The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-02-05

seemed DISK and abrupt that he apo
peared the best actor of the lot. He
was the man the audience had been
waiting for. He may have been just
as much Of brute as the descrip-
tions made him out. Yet he was
also a deceived husband, and the
spectators knew it better than he did.
Had the audience not witnessed the
prologue in Damascus?
The spectators had seen the rather
insistent wife and the more or less
uneasy lover on the silk cushions in
the East. They had also seen her
seek him out when he was popular
young clergyman and she still low
ing woman who happened to be in
the neighborhood because she was
there to meet her husband. No won
der his arrival in the play gave its
second act some dramatic quality.
Any lecturer on stage technic in the
numerous universities which now in
clude this department in their courses
could easily explain that the specta,
tors, knowing fully the guilt of the
two, were keen to see what the hus-
band was going to do about it. No
wonder the lethargic first nighters
sat up when he entered the drawing
room Of the seaside hotel.
Plays Vitality Wancs.
But the vitality Of the play did not
continue after that act. Plainly the
taste of New York was not repre-
scented in what followed that scene,
which was based on such obviously
sound workmanship that its effect
was not to be avoided. In the group
Of figures on the stage during the
second act the husband was the man
who knew nothing. The other actors
were aware of their secret. So were
the spectators. Instantly the concen-
tration Of the listeners ON the man
who does not know makes him the
engrossing figure in the action.
Watch for a similar situation in q
play and see how the actor who does
not know takes first place in the in.
terest. He must be uncommonly in
adequate not to dominate the stage.
Even IL it were not London, there
was in the Hudson Theater on Mon
day something of the same ominous
atmosphere that prevailed in tile Gar
rick Theater on a. certain first night
not SO many years ago. ii. v. Es-
mond had come over to show New
York his farce, ELIZA Comes to Stay"
which had been notably enduring
success OF the London stage. Ameri-
can managers had bid for the play
what were then unprecedented figures.
winthrop Ames is said to have made
a fiat offer of $4,000. Eva Moore, the
authors wife, who had been for years
London favorite, played the part of
q sixteen-year-old girl. ELIZA Comes
to Stay" was on view only long
enough to enable the author to pre-
pare substitute for this London tri-
umph.
The international Successes.
Arthur Hopkins had such confidence
in the vitality of 1.-THE Deluge' that he
has brought Henning Berger's play
back to the Plymouth Theater and
again produced it with all the care he
bestowed on it's original production
five years ago. Were Its last division
so absorbing as the first two acts there
could be no doubt of it's success. The
reaction of the group of small town
folk to the terror caused by the cloud
burst and the abundant supply Of
alcohol while they are confined In the
saloon is not only natural but accom-
plished with a certain degree/of hui
NOR.
The final act, with its sunshine and
return to original emotions. may be to
many u disappointment that brings
with II a sense OF trickery. More than
one spectator feels that he has been
had" by the effort to make him be-
lieve that dire tragedy was impend-
ing when there was really nothing
worse than a rainstorm. The third act
Of "The Deluge" seems entirely rea-
sonable. There could be no other So
luton to the authors problem. 1t Is
nevertheless true that this last act is
undeniably anti-climax.
Mr.. Hopkins alone persists in his
effort to put before the New York
public the international successes.
Berger's play has made the rounds Of
the European capitals. Rome and
Naples, Paris and Vienna, Berlin and
Moscow have enjoyed the drama. Yet
New York on it's first hearing rejected
the play. Was it any more cordial to
Gorky's might Refuge which Mr..
Hopkins has also tried to make our
public accept as theatergoers in the
Continental capitals have enjoyed one
of the Russian masterpieces of the
cay? The manager who tries to put
our American audiences in key with
those OF Europe. must be patient. 1t
Is TO be hoped at all events that Mr..