New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-06
HTPPODROME'S WAR
SHOW A VICTORY
Ii Is Magnificent and 1t Is
War.
FORTUNATELY 1T HAS
ITS BRIGHTER SIDES
A Wonderful PierrOt Pageant,
as Picturesque as II Is
Unique.
Is, ACrON DAVIES.

1t has always been one Of the unwrit-
ten laws of the Hippodrome, ever since
the Shuberts and Arthur VOegtlin
began TO mould its yearly destiny, that
in the devising Of its production every
law known to man, Baedaker, the
Medes the PerSians. or even Thomas
Cook should be violated as frequently
and anachrOnistically as possible. For a
lIippodrome audience has to jump IN
less than three wags Of lambs tail
from a Russian tea TO a New England
sugaring party or from the scaliest
heights OF more or less allegorlcal
Little Eva-ish" heaven to the wilds Of
a Darwinian jungle or the innermost
furnace Of the most subterranean OF
hells. Such lightning changes as these
in the Hippodrome schedule only rank
as perfectly ordinary weekend excur-
sions, as it were. Therefore, on Satur-
day night, when The Wars Of the
World" transported it's audience from
one to another of the biggest lights IN
history without any preliminary or
explanatory notes, not one was IN the
least surprised Here was the itinerary
of the first act, for instance. After
being formally introduced to a most
imposing. -lunged person
by the name Of Sidney Grant, who rep
resented History, we witnessed the
Dawn of Civilization, dropped into the
Jungle momentarily for a rather neon
seguential cave man soiree, and then,
after a fleeting glimpse Of Rome in her
most barbaric state Of negligee, we
were allowed TO catch up, before
We got out Of breath, with the
Crusaders, and TO witness one OF the
most sanguinary episodes In one OIL
their hottest wars. Here II was thdt
Noegtlin spcctacularly struck his hrst
big martial inspiration.
The scene in the Abbey, with it's hun
drpds Of armored warriors, and the
sudden illumination of the great cross
had an electrical and inspiring effect.
This tableuu, now that the perform
ance is all over and we are dousing
our eyes with boracIc acid, STANDS
out as one OF the throbblng big mo-
ments Of the play. But, as no pro
ducer could allow any audience 10 get
religion so early in the evening, we
were made TO traise perhaps trip
would be the better word direct from
the Crusaders to Versailles, where
Marie Antoinette few hundred years
later * holding sort Of open-alr the
dansant. which is eventually interrupt,
ed by the French Revolution, with All
its accessories. Leaving Marie An
toinctte in her tumbrIl Ell route 10 the
scahold. we next Jump 10 real OLD
Southern mansion, where all the
women are engulfed in hoopskirts and
the Civil War is about 10 begin. Then
comes the Price Of War, remarkably
effective tableau, showing great pat
,lcncld. After which we jump straight
across seas 70 Henley, where an eN-
hIlarating war of sports ~ gong Oh
Then comes MarcelIue. little dash
across country to Algiers, and AFTER
that all hands 70 10 the carnival IN
Italy. where il shown the mosl
original aud picturesque Pierrot ballet
that the .lippodrome has ever put on
This synopsis Of the first act goes To
show ut leas, that III dealing with the
wars Of the world the management nave
striven 70 keep their audience as cheer
ful "a possible. Later comes marvel
lous marine scene, III which shIpS OI
,II sizes are shown in movement, an
extraordinary battle Of the elements
and the most exciting lombard
ment that has ever been shown upon
n stage. This scene takes place IN the
square at Vera Cruz. and is the only
incident iu the entire play whlcll
touches on any o. the sanguInary cpl
ode Of 1914. This scene. devised ny
\o,gtlin and stage managed by VII
lam Wilson. vas 20 exciting tnat II
fairly BROUGHT the audience to ItS leel.
Later there was all sorts Of special
ties. and terrace Of fountains hn"!e
which was most effective IN Its way
Bu, +, was the Illumination Of the Cru.
sadrrs' cross and the bOmbardment OF
Vera Cruz which struck the biggest
notes I'm this extraordinary production.
Tins Wars Of the World" IS page
ant OF muscle and brains, in which IRE
and .iccl and stone play their great
payis. 700. II has more BODY and SIN =
ew 10 u than any Of the playhouse
preyiou4 productions, and yet II mas
splcndid glamour, too, and an minute
variety. I'll,
Vopgtlin. Wilson and Manuel hIein,
the three presiding spirits OF the MP
nodrome. are each in their own prov
nee lust - successful as ever ouH
somehow perhaps it's the times as
we'll as the performance the Whole
nrcsrntatIOn seemed. to nave Il DIgger
swing and stride and dignity than any
thing the HIppodrome has shown Oe-