The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-01-28

S,ln1lr,ln'' Is Acclaimed by New York as Master
piece; Eddie Foy, the Inmitable Loon"
Has New Play.
BY Vdnderheyden FyleS

who Immediately strikes the key
note of the play by dropping into
an odd. acknowledgements atti-
tude, and. tbereupon, reciting an
involved prologue to the wordless
drama. 'Sumurun is lust that
as distinct from pantomime, in the
familiar sense. The merchant,
dreaming before his bazaar, con
lures into being divinely lovely
woman-vet no more beautiful than
she old Sheik s wife, who present
" appears. The youthful couple
are simultaneously enamored of
each other. But when ,he old Sheik
follows her TO restore her to the
harcm, he in turn is thrilled by
slave girl. posing before a hunch
back s theater. He proposes buying
her. but the cripple. who coyess
her in vain. refuses TO sell. The
next sccnc-nighttime IN "A primi-
tive little Oriental playhouse-is
suggestive, in its incidents. of
setting. weIrdness of its ligh.t ef-
fects and warmth of its few colors,
of the Sargent picture Of a Spanish
dance hall. However, if the lazy
expedient Of trying to convey an
idea Of anything so individual as
Sumurun' is to be resorted to.
Maxfeld Parrish's illustrations for
the "Arabian Nights tales can
suggest this silent play most nearly.
TINE hunchback, in desperation
4 over the hopelessness Of his
love. attempts to kill himself; and,
when found, is thought 10 be dead
The adventures of the limp body,
lifelesS in Il trance, constitute the
first half Of the play. This part is
all humor, though of a grim and
sometimes awful sort Here the
entertainments are more like panto.
mime of the old, familiar sort
though related TO the Hanlon s
''Superba of our youth about as
intimately AS Galsworthv to Bron"
son Howard, Everyone is terrified
by she discovery of the CHASTITY
burden. and continues, hv one trick
or another to foist it off on some;
one else. Thus it is finally carried
last picture being strikinCly like
a MaXiield parrish. Highly dramatic
music accompanies the rapidly-suc
cceding scenes of Oriental splendor
and of unimaginable terror, lust
and luxury. Victor Hollander, com
poser of the score, has come over
TO conduct the orchestra. 7 found
the music too impressive to permit
me to comment critically upon it
from my one.tinger knowledge of
the art. But perhaps I may say that
If daZzled one with its rich and va
rieJ color: sometimes tiekled with
its inventive fancies; frequently
was thrilling with tonal clauses and
dramatic understanding; and
throughout two hours never palled.
VIE second part of "sumurun"
Il begins with scene similar
TO its predecessors: but presently
becomes uncompromisIngl and
tenSelr dramatic, mounting fierce
", rapidly and steadily TO tre-
mendous climax. The body of the
hunchback, you must understand.
WAS hidden in the lower portion of
box OF Oriental silks in which
Sumurun herself contrives TO have
her handsome merchant concealed
and thus smuggled into tho harem.
SO two men arc conveyed within
.hc portals. instead Of one In the
meantime. the old Sheik has cot
possession of the slave Of fatal
enchantmeut, who is loved bv bis
own son. This is the situation when
scene within the harem is re.
Vealed. gold and black apartment
three tiers high. Sumurun 5 lover
is released; but. with the coming
Of the Sheik, is hidden. To divert
him, Sumurun dances With unac.
cGstomed FIRE; her master seizes her;
but. with the merchant s kisses
burning on her hot lips, she re-
pulses him. Erraged the Sheik
summons his new slave. and with
her mounts tho golden stairway. At
the .ton. the great scene Of the
drama is enacted. Here Reinhardt
is nj his best, and his actors carry
ont his purposes superhly The stage
~ SOLID black but for two objects
One is the small, top,landing of
the SPIRAL stairway; the other is Il
hugc. ll5ur,ous couch Lighted bv
ore gTrat lamp from above. The
old Sheik lies on it in heavy
sleep; thc slave OF fatal euchaut
r,cnt 's stretched by his side. wide.
eIcd. miserable Tho vonng Sheik
rreeEs up the stairvay: thew em
hTacc: hnt the iealons hunchback
- IN hiding. He rouses the old man,
who drives his long knife into the
body Of his son. But before the
youth expires. be draps his fp.hcr
down the goldaud- black stairs TO
IN" other asslquafIDn Of the harem.
nc old Shcik, Sumurun and her
lover become coufusel In furr
wben The buuchhacl5. crawling
down the steps. plungcy his nwn
knife between The old mans
shoulders.
And thcy WHY. what do Won
supposeG The falling curtain catches
several pf the actors on eur side
Of IL; and, lust 10 show us tha,
he whoic thing was pIay. .hev
dan"o along the pathway ia our
midst aud merri'v disappear.
TNHE s1ccd Of the town has