New-York tribune., 1916-02-28
GIVEN
FINE PRODUCTION
Strindberg's Symbolical
Drama Presented by
Stage Society.

The Stage Society Of New York rem
ders a service peculiar to itself n Civ
ing one private and one public per
Torrance Of Easter" passion play,
IN three acts, By August StrindberS.
The private performance was given last
night az the GGioty Theatre; the puo-
! C one will take place this afternoon.
The play, OF course, IS not one wnlca u
commercial producer would undertake.
DshOnOr. the q sGrace OF having .
father and husband who has emDezzied,
hangs over The Heyst family. IL Is the
season of Easter, OF resufrcct on ana
joy, ana Ellis, "a teacher, Is illled with
bitterness, for his father is IN prison, a
felon, and his younger sister. kleonora,
her mind dcranged by the misfortune,
is in an institution. Mrs. Heyst has
suppressed her sense Of shame at the
conviction of her husband and pro-
fesses 10 believe MIN innocent.
The shadow OF the disgrace hangs
over the first act Even one o. the
creditors, LindQuist, who does not ap-
pear, is given the sproportlonate I'M
pOrtance of shadow on the Alpine
mist Jy being described as he passes.
There are few actors who can give the
sense Of two loca.t.es the scene IN
which they act aud another scene oil
stage. Yet accomplishment OF this
a.ucult feat must be credited to Wal
ter uampuon ln hls dc-cnp-lOA Oh the
passing Lindquist.
Eils's sister, Elconora, comes 20 see
him, bringing an Easter lily. ln this
character, which iu the symbolism Of
the play may repre- elt youth and love
perverted by the iormalisms Of religion,
honor and society, StrDabcrg reveals
his understanding Of .hc wayward
fancy and the deep emotions OF chill
drcn. She is. tOO,>the vehicle OF MS
criticism. She is the child who has
never had any childhood. VINO would
take the su.cTngs OF others on herself
and find happiness IN doing so. II IL
religion, suffering and vlcarous atone
mcnt that weigh on her youth and
spOutanelty.
The Easter lily she has taken from
the florist, leaving some money an pay
mont. and her card. The thought oc-
ours that perhaps the money VIII not
be found and she will be thought a
thief. This theme StrindDerg ADDS TO
those Of disgrace and OF Jealousy. For
Ellis becomes jealous of his iancee.
ACT II AArAIBrta Aif fAAAaAE At+AilAiN
dressed in black. The delusions with
which men torment themselves here
reach their height. The shadow Of
Lindquist is that Of man about to
dlspossess them Of their furniture; the
attendance of Ellis's fancee provokes
his jealousy; his perusal Of the papers
i'm his fathers case only heightens his
memory of the shame. The light Of
this act is Eleonora. Kathlenc Mac
Donell played the part with the inten-
sity and Imagination vouchsafed only
to artists OF the first RANK Every IN
cdent OF her presence on the stage.
even her advancing the hands Of the
clock TO speed the gloomy day, had
poIgnancy.
Walter llampden's Ellis, a trife
rhetorical and dcclamatory at first, took
on force. Gertrude Berkeley was a
convincing mother. Henry Stephenson,
as Lindqu.st, gave q finished perform
ance. Gareth Hughes and Kathienc
MacDoncil left nothing TO be desired.
The scene, de- iCned by Norman Wilkin-
son. was sufficiently conventional 20
suit the moods of the play and realistic
enough 10 carry conviction. The play
was staged by Mme S,rindberg.