New-York tribune., 1918-03-12
By Haywood Broom


Alter thirtythree years "The Wild
LUCK was presented for it's first Eng
iiSn performance in New York at the
plymouth Theatre last night. It is
curious that this particular play of
lbsen's should have waited so long fc1
production here. Dramatically, it
Is among the most interesting of Ib-
sens plays. Philosophically, it marks
period of hesitation and doubt in the
mind OF the poet. In it he questions
ms own teachings and says to hinfv
self, "Now, what are you getting at
anyway, hey?"
Unless the commentator allows him
SELF to get tangled up in the symbolism
of The Wild Duck" he can make out an
explanation for the play without much
difficulty. Indeed, he can make several
This fact will undoubtedly work for
popularity, and another is that seldom
mas lDsen given quite as much scope
to the comic spirit. Much of it is bit
ter, but you can and will laugh just
the same. The audience did last night.
iuli OF hrst nighters roaring their de-
light at the quips of the shaggy mar
from up there. l never saw that be-
fore.
Arthur Hopkins has made an excel
lent production and Nazimova appeared d
to advantage, although this is not
quite her play. It belongs rather
to Lionel Atwill. However, the oppor-
tunltles for the star are sufficient to
make Hedvig one Of the perform
ances which will rank with her best.
She will do even better little later
when she loses interest in the novelty
of tossing her hair back from her eyes
at each curtain call, for all the world
Ike Harry Pilcer in a dancing frenzy.
The cast is good throughout. and I
would find no fault with anybody except
harry Mestayer. His is a good per
formance at that, but think he is
Just shade off the key at an i'm
portant moment. "The Wild Duck" as
all playgoers know, perhaps, is the
story Of the tragedy created in a home
which is we'll enough by an uncom-
promising idealist who insists that
everybody shall step up and tell the
truth: This, he thinks, is the only
foundation upon which happiness can
be attained. "The Wild Duck" is q
prophetic preachment against the Boil
sTeviki and all men who try to solve
every problem with g. single formula
and insist that if life doesn't fit their
formula it must be changed within
twenty-four hours. 1t is probable also
that Ibsen foresaw Billy Sunday, since
that, after all, reformation is an in
tenscly personal thing. Salvation must
come from inside a man. 1t may not
be pinned on by anybody else.
Ibsen has two men Of his very own
il. the play. One is Dr.. Relling, who
says, "Rob the average man Of his
life-illusion and you rob him of his
happiness at the same stroke" The
playwright feared that this was true
but the theory was so distasteful to
him that he reserved another charac-
to Relling, "If you are right and I am
wrong, then life is not worth living"
Such a conflict is inevitable. Per-
haps that is the reason why some pco-
pie think Lenine is a villain and others
call him a hero We hasten to add
that as far as Lcnine goes we side with
the former party. Gregers Werle is the
man who says that if life must be built
on illusion it is not worth living, and
it is chiefly in this speech that | found
Harry Mestayer not quite to my liking.
It. is true that the whole course of
events has gone against Gregers, but
the actor should make it evident that
he is in nowise shaken. He will not
be beaten. If life isn't what he
thought it was he will not admit that
he is wrong. On the contrary, he will
say that life is wrong and let it go at
that. Gregers in the last minutes of
the play then should be, to my mind,
almost triumphant. Mestaycr, |
thought, allowed just shade of apol-
ogy to creep into his voice. haven't
any doubt that Ibsen liked Gregers,
even if he allowed him to be smashed
to bits by circumstances. He is the
protagonist of the play. His idealism
may be mudde-hcadcd and I'll that, but
it is thoroughgoing. He has CUTS. He
is an idealist not because he likes it
but because he can't help it. Upon him
had come the itch Of the eternal hair
shirt
There is another idealst in the play
whom Ibsen undoubtedly detested
heartily, although he gave him all the
funny speeches. This is Hialmar Ekdal,
who is an idealst because he likes the
fun Of it and is prepared to quit when
ever it becomes arduous. Lionel Atwll
was exceedingly clever in the part He
played it with fine strokes and broad
1t is probable that the playwright in
tended the actor to approach farce at
some points. The play seems to be
written in that manner. One Of the
most amazing scenes in the drama is
achieved IN this fashion. At the very
end we have farce before our eyes,
while we know that just behind door
tragedy is waiting. We see the ideal
ism and folderol Of Ekdal melt before
butter and hot coffee, and all the while
we are waiting for the shot which viii
tell US that Hcdvig has killed herself.
The effect is startling and smashing.
"Thc Wild Duck" deserves extended
comment and we feel at least couple
Of columns more about it, but Just now
there isn't room TO say anything except
that Nazimova brought out the pathos
Of Hcdvigs sacrifice poignantly, that
Edward Connolly did a careful and hu--
morous bit of work as Old Ekdal and
that Amy Vcness was a fine Gina, not
TO forget good performance by Lystcr