New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-19
By Solita Solano

Largely through the efforts Of Nine.
ALA Nazimova, Mrs. Fiske and Mary
Shaw there is no such thing any more
as an Ibsenless season.
The American playgoer, having come
to understand that he must be tolerant
of the substitution Of cerebral activ-
ity for muscular, has begun to
lose his former avid taste for drama
that is fiabby and famboyant. In the
last decade many have even come to
prefer ideas to bullets, psychology to
cold steel between the ribs and q
glimpse of life to sentimentalized
motivatic
1t is sad than amusing to re-
call how sen was received in Eng
land twenty years or so ago. When
this master playwright had his first
hearings in London people cried out
that he was not only dangerous but
quite, quite mad as we'll, and demanded
to know what would become of the
ONE If women should see "A Dolls
House" and behave like Nora. Fearful
Britishers heard in their fevered
imaginations the sound of slammine
doors and the walls of deserted chill
dren. Nor did they stop at fear. A
verltable wave of rage and protest
rolled over the island and continued
| northward to where Ibsen sat WELD
ing an inexorahle non
Bernard Shaw, whose splendid
heresies were equally potent to har-
row the peace of mind of his country
men, sprang as at battle call to an
swer 1bsen's detractors, and for long
fought them as one man in the COL
umns of "The Saturday Evening Re-
view," of which paper he was the brill
liant and unrestrained dramatic critic
And despite Shaw's unceasing defence,
lbsen came in time to be tolerated.
The appellation Iconoclast" was heard
more and moro seldom.
Eight years ago when Mr.. Charring-
ten with "A Dolls House struck the
decisive blow for Ibsen-perhaps the
only one that has really got home in
England as yeti rejoiced in it and
watched the ruin and havoc it made
among the idols and temples of the
idealists," wrote Mr.. Shaw, who loves
his country best when he is chiding
her most severely.
"The flattering notion, still current
in the profession, that anybody can
clay Ibsen is hardly bearing the test
of experience" he adds.
Perhaps that is what woman. clear
ly a professional" meant one even
ing during the run of 1.-THE Wild Duck
at the Plymouth. While entering the
elevator of an apartment house after
an evening spent in seeing "The Wild
Duck" and wondering what the fuss
was all about, she said to her COM
panion, "Oh, what rotten play! If
had been playing Nazzymover's part
would have put the duck on the table
in a big glass bowl Of water with a
lot of little ducks. That would have
made hit with the audience, and they
could have. watched them swimming
around while the actors were talking"
Nazimova, about to finish her Ibsen
season at the Plymouth, played roles
OF quite different type when she first
took her place on the English speaking
stage. Her women wore sinking
gowns with high collars and long
sleeves. The cloth followed faithfully
eacn line of the figure and coiled
about the feet at every turn. Their
races were white with intensity; their
eyes burned with unquenchable de-
ssres; their mouths were blood red.
Looking upon handsome youths, they
cienched both teeth and hands. Some