The Washington herald., 1914-01-20
AT THE THEATERS LAST NIGHT
NEW NATIONAL.
"Jo.epA. ana m. Breshren."

"Joseph, and His Brethren"
Under ordinary circumstances the
skilled playwright finds sman difieuity
in taking one Of the worlds Oldest, best
known. and most fascinating stories and
converting 1t into q drama. but when
Louis N. Parker set himself to the task
of dramatizing the story Of Joseph and
His Brethren the circumstances were
far from ordinary. for. II he was to re-
tain. the lines contained In the Book Of
Genesis. he faced the necessity of rising
to their poetic height and sublime ma
jesty In the further dialogue which ne
must add-a necessity which he mas met
with such consummate skill that those
who saw the stage version OF tne DID
lical chronicle at the New Nationai Ine-
ater last night were unable to disunSuisn
the actual quotations from the unes m
corporated by the dramanst, tne IAue,
bearing the same mark Of simplicity ano
grandeur which characterizes those OF
the King James version OF the Biple.
Aside fror, this notable evidence OF the
tremendous technical skill OF Mr. Par-
ker. he has woven into \ fabric OF un-
usual excellence the action, costume, ana
atmosphere Of the Scripture story ana
the period of its Transportation. achievfng
a wonderful stage spectacle as wen as
drama Of tense and absorbing interest
a combination Of great rarity In the'e
days when the spectacular piece has
about as much dramatic interest as q
Labor Day parade.
..Joseph and His Brethren Is the tniro
of the pageant dramas which nave come
to us from the Century Theater, New
York. and II is worth both THE Garden
Of ALA" and THE Daughter Of Heaven
combined presenting as + does moments
of exalted poetry which stirs the nnest
senses and most exalted human emouons-
The drama is divided into four acts
with twelve elaborate scenes, tne penoo
I'm which the events chronicled took place
lending itself to an artistic series Oh
pictorial episodes which breathe the very
atmosphere of the desert and the bar
barous magnificence of the court OF the
Egyptian kings. representing the tents Oh
Shechem, where the jealousy OF Joseph
brethren is aroused by Jacobs manifesta.
ton of partiality for him; the Wells OF
Dotham where, led by the crafty Simeon.
the shepherd lad is thrown into the well.
and back again to Jacobs tents. where
the Israelite is seen In tragic grief over
the reported death Of his best beloved
whom his brethren have sold into pond
age. thus beginning in these, the three
scenes of the frst act tne Intensive M
terest of the audience.
The second act presents Joseph in Potf-
phar's house, stirring the imagination IN
the first scene when the latter leaves his
wife in the care OF Joseph while he is
away to battle, intensifying the auditors
interest through the three succeeding
scenes when the young Israelite Is
tempted by the beautiful Zuleika; Is
faithful to Portiphar's trust, and feels
the fury Of a woman scorned." the lat
ter proving an intensely thrilling occa-
sion.
The third act, where Joseph in prison |
.nterprets the dreams of the chief butler (
and chief baker is both poetic and SYM |
in which latter quality IT Is
only eclipsed by the succeeding scene in
Pharaoh's palace when the dying Joseph
s brought two years later. to interpret I
he visions CT the mighty king.
The last act Is divided into three scenes,
the first depicting the departure Of :
Joseph's brethren from Jacobs tents into
Egypt the second representing the desert ,
and the pyramids where Portiphar dis |
covers the treachery of Zuleika and
causes her eyes to be put out. and tho
third showing Joseph's house, where the
sublimity Of the story reaches its climax
in his forgiveness of and deliverance from
famine of his brethren
The Liebler company has produced this
modern miracle play with exquisite taste
and great elaboration, the most entranc- |
ing of the many beautiful pictures being
the pyramids by night. where velvety /
stars are hung in the sky and one senses |
the inimitable vastness of the desert
A cast of tremendous proportions inter- |
prets Mr.. Farker's pageant drama with |
intelligence and good taste, the original
company, which includes James O'Neill
IN the role of Jacob and later as Pharoah; |
Brandon lyman as Joseph, and Pauline |
Frederick as Zuleika, Portiphar's wife, ]
having been brought here intact.
Mr.. lyman reads his lines reverently /
and with admirable eloquence: Mr.. |
O'Nein is consistently excellent and Miss |
Frederick fills all the requirements OF
the beautiful temptress.
There are scores Of others in cast |
which taxes the full capacity of the |
New National stage, each furnishing their |
quota to an epochal production which ran
last night despite its length, with ad-
mirable swiftness and smoothness.
Owing to the length Of the drama the
curtain will be raised at O'Clock for
the evening performances and at for
the matinees all this week. ]. c. M.