South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-23
rtStringS
Played Upon by
Music Master

JOY and sorrow, hUmor and
pathos. a smile. a tear-how close
together lie these seeming opposites.
after all. David Warfeld returned TO
South Bend last night. returned as
Anton Won Barwig. The Music
Master" In his def Wardeldian way
he took hold OF the hesrtstrings OF
his audience. and (to risk a bit OF
sentimentality) ne drew them taut
and played upon them as on a violin. /
Whatever his achievements may
be in other lines, no other actor is
quite the master Of smiles and tears
that Warfeld is. since THE Music
Master" az least. and perhaps since
The AUstioEeer, that first of War
fields starring pieces. no valid claim
has risen TO dispute his title.
The Oliver was packed. Of course. /
as on the occasion OF his previous
visits here. and il was demonstra-
tive 20 the point Of insisting. with all
the power at its command in the
way Of applause. upon curtain
speech, but the star, with charac-
teristic good taste. declined TO spoil
the illusion by stepping out of his
role, and graciously acknowledged
the ovation with bows
Three Contribute.
Professors Of dramaturgics and
learned critics have picked flaws in
The Music Master as a play. and
as a play il may not conform TO
rule. But that is a reflection on
neither Mr. Warfe1d. Mr. Klein. /
who wrote the play nor upon David
BelascO, who presents the produc-
ton Each contributes in a notable
degree 10 an evening Of thorough
enjoyment. Wardeld is Anton Won
Barwig-and IL is enough. Whether
the actions and reactions 10 which
Mr. Klein's play subjects him are
assembled according to the rules Of
the craft detracts no whit from that
character as Warfeld plays it.
Won Barwig will go down as this
players favOrite role with the pub
lie. perhaps. The universally of its
appeal is apparent Simple and re-
pressed IN all save one climactic |
scene, a scene which repression |
would ruin. the Characterization of !
the musician who dedicated his life |
10 finding the loved ones lost through !
his devotion to his art. is one well !
calculated 10 hold its now firmly en- /
trenched place in the hearts OF play |
goers.
Belasco has provided. Of course, /
competent cast of co-players. Dom /
mating though the star is in every |
scene. his very excellence would re
veal deficiencies Of less competent |
players than those In the cast last
night. Jane Cooper. the Helen Stan !
ton OF this company is altogether |
satisfying In presence and in acting. !
Difficult character parts, those Of |
the three musicians. Won Barwis's /
associates. are well taken by Auguste /
Aramine. Francis Gaillard and Ed |
ward Moller. Charles Mason was /
equal 10 the role of Stanton. and |
played IL with convincing force. |
Marie Bates accomplished = spinster |
role with refreshing humor
T. Greatest Actor.
Warheld has been many times |
called the greatest actor in America |
and he would be a carping critic, in |
deed, who would so.i2 say him that /
honor after witnessing his perform |
ance of The Music Master. the |
greatest success of his career. War |
fields repertoire is limited and il is
a further tribute 10 his extraordinary |
talents that none OF the plays in |
which he has starred are, technical /
~ considered, great, or even good
plays. The AuCtioneer'' in which
he scored his first big triumph and
in which he was last seen in South
Bend is among the poorest of his
repertoire as a play-in other hands
bUt his il would be mushy senti-
mentality of the "stagiest" sort. Yet
the character OF Simon Levi stands
out i'm memory. poignantly human.
And so IL IS with Anton Won Bar
wig. Sentiment of the gentler sort
lies very close to the surface in The
Music Master. sentiment which
could easily become maudln in its
presentation. but which, in the ar
tistic simplicity and naturaluess Of
Warheld's acting assumes a native
quality. It is difficult TO separate the
actor from the role TO disassociate
the character from the man.
BY one supreme test can this star
we'll afford TO allow his work TO be
Judged. the test which disregards
technical details and goes direct 10
the fundamental. that acting is life
and ne is a great actor who presents
real and pulsing life. whose mas
terry of illusion. 20 indulge in a para
doN. puts illusion 20 rout: before
whose art the spectator is moved
10 eXclaim. not What and artist"
f,.. -,tHar ttTTara H. "a MON