The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-07
NOVEL STAGBCRAFT
FOR MACKAYE PLAY
"a Thousand Years Ago" Bean
tifully Presented at
Shubert ~
NEW IDEAS SUCCEED
Reinhardt's Methods Tried
Play Is New Version Of
TurandOt Tale.
"a Thousand Yeav~ Ase"-At the
Ahubert Theatre.

Iu.t (. year sgo tho shnb.rts am
nounced at the Maxine Elliott Theatre
the performance Of Karl vollmoeller's
'"rurandot" as Max Reinhardt had pro-
duced that work In Berlin. Last night
at the Shubert Theatre new version Of
the tale was acted with great success. but
Il was called "A Thousand Years Ago"
and its author was Percy Mackayc.
In the intervening time occurred the
evolution which resulted In the changed
manner in which New York was to make
the acquaintance of the Persian romance
on the stage. Mr.. Mackaye was invited
TO rewrite Jethro Bitthel's English trans
lation of the Vollmoeler play which fol-
lowed closely the eighteenth century
drama OF Gozxi. lie SHE'D at the task
and substituted a new version Of the
legend The thoroughness of his plan
impressed the Shuberts and II Is said that
none of the scenery used last night had
been part of the investiture Of the play
that the Berlin stage producer" had
used.
Showed Reinhardt Inspiration.
That may be true. but over the whole
performance lay the trail OF the Rein
hardt manner as II was revealed In
"Sumurun" And In that quality lay the
most interesting details OF the perform
ance which delighted Its audience last
night.
Apart from the pictorial beauties Of the
scenes there was the satisfaction OF wit
Messing the recent methods OF the stage
artists OF Germany put into effect here.
They arrived. moreover, Just as the Amer
lean theatre had seemed satisfied to neg
sl.A,.S az 10. Havx A., S.,,N
OF the footlights. the illumination OF the
stage from the top and sides and in the
general effort to stimulate the i'm gination
rather than picture literally the first trial
here OF the newer means was altogether
successful.
1t will mark a second step forward
when some Of the classics Of the English
stage are treated with the same intelli-
gence.
But II Is with "A Thousand Years Ago"
that the present report Ia concerned.
Mr.. MacKaye has shown the princess
cruelty condemning to death all the lovers
who cannot guess the riddles she pro-
pounds to her suitors. since she will re-
main true to the begGar whom she had
seen and loved year before the play
begins This begsar is the son Of her
fathers enemy But the leader OF the
band OF Italian piayers-the figures from
the italian comedy that VOllmoeller took
from Gozzi and Mr.. Mackaye has retained
-persuade the emperor that they will be
able to cure his ills and end this cruel
state of mind in his daughter II they are
allowed 10 rule for a day. So their head
n made emperor. with the rest OF them
Ms prime mln,sters.
II is Through love that Capocomico.
their leader. will cure the princess. He
learns that the begear il a prince and
helms him TO answer the riddles that he
suggests. But the princess is In despair,
for this sutton who has prese nted himself
as the ruler OF another land is not known
to her Magnanimously he declines to
wed unless the princess can guess his
riddle, which Is his real name
SaNors OF Old French Drama.
xtor. ronoco,,ioo ,ids h.r With a
1870, ~ 49, 49, go, ,.,a, ~, ,,a
xS,a. ~ s,sarirr Invsr bis mo,,,h viii
ansusr So he rr,nc.ss seexs on, tho
rr,nca ,.orns ,h,, he 10 the SON ~ har
sa,bsrs foe and in a scene which nigh,
have come ont Of a French drama Of n
decade ago and is therefore in shirt
altogether foreign 10 the rest of the
"TaHia' aNHousu ~ oocS sc'No " hHpoiS