New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-12
BY HAYWOOD BROUN.


"Paganini" is an interesting even
ing's entertainment for any one who
can remain constantly enthralled by
the technique Of George Arliss. Here
is an actor who realizes that there is
TO detail too small 20 be overlooked in
a performance Here is a player pos
sessed Of hands Here Is performer
who even takes cognizsnce Of the fact
that he has legs and employs them in
the task Of character portrayal.
So much for the spectator who is in
terested In the stunts OF acting. For
our part We think "Paganini" slight
fare. Just how much its Shortcomings
ere due 20 the author and how much TO
the actors would be difficult 20 say.
Probably all should be tried together
The fact is this play processes 70 re-
veal a genius 70 Us. instead Of which it
concerns itself almost entirely with the
eccentricities Of genius It is a little
tir az # somebody should undertake
&c write a play about Dr. Johnson and
ofer as his climax scene in which the
great photographer drank thirteen cups
OF tea ln full view of the audience.
There were times last night when we
felt annoyed at being constantly re-
minded that Paganini was a queer
person in the habit of hopping and Of
breathing thick air. We wanted 10
look inside this fellow and see what
manner of man ne really was. The
playwright and the actor proceed upon
the theory that after all the manner
isms Of a character have been accu-
rately portrayed you have the man. It's
not true.
George Arliss did any number Of lit
tie things well. put we would have pre-
ferred 70 see him do some big thing
badly All evening we waited for some
stroke on the part of the actor or the
author which would have enabled us 20
understand Just why 10 was that the
heroine cast everything aside 20 fol-
low Paganini. OF course, II was ex-
planned that she worshipped his music,
but this. of course, is eXpOsitory. II
was hardly translated into drama by
brief scene IN which Arliss moved his
bow across a violin 20 an of-stage &C
commitment. To dramatic the life
OF a musician is difficult, but that is no
reason why il should be attempted.
When a playwright chooses 20 build his
play about a character MS audience
has q right 20 EXPECT that . will know
that man inside az well as out before
the play is done.
There must be analysis "a well as
synthesis before a character can live.
We know Jean Christ5phe, for instance,
I intimately Faganlnl "e know merely
tv sight Much Of the fault belongs
20 Edward KnOblauch. but Arliss has
not made good the shortcomings OF the
author. He has allowed himself 20 be-
Gene so interested IN how Paganinl
moved his hands and now he took snuf
that he has overlooked the fact that
the man had a soul. IL is a lost soul
buried deep in detail.
In particular we were emazed az the
temperature at which Paganini was
pitched The love scene between
. George Arliss and Marjorie Msude at
/ the end Of Act II was enough 20 make
ere clap his hands. Anc blow on them
/ too
We believe that the v.olnist was in
/ the neighbour God Of nifty years OF age
In this play, but that IS an incident and
rot an excuse. Wen leave II 20 no
F less an authority than Jean Paurel.
One thing more mars the picture OF
genius Drawn BY Knoblauch and acted
by Arliss Paganini is represented as
possessing keen sense Of humor. No
genius ever had one.
The play concerns the adventure OF
the great violinist with Charlotte Wat
son. a young English girl, who follows
him 20 France, and is induced 10 re-