Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-09-30

portant contribution to world-cul-
tvre."
A memorandum, signed by Con.
stantin Stanislavsky, Feodor Chnlia
PIN. Vladimir Nemirovi,ch- -Dantscheh
10, and many others was issued, say.
ing,
ARTS DEBT TO HABiMA
Russian art owes great debt to
, these artists of Habima. The high
est possibilities of creative art are
universal, but il must always be
based upon the national. National
peculiarities, national variations, give
the art Of each nation its chief value
and charm"
Habima itself proclaimed: "A Ian
guage cannot be in itself bourgeois or
aristocratic, reactionary or progress
sive. 1t is merely tool for express.
ing thought, just like marble OF
paint. The Hebrew language is in
full harmony with the idea Of the
Hahima Plays. Just as one must not
dictate to a painter what coiors he
should use, so one must not dictate to
theatre what language it should
employ, nor compel it to act in a Ian
euaRe which is no tin harmony with
its soul and which does not express
the characters created by the artist
dramatist's imagination and by the
imagination of the artist-actors.
Stage must find reflection in
the souls of its spectators. This Ha-
bima has achieved"
Both of these memoranda accom-
plished their purpose. They broke
down the wall Of opposition, espc-
cially among the Russian intelligent
ala and in the innermost circles OF
the Soviet power Lenin added his
signature to the memorandum of the
great Russians.
MYSTICS AND CYNICS
Thus, in an atmosphere of ceaseless
striving for their right to exist, Ha-
bima continued as. a permanent thea
tire. 1.-THE Dybbuk" which had scored
a supreme success, was the leader of
whole series of achievements, which
gained constantly increasing recogni
tion and praise. In Habima there is
fascinating combination of the
spirit of mystic legend and Of the
cynicism of the modern theatre. "The
Dybbuk" especially called forth mass
es of press articles. comments and
reviews, which united in calling Ha-
bima's presentation "a powerful
achievement and weighty event ir
the modern theatre OF the world"
Vachtsngov, who was so i'll that he
e had to be carried in litter to the
= final rehearsals, lived to see and ap-
prove of the first performance Then
he died. ,isi 9rs .E .--.-l
: Now began a period of laboratory
experiments with actors and ac-
t tresses. THE Dybbuk" had raised
the prestige of Habima to a pitch
which was not merely difficult to
reach but hard to maintain. In 1921
"The Wandering Jew" was staged.
With these two dramas Habima made
!. its first tour of Leningrad, where
they won new admirers and support
ers. The Leningrad press and the
great artists of Russia hailed them as
(; one of the leading ensembles of the
a world, on the highest plane of inter
:. national art.
), IRRESISTIBLE. SAVE GORkI
In letter to Habima, Maxim Cork
! wrote: "Habima is a vivid example
5 of irresistible force. The artists have
great advantage over those of the
: Moscow Art Theatre of the same
epoch, for Habima's art is not less.
: and they have more passion, more
G ecstasy. In all that they do burns
the great wisdom which only art and
talent can light"
i Thus, finally has the Habima
f reached those heights which its long
r struggle has justified. Perhaps it is
9 symbol of the fame it has achieved
I that an American producer has been
e willing to invite the troupe to play
on Broadway. Whatever, the motive,
o S. Hurok, the theatrical impressario,
should be congratulated for his vision
in seeing the artistic success possible
i for the Habima in our own country.
: At last, Broadway will see the pride
f of the Jews.
Copyright 1896 by Seven Arts Feature
Syndicntc.)