Evening star., 1928-05-01

last night by Walter Hampden and his
players with sincerity and technical
worthineSS truly compelling.
/ In this unusual drama, titled "Capon-
/ Sacchi." after the name of the hero
| priest of the Browning poem, the adapt
! arS of the famous drama have caught up
much of the spirit and inspiration of
the original Hampden, in turn in
/ staging and directing the piece, seized
! upon the Browning motif with apparent
understanding and feeling. making 1t
| pulSate and live in stage presentation.
| It is a thing of beauty as staged and
enacted by Hampden and his players
MiShandiing of the Browning text in
i hands less Skillful might easily have
/ blighted the imaginative beauty of the
| drama; and inept or overdone acting OF
| the adaptation might easily have made
a sorry mess of the presentation. For
| the line of demarcation between tragedy
and the ludicrouS experience has shown
| to be most delicate. Fortunately both
| phases of the work fell into capable
| hands. Hampden, long trained for this
| type of portrayal with his years Of sue
ceSSful handling of The Servant i'll
the House" "Cyrano" and other plays
calling for similar nice technique and
understanding. was well equipped
"CaponSacchi," true to the Browning
style, is filled with grievous tragedy in
conflict with heroic motives of life, and
here is found production that is
marvel of repreSSed emotions. For the
drama is no child's play. The author
OF the wild current play. Chicago"
could have found much for thought in
the observation-disclosures and cruelty in
the cunning Guido. a villain who puts
Iago or Macbeth to shame. Yet the
lasting impression of the drama is ap-
probation of madonnalike faith.
Judging from the popular acclaim of
the drama "CaponSacchi," the theater
was the loser in the inability or unwill-
nsneSS OF Browning to adapt his style
70 the stage. He who saw and set
down IN lasting verse so much of the
oeep tragedy, vivid love and beauty
OF the world OF his time. however
failed in his several attempts TO write
for the stage himself. 1t remained
for lesser lights of today to transcribe
ms thought into mechanism suited to
modern stage use.
The play opens with an impressive
prologue which, Browning like. heaps
into the heart Of the final trial Of the
priest. CaponSacchi, and the tortured
Pompilia, before the ultimate tribunal
Of judges. Swayed by fear of the popu-
lace outside, while Pope Innocent XII
listens TO the plea of the priest from
behind a curtain that he might divine
the truth of the case as betrayed by
the lips Of the principal in the trial.
From here the drama depicts the in
cidentS OF the story as recounted in
the plea of the priest While Brown
ing III his poem of monologueS by the
various sides in the trial leaves TO the
reader TO discern the truth. the authors
Of "Caponsacchi" accepted the truth
rs revealed in the decree of the Pope
and built their drama on that basis
Miss Edith Barrett In portraying the
role OF Pompilia she of the sad, sweet
smile. was admirably suited to the diff
cult task. Her appearance in the castle
balcony scene leaves a memory that is
lasting, She seemed a madonna in
her beauty. resignation and faith A
more yillainouS Scoundrel could hardly
be imagined than that depicted by
Ernest Rowan as Guido And his at
titude and makeup were most con-
vlncing. Lighter moments of the play
were given to good effect by Cecil Yapp
as Canon CONT Stanley Hewlett, as
the Pope, was highly effective All
members Of the cast were admirably
selected for their roles. Staging and |
lighting were Of graceful simplicity and |
good taste.