New-York tribune., 1921-04-24
By Haywood Broun
IRON the point of view of the dra

matte critic there is something
~ terrifying about a supremely
great achievement in the theater.
"Liliom" has the effect of plunging us
into awed silence. Coming late in the
season, Franz Molnar's play finds us
with most OF our adjectives spent and
those still in our pocket are we'll worn.
We wish we could call them all back
and others newer and more worthy of
this dazzling production. When a play
wright builds finely there is not much
left for the critic to say. 1t is quite
useless for US to explain that Molnar
means this or that. when the retelline
would only serve to smudge something
which has been said with perfect clar-
sity and eloauepce.
We don't happen to believe that all
the psychology of the play is quite
true. Liliom's mad rapture over the
fact that he is about to become a father
did not convince US, and we felt that
there was something ludicrous, and
ludicrous without intent, in the mo-
ment when Liliora lay down on the
sofa little after hearing the news
and Julie covered him with a blanket.
Poor fellow, he knew that he must
conserve his strength, for he was soon
10 become father! No, we did not
believe that there was any great amount
Of close observation in the writing of
this important scene, but everything
is right except the premise. In fact,
the scene is so superbly written and
so deftly played that we found it i'm
possible to keep remembering that we
didn't believe it.
As for the doings in heaven, we con-
firm all Mr.. Molnar's observations.
Heaven is precisely, as he has pictured
it. Lee Simonson also seems to know
mis- way about in, this kingdom to come,
and his scene of the heavenly court
room is correct in every respect.
We wish we knew some words about
scenery SO that we could discuss the
scenery Of Simonson in some detail.
We know scenery only as beautiful,
fine, gorgeous, interesting, suitable and
magnificent. The sets of Simonson are
all that, but we don't know that this
gives any adequate idea of his meth
DDS and the results he has achieved.
Still, the whole purpose of this article
IS to attempt to convey the impression
that 1t is quite impossible to catch any
thing really vital out of "Liliom" in
newspaper type. This is distinctly a
PRODUCTION with its roots deep into the
stage. You will know nothing of it
unless you see it.
1t is perhaps interesting to note,
aowever, that Simonson has been able
70 convey an impression of strength
and beauty as we'll. Jones, you may
remember, did that in the great tower
around which Richard III" was built, but
much of the beauty which is expressed
IN new scenery is thin. 1t satisfies the
eye but you feel that some place with
IN the set there ought to be large
sign with the command "Do not touch"
Notnlng like that is needed in the
scene showing the railroad culvert. We
would have been satisfied to see an ex-
press train come across that bridge.
'or moment We almost feared that
'ne would. With the aid of the con-
''ese dome the effect of great distance
was introduced into the picture. When
''nom looked down the tracks and
marveled that they went all the way
20 vienna and beyond, mood was es-
.ao'ished in an instant which O'Neill
hardly did better in the entire three
"'.s OF Beyond the Horizon"
"e can remember no dramatic sus-
pense more poignant than that built up
Nn''e Liliom and the Sparrow gambled
~ S'nst-et-un while waiting to rob
s"e paymaster from the factory. Never
ass anything seemed more poignantly
s'c Than the manner in which Liliom
ssmOled away the money he was to
sa'n BY robbing the treasurer. We
s,.. S'.e moved nightly to pray that the
Yum might hurry so that Liliom
Ssa'o not rob him for nothing. Then
Nv. sa The hold-up failed there was a
s.s and gorgeous moment of motion
'A''0m spssng to the top Of the