Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-11
ADJUSTMENTS
GEORGE AULISS IN "pAGANINI"
GIVES NAIkE rEIkIrONMA NCI.

George NTllSS III
in ono Of the subtlcst charactcrizations
of a historical figure that the stage
had known in many years. In Louis
Napoleon Parkcr's "Disraeii." he pre-
scented OF that strange poscur and brill
liant statesman who dominated his
time lvin;; portrait that compelled
admiration for its accuracy ana cast
about ii Il spell of fascination by its
imaginative quality SO suaNc. so
witty, so keen and so great in achieve
ment Was the personality mat he re-
produced in his Disraeli that the Ora
matte character became to us that gilt
tcriuS genius who was dubbed the
. I'aganini Of politics."
Possibly the figure, the phrase,
caught his attention, interested him
and suggested sum another mctcoric
career. which also left, it's impress on
. the world. Whatever tho reason. he
appeared last night as ras,nini him
self and OF him lie made a personality
I whose appeal to the interest * only
less than Disracli's because where the
E.ngiishman shaped history. tho italian
made music and set new limits FOR the
violin.
Plenty of books tell Of tho cccon
,rici,y. the witness and the moods
that accompanied the creative genius
Of paCauini. They tell OF the taking
. of infinite pains that constituted part
for ton hours without stopping. how
he made his music his life, ana let
nothing interfere with it. They tell
also how he tuned his violin in va
rious MAYS, and in that manner ac-
Complishcd fca,S that caused the super
stitious to believe he was in league
. with tho devil, and they toll hos tho
world VAS At his feet. even stolid Eng
land
All this Edward Knohlauch has writ
playwright, has let his fancy run TO
| what might we'll have happened in
| London, when women went mad over
the greatest violin virtuoso of all time.
and has made OF IL romance. com
hininc with sheer imagination enough
ono II his lady loves. and enough OF
the people. customs and manners OF
the period to form high comedy at its
height And all this George Arliss
makes alive by his art while a COM
pany of rare ability III SURROUNDINGS
hawlcss in lavish detail, maintains the
illusion of other lives in other days.
Such 1t performance AS Mr. Arliss
gives the role OF raSaniui IL almost
without boundary as mere entertain
rcnt. While comedy is predominant
"Faganiui" is high comedy, be II re-
membcrcd-thcrc is enough OF mo-
mentary lapse into the serious, whether
IL be tho making of music or the max
! lIS anu threatened NIlNld KING OF lives,
TO call upon most of the other emo
lions than humor. But as "a display OF
acting, of acting art II stands
with only a few others within my
memory.
In makeup alone, II is notable. In
unfailng employment of accent. OF in
vcrtcd words and transposcd phrase no
matter how rapid the speech. it is
again AN achievement. In expression
Of face and Of voice, ii is facilc and
telling. In gesture and posture It Is
invariably true 10 conception. All thns"
20 to make perfect the depletion OF
the artist, the man apart. tho heights
and depths OF him, tho temper and tho
temperament run mad
Aud all these are q great part OF
"Faranini." Tho play is tho telling Of
an episode, so far as it's story goes.
an episode flied with interest and uii-
folded with great charm. 1t all oc-
ours within the period Of morning and
night Of ono day, and there is COM
para'ivclv little Of what We commonly
understand as plot. In n word, IA
ganini" is rauanini and George Arliss.
Nevertheless. much Of the effect of
the character and tho actor would be
lost without the atmospheric" created
and maintained by production and COM
pany. That there is not "A Earring note
reflects much credit on the enterprise
Its a prctticr word than money
Of klaw e. ErlanGcr. and the produc-
ing brain OF George G. Tyler. who also
WAS responsible for "Disracli." not to
speak of the work Of Frederick Stan
hope, who staged the play.
Margcry Maudc tho daughter of tho
distinguished English actor. Cyril
Maudc. is not only altogether charm
ing. hut is an accomplished actor. Few
ngcnucs have so much to equip them
H. i,ln good look
Florence Aucr is remarkably effective
in tho heavy role OF Antonio Bianchi:
that sterling old actor. Charles Iiar-
bury. shows his worth as tho cholcric
father: Edgar Kent, stolid haronct.
makes all possible OF his ono real mo-
mcnt. and all the minor parts are
played by actors.
Mr.. Arliss and "Paganini" arc more
than a superb actor I'm n delightful
play: they arc an opportunity.
Douglas Gordon.
Shakespeare Plays Next Wccl<.
1t was tho original intention OF the
Clifford DcvercuX company to present
only Shakcspearcan comedies this sea :
son, but there wcrc so many requests
for oliver Goldsmith's comedy. "She
Stoops to Conquer" especially from
the higher scholastic institutions. that
he decided to retain IL in his roper
toirc Mono OF tho old English come
dies appears TO have such a strong hold
on tho favor of tho public. and il is
Il favortc topic for studies at the
schools and colleges. II will have n
place In tho report DIRE to be presented
here by tho Clifford Dcvcrcux company
at tho Academy of Music next Wednes-
day and Thursday, tho ARRANGEMENT OF
, plays being as follows: Wednesday
t night, Twelfth Night: Thursday mat
incc. "rhc Comedy of Errors, and
i. Thursday night, "Shc Stoons 10 Con-