The Denver Jewish news., 1923-01-03
The Riaho

fifteen new plays will be produced in
New York this week. no less than nine
of them on one evening alone. This
marks new record for single day,
but New York seems TO hold up under
the avalanche. Some of the plays are
really notable in importance. Last
week NJ least Two plays were produced
that fell within this class Johannes
Erci>ler'' was produced so late in the
week that in fairness no attempt
should be made mt this time to record
the popular verdict. and David War
field in The Merchant of Venice was
the other.
THE Merchant of Venice" with
David Warfield in the Shylock role.
produced with as near an all star"
cast as it is possible these days. and
done under the personal guidance of
David Belasco. is the second notable
revival of the plays of Shakespeare of
The season. There are several others
imminent. notably Jane Cowl and
Ethel barrymore who will appear this
week in Romeo and Juliet" OF the
Belasco productionu two notable facts
stand ont. one the wonderful staging
of Mr.. Belnsco and the other the uni.
form. if not brilliant. work of the male
members of the cast. Mr.. Belasco has
been less happy in the selection of his
women. Mary ServoSs was colorless
as Portia. Mary Ellis immature as
Serissa and Julia Adler incoherent as
Celia. But of Mr.. Warficld as Shy
lock It can he truthfully set down that
lie was Impressive in mien. more or
less human in spirit and if he lacked
any of the qualities essential to the
role it was that of voice A. T.. Anson
as the Duke. Ian Maclarcn as Antonio,
Philip Merivale as Bassanlo. Albert
Bruning as Tubal. and most of the
other male members of the cast pre-
scented the roles individually as wen
as in ensemble aS the play has seldom
been read here. Indeed, not within the
memory of this scribe has 50 excellent
scenic and histrionic n performance
been given. The defects were so few
that they We're of insignificant effect.
1t was a performance that will be re-
nemhered long.
Earlier in the wee;i quick premiere
was arranged for "The Red Poppy
with Estelle Winwood and "A newly
imported Hungarian actor Bella Iu-
cosi The play is from the French of
Andre Picard. who may he recalled as
the author of "Kiki." The story is
not particularly brilliant. 1t is sort
Hyde" Here is Princess Claire Sara
tofr married and living luxury. she is
of the realms of high society. and we
are led to believe that she was to the
manner born On the contrary. we
soon learn that she has arisen from
! the underworld. and the call of the
| apache is still strong in her blood, -
strong. inded. that she DISCUSSES her
self as her OWN maid and visits The
Red Poppy. n notroious underworld re-
sort Here she falls under the spell pl
Il Spanish burglar, one Fernando. and
because he treats her rough she is
HAPPY. An affair" is in embryo and
She takes the new found rough neck tC
4 her home when he is shot by an under
secretary and as the curtain descend,
we are led to infer that the Princes.
| is inconsolable EstelIe Winwood ant
the Imported Hungarian gave v1vft
and colorful performances, and til,
play has been staged with such skill b,
Iden PAYNE, and developed with sucl
nm artistic effect that although TIL
local reviewers were divijed in the
criticisms they were in accord on tn
effective presentation of the play.
johannes Kresiler," produced b.
Selwyn & Co. with Ben Ami and Lotu
Robb in the leading role. is a play o
such magnitude and impressivenes
that it all but paralyseS the pen i
seeking to do credit to IT,