master artifcer. It happened that
the new plays in which Mr.. Crane
and Miss Jeffreys were to have toured
the country this season were both un-
successful. BY managerial inspira-
tion their forces were joined for this
comedy revival gift Of. chance for
which we must be grateful Mr.. Crane
1 has not appeared in the role of Hard
castle since the old days of his. asso-
citation with the late Stuart Robson,
who was wont to play Tony Lumpkin.
1t will be interesting to see what his
more mature art will do with the sue
cess of his younger days. Miss Jeffreys
is loan from England, where she is
much esteemed and where her fame is
i secure.
Kellar, the dean of the wizards, has
tired of his long career in the realm
of illusion and magic and has decided
to retire after this season with his
large collection of laurels and money.
His engagement at the Biiou this
week, therefore, takes on added inter-