New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-19
LIVING CORPSE
SEEN In GERMAN
Tolstoy's Drama Protest
Against Existing Code
of Morality

u Is in the ninth and the tenth of the
series Of sharp, vivid scenes that com
pose Tolstoy's The Living Corpse"
which was played in German at the
Irving Place Theatre last night, that
the intent OF the play is disclosed For
here Fedor, the man whose life has
gone 20 ruin, who has left his wife and
pretended 20 be dead in order that she
might remarry. who has consorted with
gypsies and has sunk 20 the COM
panionship that low dives offer, tells
the motives which have driven him.
In the ninth scene, seated IN an inn,
Fedor tells an artist OF fallen fort
unes that there are three alternatives
before men. One Is 20 NJ themselves
into the system which surrounds them.
20 draw their pay and 70 add 20 the
filth OF existence, the second Is 20 fight
the circumstances which determine
most men; this requires genius which
ne lacked; the third Is 20 DRIFT, and
this IS what he had done.
In the tenth scene, next before the
last, which takes place I'm the court
where bis former vile and hex second
husband are arraigned on a charge Of
bigamy Fed0r Cen0unces the morality
and the justice In whose name the pri-
vate affairs of human beings are sour
rilous.y dragged into the public gaze
and the Arrangements which. they had
devised after struggle and doubt
brought 70 nought He had left his
wife that she might be happy with the
man she loved. DE had pretended 20
be dead becatse he would not tell ne
lies necessary 90 procure divorce ard
square hImsel and the other two with
social morality And in the final scene,
when al is 70 be made right, Fedor
shoots himself because he still adheres
20 mis- determination not 20 lie.
The play has all the force OF SIN
cere utterance on q subject on which
Tolstoy Felt deeply. In IL he stands, "a
he stood In all his writings, for tina
human being as against the hypocrisy
which our complicated society forces
upon him. And In general the per-
formance OF IL by Mr Christians and
mis- company brought out the force and
the humanity Of II.
Although Mr. Christians as Fedor
was inclined At times 70 be affected
and 10 take himself as actor a bit too
seriously, be rose In the anal scenes 20
moments Of fanatic intensity which
were effective Annie Rub-Foerster, as
the wife, played with understand
ing and never-failing intuition for the
human relations Of the play. A notable
bit of acting was the visit OF Baron
Abreskow Heinrich NARROW 20 Fedor's
garnet.
The performance was distinguished
by a number Of unusual settings, sew
eral OF them set in a sort Of frame
which inclosed an inner stage. One in
particular consisted Of a fat back
ground % old rose with mantel and
chandeliers 20 give the decorative de-
sign and a few chairs. with three men
In them, 20 add the element Of motion.
The scene in Fedor's garnet IS also
worthy OF mention.
Not all the play may pass without
adverse criticism. The scene In which
the gypsies danced and sang would
scarcely have done credit 30 amateurs.
Marie Kierschner left much 20 be de-
sired as Lisa's mother IN the first few
scenes. and Emil Hess "a Karenin
might have given evidence Of greater
feeling az times The serious attempt
TO present this play, however, deserves
credit.