The New York herald., 1921-02-06

Inc taste OF the American IOr STU
pidity be 1t said, stops far this side
of the amount which the British pub
lie can happily assimilate. So mana
gers must be careful in importing
these products to see that there is not
too much of the flavor which Is so
much enjoyed at home and so little
likely to please over here.
Melodramn From French.
But about French molodrama? What
popularity makes 1t different from our
own? Certainly II Is not stupidity. The
French usually shun dulness. When It
exists in a French play it is usually
there as a substitute for some passages
which were not found suited to Ameri-
can standards Of morals. "In the Night
Watch" which the Shuberts have so law
ishly produced at the Century Theatre. Is
mot In it's first estate French melodrama.
1t has been gorgeously extended sceni-
cally to At into the large frame Of the
Century Theatre. but Its emotional pro-
portions are limited.
Unlike the average British melodrama
which is usually put before the public In
this way the action OF this play by
Farrere and Nepoty Is rather brief. OBJ
viousy the long and technical examina-
tion OF the captain in the last act is put
there to lengthen out the play to the re-
quired hour. 1t could not come to an
end before IL, and 1t was only a few
minutes after that hour that the curtain
actually did fall. But there had been
none of the British stupidity. none of the
comic relief alternating with the serious
interest of the story like stripes of fat
and lean in the bacon. The action OF
I'm the Night Watch" Is concentrated
and intense.
1t is not in the least nelodrama in
the sense of the plays that come here
from Drury Lane, and the public should
for that reason be grateful. Indeed the
piece is more in the vein of the French
emotional drama OF the early sos. The
historic French melodrama that dates
from dEnnery is the most famous In the
world. Such masterpiece as TIE Two
Orphans" has never been cguaIled in
any other European theatre vt that
drama, long and complicated as it's in
terests were. did not In the least depend
on the manner in which II was present.
ed. 1t was, Of course. desirable to have
the actors efficient. although in a play
OF such perfection even that was not
necessary. Tn the Night Watch" Is not
in the least In Its school Would that
IL were! But II Is not TO be confused
with the heavy footed. slow moving and
more or less dull English melodrama
that comes to us from London.
when IL the Ending Happyf
Two Of the plays seen last ended in
tragedy. The heroine Of "Diff'rent." who
had In her middle years taken to paint
and powder hair dye and the tricks and
manners. as Miss Jenny Wren would
put IT, of the vampire. followed the ex-
ample OF the man who had loved her
so faithfully and hung herself in the
barn. The heroine OF 'rEyvnd of the
Hills" died OF her OVID voltion In the
SHOWS Of Iceland. Was either n happy
ending? Could an ending be happy that
was so black with tragedy?
The fate Of Eugene O'Neills heroine
was. In the former acceptance of the
word. happy ending. There was moth
ing else In the world for this woman
70 do but die. No other climax could
have excused the life the audience had
Witnessed during the second act II was
something more than pitiful Tragedy
ennopled such woman. There had
pseh IN the opening scenes which show
co ner determined but nevertheless
rather attractive Ririhood. something 10
win Tor her the interest of the specta-
TORS. She seemed more or less OF A
1901 In her refusal TO marry a man
suiity or no more than a rumored in
uIscreuon' When her physical aberra-
lions mad, however. become SO power
ful as to affect her whole course OF
epnduct. she was moye lamentabIe. There
was nothing but death to excuse her.
SO the outcome was happy even II II
took place at the end OF a rome he.
cause 1t agreed with the feelings OF the
audience. But the heroine of the new
Icelandic play did not by any such
standard meet a happy end Tt was
constantly the hope of the audience that
she might be saved. Could there be no
happiness as reward for the unseifsh
fove which even sacrificed itself SO FAR