The New York herald., 1922-07-30
German Producer,
Max Reinhardt, to
Stage Plays Here
Master of European Stage De-
pends on Lights for Effect
Uses Masses of Players.


her. He proposes to stay about two
months, and while in New York will
stage several plays under the Schubert
management. These will be givey, in one
OF the large theaters, or possibly in the
Madison Square Garden. This Is almost
the only hall in New York where Rein
hardt could find full nlay for marshalling
the large masses he Is accustomed to use.
At least one of the plays which he will
stage is Midsummer Nights Dream"
Another may be Offenbach's "Orpheus In
the Cnder World" Both permit
much fantasy in production. and have
delightful accompanying incidental mu-
sic. ReinhArdt told a correspondent Of
THE New YORK HERALD that he has
long desired coming to America. ana
was on the point OF coming over when
war broke out in 1914.
In Central Europe no producer has the
prestige and influence of Reinhardt,
while in the theory of stagecraft
Reinhardts name stands with those of
Stanisawsky and Gordon Craig. In the
handling of masses and in lighting
Reinhardt excels. In the trial scene Of
DGhton he achieved q triumph. He used
his lightning in such a way that Ddmtom
held instantly the center Of the stage,
but by simple shift of light he made
the mob and the accusers the center Of
interest.
He had a recent success in handling
masses in collaboration with his pro-
ducer, Heinz Martin. in staging the
revolutionary drama, The Machine
Breakers by Max Toller. This play
deals with the uprising of the weavers
in England at the middle Of the last
century when machinery was first intro
duced. He gives a gruesome picture OF
the crowds hanging two Of their traitors.
The dramatic climax Is reached when
the mob stands back in breathless as,
tonishment before this new intruder. the
steam monster. The crowd watched the
rotation Of the enormous wheels and the
back and forward slide OF the steam
driven shuttles on the small looms along
side. When their awe is overcome they
rush forward with axes and clubs and
hurl them into the wheels Of the ma
chine.
Reinhardt is not afraid OF stylization
in handling his crowd. He marshals
them like an army. Each OF his group.
ings has peculiar significance, sorne-
times symbolism, which he puts over
with small concern. whether historical-
ly or naturally a crowd really would
stand that way. He sees his task as one
where he has story to tell. a symbol
to express. and he does It using his peo-
pie with the same freedom that he places
his lights about the theater.
Reinhardt long since burst the bar
riers Of the small, stingy stages which
limit the average American producer.
The head OF the Deutsches Theater likes
large roomy stages. even to the sac
rifce OF well paying front row seats.
His little theater. for example, seats
only 400. His Deutsches Theater
though with only moderate sized seat
ing space, has a larger stage than any
theater twice its size in New York
Finally Reinhnrdt, in his Crosses
Schauspiel House has remodeled cir
Gus. seating 5000. with room for 1000
actors on the stage.
Z The conventional lighting Of row OF
slaring footlights. which blind the
actors and which keep the spectators
constantly impressed with the ARTIFICIAL
ity OF the play. were long since cast
aside by Reinhardt. Lighting can come
from any direction in real life. why not
on the stage? Reinhardt went further
and asked himself why one should limit
the lighting range OF the theater to
that which might be found in real life,
II, by other arrangements, 1t is possible
to secure more intensity and more eff.
fectiveness?
The conclusion he reached was that
the sky should be the limit to his light
Ing. He uses lights from all sides, and
uses tie conventional foots least of any.
He dropped square block Of light on
Ddnton, setting the prisoners box off
In sharp glare against the grim somber
background Of the faces of the assem-
blej masses.
When Reinhardt wishes to suggest a
closed room he does not put UP canvas
walls or screens. BY using his over
head lighting In square block of in
tense light, leaving the surrounding
space dark, he closes his room as eff
fectively In space as though he were to
bang a door. In addition. Reinhardt
brings his lights from parts of the
theater where the usual producer would
not dream Of putting them. Reinhardt
has his lighting as closely coordinated
with the action as the prompter does
with his Ines. His electrical room puts
every light In the theater at the hand
OF one man. The switches breaks and
buttons remind one of the pilot room on
modern ocean liner.
Reinhardt has three theaters in Ber-
lin which. despite the fact that prices
have risen with only half the rapidity
or costs, still are crowded and are
successful business ventures. Tn addi-
tion. Reinhardt has theater In Vienna
and each summer produces miracle
or passion play at Salzburg In the heart
OF the Austrian Tyrol. Reinhardt him
self is OF Austrian Jewish origin and
although living most OF his life in Ger
many. has always cherished the dream
OF making Austria a theatrical center
In Europe
Austria's economic collapse prevented
Reinhardt from building the large open
air theater he had planned near Vienna.
He has. however. purchased a large
theater in the city and has perfected
rotation OF Austrian and German
companies. one going to Berlin and
the other playing as guests In Vienna.
In Salsburg Reinhardt has the ideal.
setting for miracle plays The market
place Us surrounded by irregular facadcs
OF houses dating from the Middle Ages.
The baroque spires or the churches
give a quaint touch to the austere
surroundings. In the blue haze az n
background rise the towering heights
OF the Alps
Last year he gave "Everyman." This
year from August u to %. he Ia giving
Calderon play. THE World Ia a
Stage" The adoption for II was made
recently by the German poet Won Hoff-
mannethal The play centers about the
old church and In II a large part Of
the population OF the town will particI-
pate.
Reinhardt is at present In Italy and
In October will start his winter season
In Vienna. Then, in November. he is
leaving for America
"THE GOLYFusH- TO MOVE.
A. a.. sts~xs.