The New York herald., 1921-02-02
IceIandic Tragedy
Tells a Sombre
Story of the North
.Eyvind of the Hills by Late
Johann SigurjOnsson,
Produced.

The Greenwich Village Theatre was
the scene yesterday afternoon or the tlrst
production here of "Eyvind OF the HIS,
by Johann Sigurjonsson, young Ice
landic playwright who died two years
ago This is one of two plays he had
written Both had passed over the IRON
tiers of their native land to command
respect for the dramistist on the Conti-
nent. 'Eyvind of the Hills" which was
translated into English by H. X.
schanche.. is a tragedy. Naturally the
whole mood of the play is colored with
northern sombreness and gloom. Yet its
second half. in which the feeling is al
most always black with tragedy, is the
most characteristic and interesting OF
the four acts.
The exposition. which proceeds with
almost fatiguing deliberation. introduces
the audience to the widowed chatelaine
Of a northern rancn. she administers
her affairs prosperously with the assist
ance OF young steward who was pro-
NOTED to his important place few
months after he had wandered into her
home. Her husbands brother plans to
marry her that their property may be
united He brings news that her stew
ard Is a thief escaped from the prison
to which he had been sent for ten years.
But she will not heed the offer of
marriage. She loves the steward SO
with him she ultimately flees into the
solitude of the hills. Here for several
years their lives are passed, now In
/ flight from this person, now from that
pursuer Their two children are born
and In the hills both are sacrificed TO
! their wandering life. 1t Is the woman's s
| brother-in-law who seeks them out once,
only to die for his pains.
Their only companion after a while
leaves them Still alone, they wait in
the solitude the end OF the term of years
which shall expiate their crime. Ulti-
mately their association with one an
other, shut out from the rest of the
world. becomes even too bitter for them
! SO each seeks death rather than a life
prolonged only in the society of one an
other.
Conroy and Meltzer, who are respon-
sible for the performance of the play,
have made an ambitious attempt to do
| justice to the Icelandic author. The pro-
lixity of it's opening scenes is difficult
to bear, but there is undeniable inter-
est in the psychology of the passages
between the two lonely souls banished
! from the world with only their love TO
keep them alive through so many years
to come. AS an occasional exotic the
Icelandic drama might prove acceptable
in the years repertoire. although IT
scarcely seems likely to shoot its roots
7 deep into our dramatic soil.
| Miss Margaret Wycherly showed that
! her naturalness of method may we'll be
combined with the expression of such
| deep emotions as fell to the heroine,
who ran almost the gamut of passions
| during the play. Her performance was
admirably human and wonnnly. The
uncouth and spasmodic speech of Ar
| thur Hohl suited him to the role of the
shepherd Byron Beasly as the brother
/ in-law and +. q. Robinson as the faith
/ full friend who Followed the two lovers
| into the hills provided striking con-
/ trasts In the manner of acting. Mr.
/ Robinson speaks In an unchanging mo-
notony Of tone. that his facial express
sion may tell all the story, while Mr.
/ Beasly believes in using all the faculties
IN acting. Livingston Platt designed
some effective scenes for the play