Evening star., 1924-03-23
A Week Of Contrast Both IN
Plays and Acting.
By Ph1ander johnson.

A WORD OF consolation is due
~ those whose fortunes did not
4 \ permit them TO see all the
theatric glorics unfoldcd by
the Moscow players. While they
missed the subtle thrill which the
true artist can convey, even though
his theme and mode OF expression
are entirely apart from familiar ex-
periencc, they spared themselves
that self-depreciating disappont-
ment which arises when so much is
offered and so little can be grasped.
For the English trained ear, the bar
T1er OF language asserts itself more
uncomprOmisingly with Russian than
with any other tongue. French, Ger
man and Italian have been SO con-
SANITY drawn upon for the English
speaking theater that little reading
i'll advance suffices to establish a
comfortable, even If not complete.
familiarity with dialogue as it moves
with colloquial freedom and rapldlty.
When the play is in Russian the cam
did spectator finds it difficult TO ad
init that language SO agreeable to
the ear should be SO battling to the
sense, and reluctantly subsidies into
q state OF envy toward those whose
fortunate privilege it was TO wei
come the Moscow players as com-
patriots and fellow students.
What a joyous time they had
those who knew their Russian
What minute shades OF meaning
they found read into speeches
which in the printed editions even
the most resourceful translator
could not make intimately available.
There were beauty of scene. pun
gency OF satire and tragic sublirnity
all in unmistakable evidence, but
there was more and beyond, which
eluded the eager attention. And to
she imagination, that which is de-
must be best.
X K :; y
That the Moscow players should
find so broad a measure of apprecia-
ton, even when but specifically uu-
derstood, represents triumph OF
personality and artistic co-ordina
1ion. The Moscow play is akin to
grand opera, but grander, as the
human voice reveals deep emotion
with sympathetic power unaided by
the arts OF interval and rhythm.
Theatricaiy speaking, we import
our sorrows. for even i'll merry
mood, the Hungarian poet whose
work was brought to acquaintance
earlier in the season i'll The Moon
flower" again introduces i'll The
IIighwayman" the reprehensibilities
OF a pre-war middle European aris-
iocracy. The subject OF the play is
:, somewhat daring though by no
means novel. one; the effort TO EN-
plov a man noted for success i'll love
:.ffairs to win the affections OF Il
woman and diSillusion her serious
Suitor. 1t is romantic high play, in
which a broken heart here and there
figures only as a white chip in the
game of family and finance. There
is so much that is securely clever i'll
a Lajos BRO play that surprise must
be felt when the plot takes little
turns which suggest shallow human
ity and inadequacy of motive. 1t
would be interesting to have one OF
his plays set squarely before the
audience in terms of direct and eff
cient translation, without the as
sistance of either adapter or stage
producer TO remeasure the work for
Il new clientele.
y x :: y
In two cases there was suggested
the question of how far an actor can
go in assuming independence of his
rlay, THE Highwayman" and The
Changelings." In the first mentioned
Mr.. Schildkraut assumes full and un-
divided responsibility for the inter
est of the performance. In the sec
ond list OF regulations is exploited,
with the owner of each lett to lift
his own roe into as much promi-
,,e-ce as he can. Opportunity was
r-1sred to mark the distinction not
only between good acting and bad
acting, but between the stage meth
DDS Of other days and those which
now hold sway. 1t was a contest
between the "Thens' and the
"Nows"; the fundamentalists and
the modernists; the old school when
acting was still allied to oratory and
he new which contents itself with a
uuiet, uncompromising precision of
;ype. 1t is for the old school that