New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-14

stage from Sophocles down TO the MOD
ern poet Gerherdt Hnuptmann.
Regarding this theory we laymen can,
Of course, say but little, and that llttie
must necessarily be founded upon tne
results Herr Reicher achieved IN MS
production last night Undoubtedly
he is nearer complete understand
ing Of such thing IS possible
Of Ibsen than many OF the pro
ducers and directors who have present
cd the dramatist's plays in this coun-
try. His effects are not obtained III
the so-callcd Ibsen fashion. He does
not strive 10 create an atmosphere OF
gloomy portent and mystic, intangible
horror He does not school his cast
to staring. pop-eyed poses and "a
method of delivering lines that closely
resembles the measured tread OF an
approaching hangman or some sueh
dreadful visitor.
Rather he appears 20 portray himself
and to have impressed upon ms rel-
low PLAYERS less mechanical, freer
conception Of the requirement., OF the
roles in relation to the play. He has,
moreover, done this so successfully
that each character. each symbol. re-
mains at once a clear, separate study
and an Illuminating factor in the drama
as whole. How important this treat
ment is TO such play as John ia
briel Borkman" will be understood by
those who recollect the drama.
Ibsen himself calls the play his last,
although when the Dead Awake
which he terms an cpilogue. was writ
ten after il. In John Gabriel Bork-
~ L. trttfn N -
sent his characters in fashion that
opposes five different theories of life.
In Borkman, the egomaniac, he shows
the altruist with ideals impossible of
attainment In Ella he shows the type
in which the right Of love is supreme;
in Grunhild the opposite type, which
obeys only the dictates of honor and
convention. Mrs. Wilton stands as the
Sybarite and the lover of pleasure, and
in Erhard he has typifed the irresist-
ible power of youth. All the conflict
Of the drama arises from the struggle
of each character to practise his
theorys Of life. The result is typicaIly
Ibscnesoue, and therefore. OF course,
utterly hopeless and unanswerable.
Some Of us may be inclined to add
unnecessary, which would be natural
enough were it not for the saving
grace of the poet character Foldal. He
IS the. only one of the symbols TO
achieve happiness in life, and this
because he retires from it completely
and will have no traffic with its ma
terial rewards or its never-ending
struggles.
The symbolism, however. rests be-
tween the audience and Ibsen. and its
intrinsic interest naturally depends
upon the height of the individual
brow. What is important to the play
goer is the fact that Herr Reicher Is
Offering an artistic production which
is worth seeing for many other rea-
sons besides offering another oppor-.
tunity to grasp the significance OF
the great dramatist's genius. In sup
port of Herr Reicher are Alice HarrinR-
ton. who gives sincere picture or
Mrs. Borkman; Paul Gordon, as the
son; Alma Kruger, as the sister; That's
Lawton, as Mrs. Wilton; Roland
Young. as the poet; Inez Banghart, as
Freda. and Edith Seabury, as the maid
All of these players worked with such
understanding and so fine show of sim
cerity that it would be unfair to single
any one of the cast for particular men
ton. Their uniform playing and the
excellent staging Of the production are
another tribute to the director and
. chief PLAYER.