New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-22
"'SUMURUN'' IN
A new SETTING
Production at Palace viii
Reflect Ideas Of
OrdynSki.

To set "Sumurur" on the stage in
America, Richard Ordynski, one of the
young men whom Professor Max Rein
hardt, Of Berlin. has filed with mis-
ideas ana trained with his methods,
came 20 New York q few years ago with
the De- sches Theatre company for its
C1ga cut at the Casino Theatre.
That 0muauy came fresh from the
stage direction o. Professor ReInhardt
himself. but now OrdynsN has put on
">umurlu' independently for Miss
Gertrude Hoffman, at the request of
t.e Palace Theatre. where she Will APP
pear as the beautiful slave of fatal en-
cra0tmert this week.
Miss HoGmann and Mr. Ordynski have
followed Professor Reinhardt IN the
mann. bat I'm many details they consider
that the new production outdoes the
original i'm magniiiCence, intelligence
and the atmosphere Of the unchanging
East. Ordynski will be the hunchback
at the Palace. and will direct the per
Torrance which is the most ambitious
ever produced in vaudeville. In talk
with +. T. Albee. director Of Keith
vaudeville in the circuit of theatres
headed by the Palace, Ordynsk de-
scribed Professor Reinhardts ideas re-
garding "Sumurun" as follows:
"Roiuhardt conceived the idea of pro-
ducing i'm his theatre a play without
words because he wished acting pure
and simple to have full sway TO pro-
vide a wider field for the artists per
sonality lie took from the actor his
chief means of expression and confined
him to the art of mimicry and gesture;
at the same time he freed him from
the often hampering shackles of the
text, and revealed what in the actors
art. is common 10 all times and all
countries showed its untrammelled ma
tive quality in its purest form.
"The masters motive for producing
PLAYS without words will clearly eX-
plain wherein he differs from the old
Italian school of pantomime The ltal-
ian pantomlmist used gestures and
mimicry to supply the place Of words.
In Reinhardt's play without words the
artist expressed through his individual
ity, his bearing, his eyes, his action, his
whole being feelings which would
otherwise need expression, so powerful
and pregnant as to be within the reach
Of only the greatest poets.
an the old pantOmimes one felt that
the actors were obliged 20 use gestures
because. Ike inc QAilDs lttl NOAlu l4't
speak; but the diSconcerting question,
Why don't they speak?' does not arise
in a Reinhardt production.
"The first rehearsals at which Rein
hardt's idea took on living form are
among the most cherished and stimu-
lating memories the theatre has given
me. Without the aid Of words all
forms and degrees Of human feeling
were brought upon the stage. At the
same time all the other advantages of
Reinhardt's wonderful managerial art
were revealed. A fitting decoration,
full of character, carefully calculated
lighting, costumes subtly designed to
harmonic with the actors movements,
appropriate music all these formed
the needed frame to the play.
Carrying out an idea that has
strongly Influenced him throughout his
career namely that a closer sympathy
between the actors and the audience be
established -Reinhardt built a bridge
between the auditorium and the stage.
So arose the idea Of The Flowery Way
for Reinhardt conceives the theatre as
a whole, in which the audience are fell
low workers, and partners with the
players