New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-29

Hauptuaun'= centenary play in com
mcuorltion II the German war Of loeI-
alton Of lsis. which was sIppre. sed 10
RrcsIau I'm consequence of tho protests OF
the Crown Prince and of Prussian beau
-ocrats. miitarists and conservatives.
continues to bc tho subject OF heated dis
cussiou boo the Fathcrl@ud. Some account
Of the pla. was given n these columns
last week. together with the reasons FOR
the protests raised against H. II may ne
added now that this "Festsricl' is also a
spectacle on a. gigantic scale. requiring no
less than 900 m'u and women for rs
production. and that Max Re!nhdrot, ~
staging it has added another laurel TO
his fame Tho drama itself is mixture OF
symbolism and realism. which boo its con
,cption and development clearly indicates
an intention on fiduptmann' 5 part To INK
II Ia the most intensely national Of ali
German poems GOethe.s Faust. cspe-
cially it, second part. The play is IN
verse and opens with a prologue remi-
niscent Of that other prologue in heaven
only Hauptmanu merely suggests the
Master and the Maker OF Destinies In the
guiso Of the director Of puppet theatre,
who discusses with his assistant the mari
ou,tt.s De- is about 20 put upon the stage.
They will make history at his behest, be-
, lieving themselves 10 be free agents, yet
In reality always moved and controlled
by the strings he holds Then the puppets
merge into the historical persouages Of
the period and the play begins with the
approach Of the French Revolution. y
boy called Napoleon Buonaparte is uncon-
cernedly spinning his top IN the streets Of
Ajaccio In a spectacle of this kind there
can be no question OF Development "
character. the story Is told. not acted
and action is replaced by the movements
Of enormous masses directed by Pro
fessor Reinhardt. until IN the last act
the German people are seen streaming
into a medieval cathedral TO give thanks
Tor peace with freedom.
II is Hauptmann's historical realism in
celebrating the true heroes OF Germany
great awakening at the expense OF It's
royal hgureheadS that IL the cause OF the
protests that have been raised against the
play. Its spirit is ultra-lberal for In its
epilogue it looks into the future. OF
course. the German dramatist II used 70
disfavor in high places, and is, no doubt
Indifferent 10 IL, as Well he may oe. me
Wcavers' WAS forbidden nearly twenty
five years ago; to-day IL Is classic ot
the German drama No doubt the same
tate awaits this centenary "FcstspIeI' OF
his Whether IL is the great national
poem its champions have made It cut 10
be since the battle over it began cannot
be decided. OF course, until IT has been
printed and made available at distance.
| Meanwhile Hauptmann has added anoth-
I err page TO the history OF the progress Of
/ liberalism in modern Germany.
The authors evident intention 10 link
/ his poetic drama to the second, intensely
I Germanic part OF Goethe's Faust d.
reefs attention TO Frank Nedehnd's dar-
/ ing attempt 10 rewritc the first part OF
that tragedy in an ultra-modern way by
/ changing the sex OF its protagonist. ln
! "Franziska" he draws in fact. female
! Faust The eternal masculine draws hef
ON. At eighteen she meets her Gretchen.
/ If one may put II that way. ~ yOuns
man whom she leaves heartbroken. And
now her career begins Mephstophe!es
I is theatrical manager and developer
and exploiter Of dramatic stars Fran
ziska turns 20 him, and finds him ready
I 20 make a compact with her, by which.
/ in exchange for her soul, she shall have
/ two years of life as II appeals to her.
! Thereafter her soul shall be his. Fran
/ zska progresses from polysamy to mo-
nogamy. so to speak, Mephistopheles dis
/ covering once more that his unholy con-
! tracts are but rarely strong beyond
! breaking. No doubt there will be some
ready TO see in this delectable invention
an allegory OF more freedom for the new
woman. who certainly has already placed
herself sufficiently on record as abhor-
ring this sort OF emancipation" Others
will see in II an ingenious bid for sue
cess Of sensation and scandal. And still