The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-10-29

SpcClOk correspondence 70 ih1 we" &VhA
HERALD
New York Herald E3ureau,l
Berlin, Oct. IA.
?" HREE producers of drama stand
out conspicuously on the Cont
L nent for originality of concep-
ton and for past achievement. Max
Reinhardt. Konstantin Stanislawsky
and the English master of stagecraft,
who made Stanislawsky known to the
outside world and is theQeader of them
all in originality of artistic concep-
tion-Gordon Craig. The war and Boil
shevism broke their contact with each
other, and in the case of the distin-
guished Russian producer and actor,
his relations with the outside world.
Stanislawsky was known before the
war for his brilliant interpretations OF
the classics, for his precise realism and
for his innovations in stage setting
and lighting. He was in the habit or
visiting the theaters of Europe each
summer before the war. of bringing
out the new Russian ideas and in
keeping the Russian theaters informed
about what was going on outside.
a decade has passed since then. Cor
don Craig has shifted his attention from
actors to puppets, and Reinhardt from
colossal lighting effects and moving
masses to religious mystical plays.
such as those in Salzburg. Between
Stanislawsky and the outside world has
been the Bolshevik barrier. In his years
OF exclusion from the outside world,
y; 10, x.t1 hAtt he a r
changed and what does he propose to
show European capitals and America
of his Moscow Art Theater on this first
tour since the war?
Is Stanislawsky was seen at his hotel. q
typically metropolitan railroad hotel In
the busiest part of Berlin. His daugh-
ter. Kira Constantinovka. accompanies
him with small baby. With the hustle
in the hotel the conservation on all sides
about the disastrous rise in prices, the
Moscow artists do not find the atmos-
they had expected.
Rarely does q personality fill a room
or theater as does that of Stanislaw-
sky. He towers In size above the small
er overcultivated Western Europeans
His size, however. is not oppressive be-
cause he keeps a gracious manner. even
during rehearsals, which makes contact
with him easy.
Geography and political barriers do
not change human nature" was Stan
islawslzy's impression after playing q
week here in Berlin. ''An actor must
make the same effort to reach his
audience and must meet much the same
problems in Russia before a working
class crowd as outside.
New Drama Needed.
Tho world Is on the eve of la new
form of drama The war the subse-
quent misery and new problems have
changed peoples way Of looking at life.
They find the old petty forms of society
drama and farce inadequate and want
something else. something real and
vitality connected with their problems of
existence"
Stanislawsky was then asked how it is
that plays such as those OF Ostrowsky
dealing with prosperous middle class
life. a state which has ceased 20 exist
in Russia, are so popular in working
circles. even in Bolshevik circles In Rus
STA. Does this indicate a secret yearn-
ing for return to the did order?
Although q possible factor, Stanis-
lawsky thought that the determinant
factor on the popularity of a play is its
$ human interest that the words and
gestures Of the actors ring true.
Workmen. who through their trade
unions have attended the Stanislawsky
theater. have become regular and ex-
acting theatergoers. according TO Stanis-
lawsxy. At first some of the workers
were i'll at case and showed 1t. but now
they are as discriminating as any other
part of the theatergoing public. They
like tho classics and want tragedy as
well as farces. The classics have and
will still continue 10 keep their popu-
larty according to Stanislawsky 1t is
with plays by Tchechow. Pushkin, Toll