New-York tribune., 1919-04-15
Drama
Bonds of Interest" Given bv
Theatre Guild at the
Carrick
By Haywood Broun

me ilrst production OF the Theatre
Guild is Away agreeable and often
something much more stirring than
that. Jaclnto Benavente's play. "The
Bonds OF Interest" is a type Of dra-
matte entertainment rare to the Amer-
can stage. 1t may best be described
as a., poetic farce comedy. Not since
frunella' have we had such play.
from the beginning of the perform
ahce 1t was evident that all concerned
mad brought enthusiasm to the work
IN hand. In some cases this fervor
was translated into beautiful results
! III otner cases the results were not so
beautiful, unless one is disposed to ac-
ecept sincerity itself as treasure to
be cherished. Rollo Peters has put
ms hand to the scenery and costume s
ana made them exquisite. Perhaps
holhlng IN the performance is quite so
successful as the setting, but then not
more than one production in New
ork, or perhaps two, has ever brought
such beauty to the stage. Only the sets
OF ROBERT Jones in "The Jest" are to
De compared with those of Peters. and
any such exercise would be futile
since dlheront moods are in the max
ing
Inc Bonds of INTEREST," is fragile.
iast' romantic and little pcnsive 1t
is a dlhlcult play since it gives the
actor no sure scenes. There is never
chance for a player to set his teeth
INTO situation and worry it. Now
there ls no one in the company who
brings to the play a touch as light
ana as sure as Peters brought to the
painting of the scenery. But there is
one admIrable performance just the
same. Augustin Duncan, the Great
Ancestor of 'Tbc Rotrotb,l ois.,,o. 4
surprising versatility by playing Il
part OF the utmost sprightiness He
p,ayed 1t with amazing gusto and n
physlcal grace reminiscent Of other
Duncans. II would have been a perfect
performance but for an occasional fail
urc to change tho key in somc of the
longer scenes. 1t WAS always an en-
llvcn'ng and merry piece Of work and
quite the backbone Of the play We
ought not to forget that the mcrri-
ness OF the part was compromised with
an occasional note Of something not
so gay and this was splcnddly indi.
Gated by the player.
Henry Herbert as tho Doctor wa.
also exceptionally good and Dudley
Digges was an excellent Polichnclle
me rest of the company did not al
ways maintain the proper pace anC
spirit Of this ever so charming ane
ever so difficult play. There were
times when they were too conscious O.
the charm and others in which at leas
one or two beloved as if in melo
drama: Now, "The Bonds Of Interest,
tor all its prosy title, is an imagina
| tive skit about puppets who come tt
life and carry through spirited stor,
OF COME intrigue and true love- Tht
audience had fair warning that thes,
/ players were to be puppets and there
were at least two, who shall be name
less, whom we would nave yanked OF
the stage and put back into the bo,
when they began to belabor the ear:
OF the audience in a manner which i,
generally reserved for regular actors
1T is true that Crispn was not in
falDble IN his prologue speech He in
formed the audience that all the wires
would be visible, but at the end every
body realized that another thread ha(
been introduced to govern the puppet.
In their play. This was true love, and
OF course, it was quite invisible. Pun
pets, as everybody knows, have a habl
OF getting out of hand at times. "Pc
trouchka" is a case in point. for in
stance. The most careful puppetcer,
cannot avoid such accidents.
If anything in this review seem!
harsh 1t is criticism of things whicl
are not altogether vital, for the Theatr,
Guild production of THE Bonds of In
terest is IN its general effect a note
worthy production of a charming plav
John Garrett Cnderhlll's translation O
the Spanish text is one of the factors il
the success OF the entertainments