The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-27
MARJORIE RAMBEAU
SEEN IN NEW PLAY
"Wherc Poppies Bloom"
Adapted From French, Pre-
scented at the Republic.
WARTIME MODES USED
Theme Woven Around a Spy,
Wife and a Lover Near
somms Front.

A. H Woods completed last night at
ture of his career rs n manager br pro-
duclng the last OF three new plays in q
week But for the Illness Of Marjorie
Rambeau this might have been accom-
plished earlier. Where Poppies Bloom
is an adaptation by r. NJ. McGrue OF
Henry Kistemaeker's play Known in
French as "A Night at the Front and
is thus the second war play brought
here from the French theatre. Like
Henry Rernstein's Elevation" this new
work is altogether n product OF French
thought and life. Just as Bernstein
could express himself on the subject of
the war only In the terms OF the tri-
angle so could Eis,emseker find no
other idiom in which to frame his In
SEPARATION Only as the war affects its
invariahle theatrical problem viii the
French stage for the present apparently
show any effect of the new conditions.
The Belgian playwright. who must for
all theatrical purposes be clsssed with
the dramatists of France. has dressed
his manikins in what the fashion an
nouncements call wartime modes. A
woman married to a German discovers
that he IL spy. Her lover French
officer, is loyal patriot Her struggles
IN this posture Of circumstances is the
theme OF Where Poppies Bloom" Kiste-
maeker, like the other French plsv-
wriglps Of the day. writes in straight
Zine. lie does not make a de"'ur TO this
side or that for the sake of comic in
ierest or any of the variety that Amer
ican audiences demand. He keeps only
his theme in mind. so one of Mr., Nc
C;rues tasks probably was to fatten up
the play until st was in accord with the
American ideal OF what II takes to make
a satisfactory evening at the theatre,
The three acts pass in the main hal OF
the Chateau of Sauliecourt, pictur-
esoue scene of ruin near the Somrne
front.
A Csrfcus BlcnA.
The result OF this collaboration be-
tween the original writer ana the Amcr-
lean adaptor was a singular combination
Of altogether infusihle ingredients. The
fret act opened with a scene between
soldiers Of different nationalities about
as illustrative OF the spirit Of such play
as a minstrel first part would have been.
Indeed, its comic structure was on such
lines Then there came scene that
was evidently the work OF the French
writer. In this way, long conversations
of a kind usually placed Electrically on
an imaginary sidewalk alternated with
scenes Of typical Gallo enotionalism.
Between bitter recrminatioTs from wife
to husband, there came 3ocose refer
ences to corn beef hash, early closing
at Jacks, the unfinished state OF the
subway and topics equally remote from
the spirit OF drama which was con-
fred to the Struggle OF a woman to de-
nounce a spy because he was the hus-
band OF her child.
OF course anything like hon1oceneity
from such elements was out of the cues
ton. The innate power of Matchmaker S
scenes was not Increased by such an
inconsruous contrast Nor did MIR. Nc
Grue's humor gain from any such juxta-
posItion. There WAS soon the suspicion
In the minds Of the audience that the
French original should have been played
as II was written or LETT alone.
Acting of the Drama.
VIII Deming. who acted the soldier
from New York. began one scene with
the heroine by asking her why in the
hell she did not say she could speak
F>nclish-was TO the surprise OF the au-
a ence the protaFonist of the play. He
spoke most Of the speeches heard in the
second act. Marjorie Rsmheau was not
hanry in the role OF the distrausht
wife.
Arart from her personal loneliness
she brought scarcely a serviceable trait
to its Interpretation. Nociferous decla
nation took the place of intensity and
OF distinction and suotlety there was
never a trace, Indeed the actress seemed
TO think she had reached the highest
point Of her achievement when she was
speaking at the top Of her voice and AT
a rate which made her words incom-
prehensible-
Pedro de Cordoba brought his uncom.
promising melancholy Of demeanor tu
the representation Of the lover, while
Lewis stones dignity added plausihility
to the role Of the spy, who OF course