The Denver Jewish news., 1923-03-28
Our New York Letter
Comedy Names Jew Held Jewish Magistrate for Display
ing Christians Painting Offensive Chrstans-he Out
ragged Public and Ash's "(0d of Vengeance-"Anathema
at the Yiddish Coming Sackers New
Play.

because it's all too real in its symbol
ism "a Scfer Torah is n mighty con-
crete SYMBOL and all too Photographic
i'm its realism. (For surely. surely. 1t
does not take high class artist. but an
interior decorator to design prosti-
tutcs' den with all revolving detail.D
Nor is il realism TO have characters
who are supposed to speak Iiddish.
pronounce English with lower. enst
side accent. It's not convincing play.
despite Schildkrnnt's mastcrly effort.
But to speak of the play ns reflection
on the Jew after seeing Schildkraut
in II is sheer nonsense.
As in "Motke Ganev'' so i'm the God
that he had better leave the dramatiza-
tion of his superb novels alone. And
perhaps now he is no longer twenty
Onc-the age when he wrote the pres
another ''milieu'' than the brOthcl. All
life does not center around it. and. to
repeat the now celebrated remnrk about
this play by n noted German critic the
fact that there are brothels does not
make Ash or anyone else great artist.
Speaking of the stage. one dares not
pass without IL word about the Yiddish
Art Theatre. where Maurice Swartz is
producing Andreyev's 'Anathemn.
This play was obtained by Herman
Bernstein from its author in 1000.
After waiting thirteen years for n pro-
duccr, and being alternately accepted
and rejected by timid managers the
struggling Art Theatre took II mp.
Now there is Talk Of its going on the
English stage. But sufficient for the
day are the effects thereof. The effect
OF the play in Yiddish Is profound. nl-
though there are few who can say eX
inctly w1int 1t is nll about. NJ. Katz,
the veteran Jewish editor who trans
lated It into Yidtlish. blandly remarked
Andreyev did not know what he wrote.
the translator did not know what he
rendered. the actors would not know
what they were playing. and the audi
encc would not understand what was
being performed. BE that as it may,
the seeming is indisputably impressive.
the acting generally good and the whole
production contains enough of the ele-
ment of speculation to intrigue the
most blase theatre-goer 1t is certainly
courageous production. boldly con-
Il .,l,n
Swartz's usual sweep. What is to fol
low .Anathema is as yet stage secret.
Persistent rumOr has II that SwartZ
has decided to bring ont n new play
by Harry Sackler. n comparatively
new man. Sackler is not new to
either the Hebrew or Yiddish render.
His recent Hebrew play appearing Sc
rally in the Hatoren has attracted
cause of the sheer beauty of its style
and powerful dramatic quality. His
new play. which has only just been
written and sold to the Yiddish Art
Theatre, again shows Sackler's pen
chant and ability for piercing the veil
of the Jewish past. and in the piercing
disclose jewel which he, excellent
craftsman that he is, proceeds to polish
and adorn. A private hearing of the
play makes one keenly eXpectant of
Its production. Its dramatic pOssibili-
ties appear unlimited. Its tone is even
and the characters as well as their
vicissitudes utterly real. In choosing
the play Swartz has convinced his
many friends-and they appear to be
more numerous than he imagines-that
he judges quality above reputation and
is willing to sacrifice. if necessary,
common success for service to Yiddish
stage.
March II. 1923.