New-York tribune., 1920-03-14
By Edwin H. Blanchard

by Edwin II. Blanchard
On March %, when Euripides
"Medea" is presented for the first matt
nee at the Garrick Theater by Maui
rice Browne. The New York public will
have an opportunity to witness anothe,
of the beg innings Of the repertory
theater. 1t is, of course, neither the
first production of ME- Browne nor the
first occasion on which his company
has appeared in "Medea," but it marks
nn important point in the career of
this man as a producer and in the life
Of his company.
1t was at the Garrick Theater be-
tween rehearsals of "Medea" that Mau-
'ice Browne told of what he has done
IN the past and of what he hopes to do
N the near future. A man in the
prtme of life, face mobile in emotion,
"a voice which nearly ten years in
America has pot won away from the
accent OF Cambridge, in his words
was the ring OF the sincerity that he
demands first of all as the quality of
those who would serve the modern
stage.
At the request Of the interviewer
Mr.. Browne went back into the past
and told Of S student days at Cam
bridge University. when he was count
ed one OF that group Of Georgian poets
aud when there came that deep interest
IN poetry that led, strangely enough,
40 the drama. But even in those
years, even before the university days,
said the producer, there had been the
10 iro IN Go, %l,o l.,
land he was without money or int1u-
ence, and in those days both were es-
sentials for one who would produce
SO the young Georgian poet came to be-
IN his own words, "a tramp on the
face Of the earth" But whatever
strange corners of the earth his rov ng
spirit led him to, his ever strong de-
sire to write sent him delving into
the theaters of every country that he
the hill country of India before the
natives; it MADE him a student of the
drama of all Europe.
Oddly enough, 1t was as lecturer
that Mr.. Browne first came to this
county, but his love for the stage was
as strong as ever, and his ambition
had been kindled by another circum-
stance. For with him came his wife,
Ellen Van Volkenbarg whom he had
met in Europe; like her husband, this
talented actress had cherished one
Mrs. Browne was to act, while that
of her husband was to write and pro-
4uce.
y could not produce without her."
sald Mr.. Browne, "and she could not
appear in the cast unless I was the
producer That will indicate how
much we depend upon each other; we
each brought to the other the needed
element"
He went on to tell of the years in
the United States, years during which
ment Of the modern stage. At the
Little Theater in Chicago they spent
nearly six years, six years of roper
tory work in which the best of the
modern drama was given to the Chi
cago public. When they left Chicago |
in 1917, it was to go on the road with |
their company to play Ibsen. This,
with a short time spent at the Uni
versity of Utah, brings them TO
seattle, where i'll the winter of 1919
there began the experiment which is
continuing in New York.
II was surprised at the support that
was given my efforts in Seattle" de-
Jared Mr. Browne: "The Northwest
aad been difficult territory for
theatrical companies; but in this com
'aratively small town they not only
the repertory company that
We had there all last winter, but they
AVE gone on to insure a much finer
hing. The town has been divided
nto sections, and enough subscrip-
ions have been secured to insure the
or next season. That will be our
SO to speak, from which we
sill come for two or three months
turing the summer to give the best
II what we have produced in Seattle
. New York audiences"
The plans which Mr.. Browne has for
he immediate future depend for their
rution upon the success OF "Medea."
''arenthetically it should be said that
here is a nearly unique figure con-
erned in the presence of this pro-
ucer in New York: an anonymous
acker. When Mr.. Brownies business
made arrangements through
he Theater Guild for Mr. Browne to {
ONE East this mysterious capitalist {
romised to furnish the funds neces- s
AIRY to carry out the full program of
ne producer, provided "Medea" broke s
ven incidentally when Mr.. Browne '
as asked of the boX-office possibilities
7 "Medea,'' he answered, with an
mused smile. that This old Greek play
al been, IN proportion to the num- .
or OF performances given, the most 5
rofltable which he has ever produced. ,
'or does it need to be given before
cademic audiences to succeed, he
dded, for its greatest success was be- ,
ore an audience in Laramie, Wyo..
iade up Of cowboys and Indians. :
ms TACT Is Significant" continued
lr Browne. Colbert Murray's trans .
alton, the one that we present makes
y this play drama and not a thing
l literature 1t has all the vitalitv :
I'D the primitive play OF emotion that :
vas given 1T by the hand of it's writer:
nus Is why it moved the Laramie
uolence. This is why it is a COM r
>Aa ~ R