The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-20
ADJUSTMENTS.

With special request that no member of
any Ibsen section of any literary club
will take offense at what may be said
the subject of Peer Gynt" is approached.
This does not mean that the play. pre-
scented by Louis James and company at
the Salt Lake theatre last evening, is
necessarily embarrassing to all who may
attend. On the contrary, those who like
to argue over what Browning really
meant those who are fascinated by the
teachings of East Indian SWANS those
who revel in literature not easily -compre-
hended in passing. and perhaps some 9TH
ers may find genuine thrills and enjoy
ment in this production. On the other
hand, it is safe wager that all prac-
teal. hard-headed persons. who like to
understand what is going on without the
aid of supplementary blueprints and
theses, will not go the second time to
witness Peer GyBt.
1t should be stated at the beginning
that Louis James himself in this produc-
ton is really not bad. The part, as he
DlaVS it. is without great individuality or
opportunities for characterization. While
Peer Gynt himself is on the stage prac-
tically all the time. in reality he has no
vital distinction. He is merely a central
figure-a peg-on which to hang an invol-
we'd allegory. Christian. in Pilgrim s
Progress. is an infinitely stronger char
aoter, with his struggles and his tempta-
lions. and his career Is possessed of far
greater interest. Those who saw last
Mansfield in the title role, could not help
wcnder what this great artist made of it,
To d casual observer ii would seem that
the character offered little opportunity.
even to Mansfield, and that the principal
claim of the play for patronage is based
on an appeal to curiosity.
The plot of Peer Gynt" cannot be told
clearly in brief In fact, during most of
Sketched in mereSt outline the story
opens with Peer Gynt. a youth. in con-
versation with his mother, who reproves
him for being shiftless and lying. He
thereupon lifts her on a roof and leaves
her there. shrieking to have him put her
down. Gynt goes to a wedding and meets
a blonde Norwegian girl Solveig with
whom he falls desperately in love, but
she is coy. so he carries off the bride
herself. ingrid, 90 the mountains. firing
of her, he throws her over. He gets
drunk, and in a vision is visited by the
Dovre Kings daughter. a beautiful
Green Clad Wonany and lured to the
fantastic court of the King of the Trolls.
or knOme participants. IN which Peer
Gynt fights off becoming a troll He
awakes, and all trolls and pink snakes
have gone. SOlVeig comes TO him in the
comes with an Ugly Brat and a green
spot light and makes trouble. Gynt leaves
Solveig, telling her he will come back.
He visits his mother on her deathbed.
The next curtain rises on vision scene
thirty years later. showing the faithful
Solveig waiting, loyal as Penelope of old.
for the missing Gynt. Meanwhile Gynt
has gone away and becomes very wealthy
dealing in slaves and other commodities.
He expresses an ambition to become en-
peror of the whole world. Almost imme-
diately. a dancing woman fascinates him
and secures his jewels and ready cash
She promptly throws him down" This
is in Morocco. He sails for home, and is
shipwrecked. Broken in fortune, spirit
and mentality, he reaches his old home
The srotesque Troll King calls on him.
and a freak character known as The
Button Molder," appears and demands
that Peer Gym Jump into 81 Ill Iadle
and be nodded. SclveIg comes out OF tbs
nut where she has been waiting thirty