The daily sentinel., 1908-11-17

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Louis James was in the role of
Peer Gynt, the dreamer-hero, and,
surrounded by most excellent COM
pany and aided by the magnificent
scenic production mat was used by
Richard Mansfield. a most creditable
performance of the difficult and
weird tale of the Norwegian noun
tains was given.
1t was a play that is hard to ap-
preciate and hard to understand, anG
unless one has made a study of Ibscn
to some extent and has reviewed the
story of Peer Gynt' During the
two and one-half hours of the per-
formance dozen or more marvellous
Sc enes were unfolGed before the eyes
OF the audience. Characters came
and went. and truly startling pic
ture of the ruling passions OF human
life was painted.
Louis James. well on toward the
6"th mile stone of his life, with his
sJIierb stage presence and the pow
ers of his charming voice apparently
free from the Corroding touch of
time. very ably handled the naturally
difficult role of Peer Gynt. On sever
al occasions the veteran actor demon
strated his right to a high niche in
the actors hall of fame In the first
scene at the death bed of the mother
and in the closing scene of the play
| when Peer Gynt, old and feeble. wan
ders back to the old hut and finds
/ the sweetheart of his youth now
/ vhite-haired and old. still waiting
/ for Peer. James did his best and his
greatest work last night.
Aphie James. who in private life
is Mrs. Louis James, took the role of
| Solveig, the gentle, innocent, beauti-
! full and lovely maiden who was so de-
voted to the weird dreamer of the
mountains and who kept her faith
and waited through three decades for
the return of Peer. Aphie James was
almost ideal in this lovable part.
/ Laura Frankenneld, who was seen
! here several years ago as Mrs. Aiving
I in Ibsen's Ghosts and who is very
/ popular here, was seen in the role
of Ase, the querulous and heavy
hearted. but fond mother of Peer.
I Miss Frankcrfield nterprets this
! character most nobIy. The death
acting.
j. Arthur Young, as king of the
/ Drools. certainly gave remarkable
delineation of supernatural heing
of the mountains. He did clever work
and his makeup was more than start
J ling.
Anne Schaefer. who, as the green
clad woman another supernatural
being, although having but few op-
I portunities to appear. proved her
self possessed of more than ordinary
talent. II was certainly an impress
I i've and unearthly air that William
Andrews gave to the weird charac-
ters of the Starnge Passenger and
the Button Moulder.
The numerous other minor charac-
ters were well taken. The dances OF
Anita and her companion merrymak-
ers added delightful spice to the
play.
II would he hard to tell which of
the many magnificent stage settings
and scenic effects We're the most
beautiful All were enchanting.
i The scene in the droll chamber of
the hall Of the Dovre king was
strange and uncannv, vet fascinating.
The costuming of the play was beau
tiful and historically correct.
The aDnlause was very enthusiastic
at times There would have been
more. hut NJ times mNrv of the Nom
hers Of the audience lost the trend of
the difficult and complicated story
through no fault of the company
however. but. as we said above. such
plays as Peer Gynt' must be re-
viewed previous TO Witnessing a pro-
duction in order to properly appreci-
ate il.
As problem comedy and as elias
sic dramatic play. Peer Gynt" is a
great success, and James presenta-
tion is fine. but in these days the ma
iority of the people who go to the
theater do not want to see the gamut
of human sufferings and trials de-
picted: they want to forget their
troubles and merely be entertained
Therefore, the comic opera and the
musical comedy touch the popular
chord these days w.