New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-11
THE CAST
By HAYWOOD BROUN.

Leo Ditrichstein, so say the electric
lights. is also q great lover His act
ing has no need of bulbs. In its .ech-
nical brilliance, it's human appeal, and
its unhagging grip upon the audience
the performance which Mr.. Ditrich-
stein gave at the Longacre Theatre
last night deserves 20 rank with the
notable achievements Of the New YORK
stage. Jean Paurel is contribution
which We think will be long remem-
bered.
Author and actor. too, Mr.. Ditrich-
stein must be twice praised. As a
collaboration OF Frederic and Fanny
Hatton he has devised in THE Great
Lover" most diverting romantic
comedy. If, as some hold, every the
atrical performance is in sense
duel between the author and the actor
we must give our decision in favor OF
Ditrichstein, player, rather than DIT
richstein. playwright. That is no
slight upon the authors. Plays as good
as "The Great Lover" are rare, but
romantic acting such as that OF MI.
Ditrichstein last night simply is not
70 be had in ali New York. .
In a season during which most or
the best plays have been devoted 10
picturing humdrum life, the romance
Of "The Great Lover" Is altogether de-
lightful. Romance, so said an earlier
play. lies Just outside the door. ne
Hattons and Mr.. Ditrichstein know bet
ter. Romance lies just inside the door
if that portal be the stage door OF
metropolitan opera house.
The subject Of "The Great Lover" is
foreign TO US. The only grand opera
singer We ever knew was man named
Flanagan or Murphy, or something OF
the sort, and ne was much the same as
other people. except for a certain
simple faith in the personalities OF a
four-card straight. Nevertheless, we
have always believed that opera singers
were a folk apart. They may not be as
they are pictured in "The Great Lover,
but they ought 20 be- The people OF
the play and its atmosphere are de-
lightful.
In particular we would commend 20
those who love the theatre OF illusion
the splendid scene in the dressing room
Of Jean Paurel just after he has
finished singing an aria in Don Clio
vanni.n There is hustle, color, sound,
scraps of this language and Of that.
II is a picture which must lift spec
tator away from reality into the un-
reality Of the opera world.
We know that Is not a real world.
The land of $4,000 a night, Of Farrar,
of Carmen, Of Bori, Of Butterfly. is as
much the kingdom Of romance as Grau-
stark, Ruritanis or Zenda How can
we doubt the romance Of the opera
house? Have we not read the inter
views with Geraldine, the gorgeous,
which appear in the Sunday news
papers2 So delightfully."- foreign, in
deed, is that land just inside the stage
door that even its ambassadors, the
opera critics, seem somehow different
from everyday folk.
Decidedly Jean Paurel Is different.
His life bubbles. lie can speak ten
languages and make love in twenty. lie
has. When "The Great Lover" begins
Paurel is forty-six. Jean sings with a
remnant Of a voice, but with an art
which is unimpaired His heart, too,
has stood the ravages Of time, and such
a time. We see him make love 70
Giulia Sabittni, a reminiscent warmed
over love, but then comes new afec-
ton for a young singer, and this IS the
downfall of Paurel, for he loves this
time with his heart
There is something OF tragedy in the
story OF Jean Paurel. Certainly there
is bitterness that now in the time OF
the great love he has nothing 20 say
which he has not said many times be
fore. As Paurel reproaches himself,
Kisses are kisses whether you mean
them or not"
Jean loses his voice and watches d
1 young rival step into his place and
gain the applause which was his. And
Z II is the same young man who wins the
girl whom Paurel would marry. Still
Il is after all comedy, for as tn.
curtain descends Paure is at the 'ele-
phone making an engagement for a
supper party with still another woman.
There are opportunities for other
persors in the play besides Mr.. Dit
richstein. IL is In no sense a one-part
play. Beverly Sitgreaves is particu-
| larlv fine as Giulia Sabittini. William
/ Ricciardi gives a capital performance
/ as Maestro Cereale, an Italian conduc-
/ tor His is an unusually spirited per
/ formance. Miss Virginia Brooks is
pleasant AS the heroine, and sings q
| little In pleasing fashion. Malcolm Fas-
/ eett is Il manly rival for Ditrichstein,
! and there are a number of good char
/ acter bits in the play
/ Having had a thoroughly delightful
evening, il seems almost ungracIous 70
ask for improvements. Some could be
made. Technically, the third act Is In
nowise equal to the preceding ones. II
marks a letdown In interest The CO.
Incidence upon which the authors de-
mend for the final solution of the play
We grant them only grudgingly. II is
not needed. Things might have been
,ound up without making Sonino's
nootber former fame Of Paurel.
Unfortunately, the scene between
paurel and sonino's mother is impaired
nv moor acting. Either Miss Camilla
Rertolini il ineffective or the scene Is
,oorlv written. Possibly II II little
~ both. 10 would have been entirely
na.ural and much more effective II the
a,nyoan Ind won the sacrifice from
penrcI with an appeal TO his old love
rs,ber than with threat
yet there In something TO be said for
49, ,bird act. one Of the most pleas
w., Incidents Of the evening is scene
49, which Paurol looks over forgotten
L. tetters. Schnitzler might have
I',,on IA One OF the yellowcd mis-
,,,ns nuzzles Pnurel He csnnot place
~ .omsn. He shakes his head "She
cannot spell and she 10 t,uPld, snys
Inc great lover "She mus, nave been