New-York tribune., 1922-10-01
Sans Bullfghters
And Castanets lis
QuinterosMaIvaloca

Iheatergoers may find elements of
surprise in the Equity Players pro-
duction Of "Malvaloca," coming to the
Forty-eighth Street Theater tomorrow
evening, for there isn't bull fighter
dancing girl or a castanet in the
piece.
The Spain of Carmen, the Spain of
quick-tempered gallants, impossibly
romantic senoritas, of knives and tam
bourines--the tourist spain--here gives
way to the real Spain. Your stage
Spaniard' like your stage Englishman
with his "Don't- -cher-know," is due for
the discard
The point is that there has been a
"new movement" in the drama of
Spain, as there has been in other lands.
The dramatists there have revolted not
only against the bombastc dramas of
their forefathers, but against what
they term the picturesque lying"
of writers from other countries who
have spent week end in Madrid
or Seville, have seen the sights
laid out for tourists and go away
to record their romantic impressions
FOR eager and movie-minded audi
ences. Playwrights like Benavente
and the Quinteros have consciously set
out TO offset this false picture by re-
cordng the true life and atmosphere of
the country. Happily their plays are
no longer strangers to the American
stage.
Sunshine - yes. "Malvaloca" is
bathed in sunshine. And romance. too.
Not the old studied and bombastic ro-
nance, the melodramas, the sentimen-
tai heroics and surface glamour of
other days, but perfectly natural bent
toward pretty love stories, mixed
laughter and tears and the full color
and flavor of life, born of the national
way Of living and thinking.
In such a setting, of course the new
theater movement has not taken on the
gray angle that is so striking feature
OF modern drama in more Northern
countries - Russia, Scandinavia and
Germany. Being honest and sincere
has rot meant to the writer's of "Mal
valoca" and "a Sunny Morning" or to
the writer Of "Bonds Of Interest" that
they must be severe, chill and tragic
They do not invite their audiences into
the dissecting room or hale them be-
fore the pulpit or the bench.
"Malvaloca" is perhaps the best
example of this new drama Of Spain. in
that it is honest and atmospheric ana
based on actual living, and yet gets
nowhere as solution of the problems
OF the world. 1t is content to be enter
tanning, colorful and, at the high
points, dramatically moving. It tells
the double story of broken bell and
It's mending. and of woman whose
past has been. both pleasurable and
questionable until she faces the fires
OF real love. The authors found their
idea in the lines of an old song:
~, Ws slstie girl OF whom I tell
'heulo pe recast. like broken belt
1t would be fine tragic theme for
an lbsen or Hauptmann or a Gals |
worthy, and opportunity for triangular
humor for many French playwright.
But the Spanish Quintero brothers
wrote 1t Enthusiastically, straightfor-
wardly, full of sunshine, regrets and
tendernesses, and in the end avoiding
tragedy.
The Equity production will be color !,
iui' as Woodman Thompson is design |
ing the settings and costumes. He will
do all Equity's plays this season. and |
these Spanish settings are in the vein
IN which he shines best. Aucustin
Duncan is directing the production. |
Although the Equity has wisely made a |
rule against starring or featuring any |
actor, it is allowable to say that Jane
Cowl. the beautiful, is playing the title |
part.