Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-11-10
BORCNY AND ROLF
AS DISCIPLES OF IBSEN

humanistic elements in the plays"
Nine. Hammer is widely read, "a
thoroughly cultured woman at home;
in the l~iteratures of several countries,
but 1t is easy to realize that the art
of Ibsen has become almost an artis-
tic obsession with her. She is, as it
were, fanatical in her championship
of the art of her great master.
you must be- she says, elf you want
to be in q position where YOU can re-
produce on Others the very impress
sions which the dramatist has left
upon you yourself" i
Nine. Hammer is a Norwegian; she
has been affiliated. with the leading
stages of her native country n had
gained many laurels there before she
was induced to go to the United
| States. Within almost incredibly
short time she mastered the English
language which she now uses in her
Ibsen Interpretation with probably
greater effect than any other foreign
America. There is a little and quaint
foreign accent in her English as she
| speaks it, but it only adds to the
fascination of this interesting actress.
Her Norwegian is said to represent
the highest type of the language as it is
spoken on the stage of her homo
country.
.tf "a w. ..t.B
Rolf Hammer. who takes a leading
part in the Ibsen plays presented by
Nine. Hammers company, has sue
cessfully made the rather difficult
transition from the concert stage to
the stage of the theater. For man.
| years he was among the highest
ranking singers in Norway. and when
the students singers union of Chris
tiania visited this country some
fourteen years CO., he accompanied
them as their %soloist., Prior to that
time he had studied medicine in
Sweden, had been an officer in the
Norwegian army, n had even, as he
himself says, "dabbled in journal
ISM
Twice since being here with the
student singers, Mr.. Hammer has
toured this country independently as
a concert singer, and a couple of years
ago he decided to try to see what he
could do with Ibsen on the stage.
\ X X n.
The lives Of. Nine. Hammer and
Rolf Hammer are examples of a de-
votion to certain exalted ideals-as
inspiring as it is rare-rare, now
have remained faithful to what be-
came early in life their great guiding
star. and they firmly believe that the
world is soon to witness an Ibsen
renaissance which will be of tre-
mendous Importance.
1bsen, in a way, has been just dis
covered, they think. And there is
something in that. His forks hav
long been parts Of the repertoire of
all the leading theaters in America
and Europe, but the popular under
standing of the problems which he
presents has not been commensurate
with the success of the dramas.
From every point of view: Tho
Hammer Interpretation of Ibsen will
be of considerable interest, be-
cause it is bound to be original-and,
most likely, refreshing and striking
in its originality. In this connection,
it is of some significance that the tour
now in progress is arranged under
the auspices of universities and col
leges-that is: 1t is really consider
ed in the light of al educational mis-
sion. Nine. Hammer and Rolf Ham
mer claim that while it is Easy
enough vto "see' an Ibsen play. it is
by no mean easy to understand it.