The sun., 1916-11-19

citals at ALL" says Miss Reicher.. II
have tried to express myself dramati-
cally In the same way in which an
actress does on the stage. Having
been an actress myself for n number
Of years. ! do not feel that l am a
reader in the ordinary sense Of the
word reader and my readings are
not the same as those usually under
stood by the words dramatic reading
For every piece OF literature I read I
try to give n suggestive, almost a
scenic. illustration. l try TO reproduce
the very character or mood or atti-
tude the author had when he wrote
the work. and I try to have the arts
help me to express what ! try to COM
municate to my audience. In other
words, In light effect. color. line and
costume. to fit a suitable background.
] try to give a convincing picture Of
the Illusion I have about the author
and his work. I change my costume
and background and lighting for each
reading.
"Of course. when saying costume !
do not mean hat I limit myself to
certain clothes and certain periods.
My costumes are wholly romantic.
fanciful and only suggestive of the
atmosphere I would like my audience
to feel for the particular piece Of work
I am then giving at the particular
moment.
IL first gave these recitals-again
must use hat awful word unless some
reader Of THE New York Sun will come
to my rescue and suggest a better term
several years ago in Berlin and also
I'm London drawing rooms, but ] began
them here in America only last spring
at which time ! read 'Salomc.' by
Oscar Wilde. "A few children's stories
from The Crescent Moon by Rabin-
dranath Tagore. who will lecture II
this country next week, an old Scotch
ballad and a few poems in German b,
Heinrich Heine.
II have chosen for my first recita
Of this season at the Comedy Theatr,
tonight a one-act play ny Dayit
Pinski. called 'Bathsheba.' This pla,
was translated from the Yiddish. n
Mr.. Pinski writes everything in Yid
dish and all his plays have TO b,
translated, which. ! believe, Is the rca
son why he Is not better known to tn
English speaking public here. Nj
! Ptnski is n very modern and r~ealisti
author. and 1t is IA pity that only on
Of his plays tin addition to 'Bathshc
BAL has been translated into English
I refer to The Treasure translate,
by Prof. Lewisohn and published b.
Mr.. Hucbsch. Mr.. Iinski comes iron
Russia, but has been AN American
citizen for quite a number of years
having written all his beautiful play
right here in New York.
This play / shall read. 'Bathsheha
Is n OF a series Of one act plays al
dealing with the life and loves OF Kin
David. / have chosen 1t because I ar
no interested In the manner in whic
Mr.. Pinski has treated the characte
Bdthshebd. We know very little n
her through the Bible-mercly the ia,
that King David chose her for ~ {
his wives and took her away from he
husband. The principal character
this one act play is Bdthshcbd n
King Ddrid. King David is cpisoii
cally treated. as in every II of III
plays In the series he is shown i
another OF his predominating char
acteristics. In this particular play Il
Is portrayed as the mighty king an
tyrant. the self-willcd monarcl
answering all his desires blindly. TIL
struggle of B~athshebd is most bcauti
fully treated"