The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-20

which we can do now since there are no
longer any restrictions said Reinhardt.
so far as concerns the theatres In
Berlin and other large cities In Ger
many, they were remarkably successful
during the war, both from q financial as
well as artistic viewpoint" said Rein
hardt.
The war has shown that the theatre
Is not merely a place Of amusement or
diversion nor luxury for the upper
class but a necessary mental stimulus
and educative factor for the lower and
middle classes as we'll. Night after
night they have been flled. The people
stood in line for chance to buy tickets
like lines before the food distribution
places. 1t demonstrated that the people
regarded the theatres as n necessity"
Shakespeare, said Reinhardt, drew
heavily during the entire war land still
continues TO draw" The attempt TO
use the stage to stir up war enthusiasm
in the people failed utterly after the
first months
I'VE tried patriotic war plays such
as 'Feste Druff Con the line Of Alta
Boy). but such pieces did not strike
popular chord" declared the German
producer. Neither did farces satisfy
the peoples craving. Plays of serious
thought drew best. Our people were
deeply earnest"
That there is a strong anti-militaris-
tic sentiment running in Germany at
the present time, at least in Berlin.
would seem to be deducible from the
manner in which And the Light Shines
in the Darkness" by Tolstoy. is draw
ing overflow houses night after night.
Reinhardt Is giving it at his Deutsche
Theatre. He suggested that l see 1t.
l did.
TOIstoy Play Is Popular.
1t is a powerfully intense drama rep
rescnting the extremely pacifistic, COM
munistic views Of Tolstoy. 1t Is. in fact.
pacifstic Bolshevisn, strongly anti-capi-
talistic and above all anti militaristic.
The scene in which the Conscientious
Obiector refuses to take either the mill
tary oath or don the uniform and pre-
fers going back to the madhouse In
which he has been incarcerated holds
the big audience spellbound. In many
respects this play is stronger than Toll
sto6y's Living Corpse" played by John
barrymore in New York under the title
of Redemption"
The war has not llindered Reinhardt
from carrying out his plan OF building
the largest theatre in Europe. 1t Is on
the line of the ancient classic theatres
Of Greece and Rome For this purpose
he acquired and rebuilt the old Schuman
Circus Building. In this new theatre
he has put into effect his ideas long
held. that the theatres must return to
the ancient classic form.
1t Is amphitheatre- like IN shape. The
stage projects out into the audience.
That is, what in present day theatres
Is the parquet Is a part of the stage
In Reinhardt's new Crosses Schauspiel-
~ avn meta
of viewing the scene as a more or less
fat picture, as II you were looking
through a box, the new Reinhardt stage
is seen from all sides except from the
rear. not unlike the ring of a circus.
The stage itself. as 1t Is known to-day,
becomes largely the Decorative back
ground" as Reinhardt explained it.
Features of New Playhouse.
at emancipates the players from the
scenery and decorations" he said at
focuses the whole attention Of the
audience upon the players. upon their
words and upon their actions. II carries
the audience sions with the players and
tends to comp.i a mental participation.
Such a stage emphasizes the word and
action In fact 1t brings the word or
the lines to their own again as they
were In the oden days.
at may not be SO easy at first for the
mentally lazy. but II Is more realistic
because ii calls for All exercise of thought
and imagination on the part Of the
audience. and believe will appeal more
to the mind than where the art of the
players is largely offset by too lavish
scenery and decoration. Scenery and
decorations have about reached the eX-
trene limit in ornateness and in dis
tracing fes lures"
Reinhardt promises himself much
from this new departure in theatres and
| staging. He also is building similar
theatre-a Festspielhaus--in the gardens
of the one time Kaiserschloss or En-
peror Castle in Hellbrun near Salzburg
| In Austria. 1t is TO be a sort of "dra-
matte Bayreuth." but operas will be given
also. There will be a summer season of
about six weeks.
Reinhardt. who, by the way. is not a
German, but an Austrian by birth, and
an Austrian citizen. hopes to visit New
J York and introduce his ideas in stage
and staging there. But. he said he would
| not go until he was welcome there. He
Expressed the belief that as a result OF
Germany and Austria now being VERY
poor" and having been made very small
again. there would he a greater impetus
| again In the direction OF intellectual
achievements. and that the German and
| Austrian stage undoubtedly would be
| one OF the expressions OF this thought
and force.