The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-03-17
d DRAMA Il
Ibsen Centenary Celebration

| NORWAY is celebrating the centen-
~ airy Of Henrik Ibsen's birth this
week, At Oslo the great Ibsen exhibi-
tion, which has been in preparation
for many months, opened at the Uni
versity Library.
Among the interesting items at TIE
exhibition are all the known por-
traits of Ibsen, frcm childhood to Jne
deathmask, and also a miniature the
atre, showing the primitive conditi ne
under which the dramatist had to
work in his young days. The great
est interest, however, is conferred on
paintings made by Ibsen himself. He
was very fond of drawing and paint
ing, even as boy, and only his faith
er's bankruptcy prevented him from
taking to painting for livelihood
The exhibition includes twelve can
vases from his brush.
Naturally enough, books play an
important part in the exhibition. All
the first prints of Ibsen's dramas are
there, together with most of the later
ed lions in the Norwegian and foreign
languages. Literature dealing with
Ibsen and his plays fills large room,
and letters, MSS, and illustrations
are numerous.
The first of the long list of the
plays to be presented here on occa-
sion of the centenary was given tFis
week, when the National Theatre
presented Brand" 1t is a drama
which Ibsen never intended to pre-
sent on the stage. He looked upon it
as a reading piece" and was aston
ished when he was informed that a
theatre had decided to produce it.
In his young days Ibsen was very
fond of mountaineering, and on one
of his tours in the Sogne Mountains
in Western Norway he was caught
in violent snowstorm. 1t was dur
ing the storm that he was inspired
to some of the finest passages of the
drama. The piece was written in
Italy during the Simmer Of 1865, and
it was so well received by the critics
that four reprints were issued before
the end Of the year. Ibsen owed to
"Brand" that he was granted the Of
fetal allowance from the government
what is called in Norway the tau
thor's wage"-and the drama made
his name known abroad for the first
time. 1t was twenty years after it
had been written that Brand" was
presented on the stage, and then only
in fragmentary form.
The celebration of the centenary in
cludes the presentation of "Brand,"
''The League of YOUTH" "Ghosts,"
IAN Enemy of the People," "The
Wild Duck" and "Rosmersholm" at
the National Theatre, and several
other dramas at private theatres in
Oslo and Bergen. In the latter town,
where Ibsen lived for some years as
instructor and scenario-writer on o
fixed salary, the local theatre will
present one of his first plays with the
costumes and decorations used on the
first night in 1856.
The centenary is also being cele-
brated in London by special perform
ances Of "An Enemy of the People"
"Ghosts" and "The Wild Duck" which
are to be given at Wyndham's The
atre on March 26, 81 and 80. In the
performance of "Chosts." the nlay
around which the Ibsen battle was
fought in 1881, Mrs. Patrick Cam
bell will play the part of Mrs. Alving
The Everyman Theatre is revivinc
"Hedda Gabler," during the month
while "The Lady From the Sea" and
"The Dolls House" will also be seer
in London during the celebration.
In this city Eva LIE Gallienne will
stage "Hedda Cabler" at the Civic
Renertory Theatre on Monday eve
ming, March &c.