The sun., 1918-10-04

Redemption" IN plaza Of the grewsome
RUSSIAN. name and also reduced the DIFF
Iuse drama TO ten scenes In its two acts
There are two English versions OF the
play In existence. Nra u. NJ. Bvarts
who translated tho Stag after the death
or the author frun ~ manuscript In the
possession OF his famsny, chung to the
Russian name. But the Maudes, who
made version Of the drama for London,
called II The Man Who Was Dead"
The Original Play.
Tolstoi finished the play at his coun-
try place In 1900. He had worked on Il
Ieisurely for n year. II was begun In
MOSCOW, resumed ut the home OF Mich
oias Tolstoi and acted first the follow
Ing year nj the Art Theatre in Moscow.
IL made It's way steadily but without any
sensational success over the Continental
stages. Thus II took seventeen years 10
veaoh the vernacular in this country.
Probably Mr.. Hopklns's production last
night was the first here In English. APP
pseheRsvely one awaits tho chiSp. Of a
western Stock company or maybe q
fresh water little theatre to the con-
trary.
Toistoi impatient Of the combining
rules OF any art, had no patience for
the conventions of the theatre even when
they drew but lightly about his theme
The result Is q panoramic succession OF
abort scenes that sprawl over an entire
theatre evening. Just as the scenes
| show the central figure the various
aspects OF his redemption to q higher
| life 30 do their gather about him numer.
Gus Incidental personages, who con.
tribute their share TO the significance Of
every episode, and then disappear.
SIX OF the scenes occupy the mrs
division OF the play and include various
private rooms restaurants. cabaret
| and in the second division there ar,
four, since Tolstoi on the stage require,
| scene for what the dramatist woult
explain IN single speech. t..
Scenes Devised with skin.
] All OF these scenes were devised with
the highest technical skill by Mr.. Hop
kins, and Robert Jones had selected dec
orations which were tasteful where the!
could be and everywhsrs expressive O.
the significance ofsiss scenes. Mr.. Hop
kins by means Of a special stage had de
creased to a minimum tho time required
| Tor these numerous changes. So far a,
the work Of the manager and his assist
ants was involved the event of the eve
ming was Q high credit to them.
4 AN.sScS was INV u oth-hPpolutru oOt
OF EnRui for nothing, and the attemp
TO act his play last night showed tina
he can be Just as tedious on the stag
as between the covers OF q book. Thi
story Of weak man who sinks To tn
depths to be raised again, Astounding Il
childish and obvious philosophy, drag
It's wearisone course along with tn
slowness Of wounded snake, but wit
none OF tise interest involved in observing
that progress.
The spectators, after enjoying the tech
meal triumphs OF Mr.. Hopkins, had onl
the acting Of Mr. Barrymore TO engros
them, His associates appeared In sue
disconnected incidents that none Of ther
was able to hold the interest unless
were Herbert bruce. WNo as an egotist
cal genius furnished ar that eniivene
the evening in the nature OF coined,
And there was little enough Of that i
what he had to do. Russ Whytal adde
some sanity to the proceedings by hi
portrayal of an aristocrat. There. wa
in the scene OF gypsy life an exceliet
effort at singing their songs. But litti
awaited to relieve the dulness Of III
play on which all these efforts were ea
tpepded,
John Barrymore's Acting.
John Barrymore drew well the sketc
of the weakling gradually failing undo
the effects Of disslpatiop until his regen
GRAFTON begins. II there was little or IA
heart in his performance II Is because
does not lie in the char actsr. He was
wonderful physical apparition through
out every scene, although. his invariabi
picturesqueness was soon exhausted o
the drabness of material to which it wa
applied. -
| One had rather the impressio
Throughout the evening of toe slowi
moving cinema. in which by chance IN
characters spoke. But there was littl
in what they said superior in literar
or any other quality to the much abuse
titles. Some of Mr.. Hopkins's peculiar
ties OF stage management were emphl
sized by the material on which the
were employed. Actors sitting Wit
! their hacks to the spectators are hevs
: easy 10 understood. They were no mo,
!. Ineligible last night. because they spoil
Russian names and evinced an exaspe
oung habit Of dropping into, French {
Y intervals. The effect OF iRcpH,prehens
bility was aided by the gloom of tt
stage in so many scenes. But the ne
manner may. after all. be best sdaptt