Evening star., 1923-11-06
NATIONAI-Otis Skinner in "San-
cho PanZa."

With all the fantastic gorgeousnesS
Of the Moscow Art Theater, embel-
ifshed with costumes we'll nigh gro
tesque in this day and generation, in
which the colors in variant hue romp
. and riot, never offending the surprised
hut not startled eye; with the beauty
OF music in its every mood; with sin
sular philosophy of life and govern
,aent, strangely attractive, even pop
ular, to the present generation, and
above all with the graceful charm and
the insinuating humor and gentle
comedy of Otis Skinner, the polished
actor who never seems to act, but to
live his mimicry, Melchior Lengyers
heroic comedy, as ii is announced,
"Sancho PanZa." based on certain cpl
sodes i'll Cervantes' story, Don Qui-
Note de la Mancha, staged by Rich
Jrd Bolesiawsky. with music by Hugo
Felix and costumes and scenery de-
signed by James Reynolds, whom
Washington already knows from his
work with the Rams Head Players,
and with a curtain picturing the ia
nous attack upon the windmills. de
signed and painted by Reginald Marsh
nat taxes the Judgment of the un-
initiated as to whether it is cubist art
or nightmare. was given its first
presentation at the National Theat ter
last evening.
1t is spectacle, yet not bewilder
ing; comedy gentle. as the laughter
Of a summer breeze: satire deft and
inoffensive. and, withal, a dream of
other days so charmingly disclosed
10 waking eyes as to make the heart
hinder and faces that have seemed
harsh take on the look of gentleneSs
md human sympathy. Above all
and the audience was quick to per-
ceiye it-"Sancho Panza," with but
"a of ha IA
nous Don QuiXote against a starlit
sky, chiding his faithful servant for
his surrender to hunger and promis
ing him the governorship of an island
when he himself had conquered
Kingdom. then lost forever, furnishes
fine setting for the subtle art OF
otis Skinner. And, however appealing
may be the play and its fantastic
ricks, the four vigorously demanded
'urtatn calls after the second and
repeated after the third acts seemed
an irresistible summons to Otis Skin
ner to receive the homage that Wash
ington is always pleased and proud
Mr.. Skinner appears during his
present engagement under the man.
agement of Russell Janney and, as the
program states, by arrangement
with Charles Frohman." a declara-
lion that seems so appropriate, In
view OF the general excellence of the
production, that one might be for
-iven for believing it TO be true.
''Sancho Panza'' opens with brief
but beautifully staged prologue, in
which Don Quixote on the attenuated
lsosinante makes his only appearance
tIere. too, we find the starving San
Who pleading for food, and his faith
full, almost human Dapple as little
rontented as his master with the
promise OF the governorship of an is
land as comfort.
The first act is laid In the court of
the Duke of Barataria, with it's in
trigues of church and state troubled
over the demand for taxes from the
king and the sullen discomfort, al
most inSurrection, of the people. Here
Sancho arrives with his donkey dur
ing the reading of Cervantes' famous
work and, by a singular fancy of the
duke, is invested with the office of
Governor of Barataria. Act II dis
closes the governors throne room
and unfolds the amusing ceremonies
of his inveStiture. the exercise of the
new governors prerogative in cast
ing aside important proclamations
and laws and his rustic Indulgence of
his craving for food, after he first
dismisses the physician whose orders
might have pushed starvation to it's
uttermoSt limits unless checked. The
third act Il cathedral scene, shows
Sancho, like Haroun -al-Raschid NOV
ing among his people to learn the
causes OF their distress and to win
Them by his administration of justice,
and the fourth act stages an attempt
ed coup d'etat by the court conspir-
.ttors, which Sancho defeats by an
appeal to the people, and his own de-
termina ton to return to his faithful
wife and children whom he had aban-
doned to follow the fortunes of Don
,luiXote, now convinced that he can
never learn to be a real governor, be-
rause his heart feels too deeply for
those whose ills he cannot assuage.
The cast that supports the distin-
guished actor Is quite adequate and
fits into the fantastic story delight
+,I1t