New-York tribune., 1922-12-31
No Need to Learn
Russian TO See the
Moscow Art Players

The task Of unlocking the enjoy
ment Of witnessing a play in 4 foreign
language has been faced with charae-
teristie daring and ingenuity By Morris
Gest, under whose direction the Mos
COW Art Theatre begins its engagement
in New York at Jolson's Theater Mon
day, January s. Needless to say, all Of
the plays in the broad repertoire ofthis
famous theater will be given in Rus
sian. The problem Of making them not
only comprehensive but irresistibly
compelling 70 an audience TO whom
Russian is the most foreign Of all for
eign languages might have overawed
any manager
Just what Nr. Gest has planned and
carried out TO overcome this apparently
nsuperablc obstacle makes q story fss-
cinHting in itself. That story is told
here for the first time. This same
problem, only in FAR simpler form.
faced Mr.. Gest when he brought
Bslief's ChsuYe-Souris to America a
year ago. The Chauvc-Souris, too. has
been given in Russian. Not one in
twenty Of rs far-hung and numerous
patrons has understood word Of this
difficult tongue, but that has been no
barrier. True, Balieffs own running
remarks on his entertainment, delivered
in mangled but delightfully."- humor-
Gus English. have served to make es-
sential points clear. For the rest, pro-
gram notes. translations Of some Of
The songs, and frank dependence on
the pictorial and pantomimic features
Of the entertainment, which know no
limitations Of language, have served to
interpret the matter and the manner
OF the Chauve -Souris.
On the contrary, the Moscow Art
Theater will have no confereneier, no
BalieG, few first aids in the way Of
song and dance. The appeal to the eye
through costumes and scenery will be
as strong as that Of the Chauye- -Souris
and there will be the appeal Of the
pantomime.
/ But Mr. Gest was not satisfied with
these natural advantages. He wished
TO make sure, and doubly sure, that not
only the larger details Of the stories
Of the plays which Stanislavsky and
his artists will give would register
with their audiences, but also all the
finer and more elusive details OF song,
situation and character. As long ago
as last April when he first began ne
gotiations TO bring the Moscow Art
TheAter TO New York, Mr.. Gest laid
out In his mind his plan Of action. As
soon as he knew what plays would be
included in the New York repertoire
he aseertsined the fact that one OF
them had never before been trans.
lated into English and that the rest
existed only in inferior translasions.
SO he engaged Miss Jenny Covan
who had had experience in this field
70 make entirely new translstions Of
all the plays. These translations, un.
der the editorial supervision Of Oliver
NJ. SaylOr, he had published in handy
Eoeket form FOR the use Of prospec.
tive spectators, after the manner Of
librettos az the opera. In order (,
make sure that every one would be pro.
vided with these translations, no mat
ter what their circumstances, he ha,
placed them on sale at zoe a copy
which is less than the actual cost o.
preparation, printing and publication
Realizing that not every one woult
have the time 20 read these Eransla
tons in advance, Mr.. Cest Is havlnl
prepared FOR the regular theater pro
gram an unusually detailed but ex
tremely simple and clarifying synopsis
o. each play. scene by scene. Thli
synopsis will first Of all identify eaei
Of the characters. and then will follov
them through each act in their various
groupings as the story Of the play un
foids. When these various interpret
i've means sre taken into confederation
and when II Is remembered that ever,
Newspaper will carry its own inter
probation md synopsis. there will be ns
occasion for any spectator 10 com.
plain that Russian was not included n
bis high school or college curriculum