New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-20
By Ralph Block

Moeller has wisely limited himself to
a mere handful Of them in his new play
at the Criterion Theatre, and out Of his
materials he makes an Eden Musee Of
desperate SWANS for that most amaz
ing, tempestuous and fecund woman 10
pass among, eternally renewing her
self in her quest for love. i: is a sub
tie and engaging picture Of a time OF
sentimental exaggerations, from whose
evil effects the world has not entire
ly recovered, but without Mrs. Fiske
TO give life TO the many-sded Aurore
and to catch the tiny daughters Nj
Moeller lets run underneath. the text,
Madame Sand" on the stage at least,
would be a Galatea without the magic
breath.
Ii is not familiar Mrs. Fiske, not so
angular and sharp in movement, not so
flashing for the mere sake Of flashing,
who plays George Sand. The familiar
vividness is not gone in any measure,
but ii is submitted to a part which de
mands an incredible fulness, so many
reserves of ideas and qualities that
they can be only limited at and never
spoken to be convincing. Mrs. Fiske
has done it, but ! do not know of any
other actress of our own who could.
Mother and mistress, male and female,
romantic and realist, schemer, suf-
fragist, novelist and woman of affairs
she is all of these, an unbelievable
woman, but the very type of her time
The original lbsen girl, proof-before
all-letteIs, is what Mr.. Huneker calls
her. 1t is very good
Mr.. Moeler is by all means a mod
ern. The Comedy Theatre houses hir,
no longer, but, happily, he has not for
gotten the thrust he learned there
Madame Sand" from first curtain to
last, is a delicate but nevertheless
pointed lab az the romantic movement,
all the excuses and eXtravagances OF
the poets, the musicians, the noveiists,
who were brought IN by Rousseau to
believe they were suffering and living
when they were mere y feeling the pang
of a worlds delayed adolescence. II IS
not merely an admirably conceived and
definite picture of the times, with the
amazing Sand running through her
lovers like a spendthrlft through
fortune. II is fine comedy upon them,
fine enough to have escaped most OF
those who accompany Mrs. Flske, and
saved 10 make lduRHbtr CHlcHy ny VIC
illustrious lady herself
The action begins at Paris, in George
Sands apartment in the Quarter, with
Heinrich Hcine, Bulloz. her publisher
and the signing de Musset attending
her. II is the eve Of remuneration.
George and the Young poet have just
sworn 10 give up their love, and she is
at the supper table spending her mo-
ments between the soup and devoting
TO her next novel the emotions this af-
fair has made her spend. From scene
with the drunken country squire, who
is still her husband. she turns TO an
other with de Musset's mother, come
to wrest her darling from the arms OF
the literary vampire. Skilfully Sand
PLAYS upon the mothers love, winning
in the end, and is off TO Italy with her
Fredo. in the coach which secretly she
has had waiting in the yard all even
irg. o.,
Italy is the second act, Venice, with
the old love Off and another on. Alfred,
soaked with absinthe, has been over
taken by delirium, and Sand, with her
Infinite hunger for love unsatisiied. ha,
fallen easily 10 the charms Of the
naive young Italian physician. This
IL the DR.. Pagello of the biographies
the simple man who was carried off his
feet and 70 Paris by the irresistible
lady, and then dropped there for
Chopin. The dropping is an ingen Gus
ut of Mr.. Moeller's invention, accom-
plished by the Intervention of lifted
Italian mistress. Pagello goes back
plournfully to Italy, and Sand-ready
again 10 die for want Of love-thrlls
10 the strains of Chopin, wins him BY
her charm and violent lovemaking and
carts him of TO her house from re
ception at the Baron de Rothschild's.
Heine and Buloz and List and, in
time, de Musset play a kind OF chorus
to all these happenings, but OF all o.
them the part of the German poet IS
the most important Mr.. Moeller has
made him mtre wit than poet. the kind
of poet Mr.. George Jean Nathan might
be, perhaps, if he were poet, hiding
his sardonic humor under lilies and
languors. Ferdinand Gottschalk as
Heine is the only one who seems to
have understood the meaning OF Mr..
Moellers text. Several interesting mo-
ments the text discloses were lost at
the first performance through lack OF
understanding by Others in the cast.
Jose Ruben is Disappointing de MUS
set too heavy when he should be deli
cate, without inspiration or delcacy
when his part calls for lightness. John
Davidson is handsome PageIlo' Dut
scarcely the naive and simple gentIe-
man the part calls for. Alfred cross
is a quite satisfying Chopin, giving the
part the tenderness and dreaminess IL
ought to have.
The settings are by Rolio Peters;
They are interesting, both IN color ana
the preoccupation with panels that
marks the new scenery is becoming