Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-05-11
important Events in Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
Interesting Items From the Three
Great Kingdoms Of the North So
iected for Scandinavians and
Their Descendants.
BY MARTIN w. oDLAND.


holm says: Twelve years ago August
Strindberg wrote finis under the last
act of his historical drama, Gustav
Ill.," and tossed aside his pen, and
now, in the year of grace, 1916. when
the master has long since ceased his
Iabors. Stockholm sees his work per
formed in his own city for the first
time. Even In Stockholm. the home
of the Strindberg drama, first per-
fcrmance of a Strindberg play is not
to be passed over lightly. 1t calls out
royalty and the intellectual nobility;
it leads to protracted comment over
the coffee and liCueurs and to long
criticisms and reviews in the newspa-
pers. When Gustav III" went on the
"Intima teatern" on January %. men
with high foreheads and long hair
cabled their comment to Norway. Den
mark and Germany. and what they
said appeared in print next day by the
side of the official French communique
Strange it was, perhaps significant.
that the premiere took place in the
''Intima teatern"-the intimate the
alter, as we would say, the Little thea
ter of Stockholm. Heretofore 1t has
been the great royal dramatic theater
which gave the accepted Strindberg
performances-the dramatiska--where
AndeSs de Wahl. regarded by Europe
as the best interpreter of the Strind-
berg roles, had been wont to appear in
the leading parts of "Erick XIV"
Master Olaf" "Gustavus Vasa,"
and other plays. Wahl was the friend
of Strindberg and today owns many of
his manuscripts. 1t was, perhaps, sim
gular, too, that VAIL appeared at the
lntima on the opening night, not in
costume, but as spectator, who occu-
pied loge with Prince Eugen, the
royal patron of the arts. Gustav III"
was published some years ago, so that
most Strindberg students have read
It. AS was his custom in other cases,
Strindberg adopted his own view of
the life of the hero king, and his inter
probation was roundly scored in the
newspapers of Stockholm. Perhaps
this was one reason for the belated
premiere. The attitude of the critics
OF today is that the Interpretation
should not be allowed to detract from
the value of the work as drama. And
drama it undoubtedly is. The subject
was good one. Gustav Ill developed
strong personal rule between 1771
and 1892, which succeeded in holding
the support of his subjects, largely be-
cause of his justice toward them. He
crushed the mobiles, checked the inter
ference Of Russia in Swedish affairs.
abolished torture and encouraged sci
ence and art. When he sought to inter
vene in the French revolution on the
side of Louis XVI the mobiles conspired
against him and on March 10, 1892, he
was assassinated while at a masked
ball in the royal theater, which stood
on the site now occupied by the Royal
Opera house. Here was surely suffi-
cient material for heroic treatment
Lars Hanson played the part of Gus
tav to the great satisfaction of the
critics and the delight OF the public,
and on the whole the play, which is
still on the bill at the Intima, has
pleased immensely Gustav III is
not Strindberg's best manner; 1t is
easily inferior to "Gustavus Vasa,"
which was played in Chicago a few
years ago, and other historical plays,
but 1t Is superior to Queen Christina"
and in all respects a notable work. 1t
is enthusiastically Strindberg. witt
plenty of effective situations, which
compel the interest of the audience
and hold it in almost breathless sus-
pense as the destiny of the king full
fills itself
According to a recent cablegram, the
Swedish government has asked the
riksdag for vote of 10000 900 kroner
for the army: 12,250,000 kroner for
the navy and 100000 kroner for has
tening the construction of destroyers
and submarines. The army expendi-
ture is proposed principally for the
heavy artillery. engineering and supply
services and for the equipment of the
landsturm
The Swedish steamer ]. J. Dickson,
bound to Amsterdam. was captured
and taken to Hamburg by the feet of
German warships while the feet was
returning from the bombardment of
the English coast April IS.
A person who does not want his
name published has donated $1,000 of
stocks in the national tobacco monop-
oily to Upsala to be used for the bene-
fit of poor children and for two pri-
vate societies.
A syndicate has been organized for
utilizing the waterpower of the Dial
river. 1t is to be no small under
taking, the plans calling for an ex-
penditure Of 100000. The combined
capacity of the plants Is estimated at
100000 horsepower.
The following Swedish ladies have
celebrated their Tooth birthday anal
in tho cnurSo rf Tho frn