The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-10
The World of
the Theatre
By HAROLD EDGAR
GOrky at the Artef

AHE SHOULD De very STaleIul LOT lIle
" opportunity given US by the
Artef (the Jewish Workers Theatre)
to see Maxim Gorky's latest play,
"Yegor Bulichev and Others" 1t is
something that no one person inter
ested in the revolutionary cultural
movement should miss For despite
reservations that might be made, it is
the most stimulating play that this
season has brought forth on any
stage.
In fact, this play might be taken
as an object lesson to every one in
the theatre. Critics can learn from it
that a play may be meagre as a lit
erary text and still be highly signifi-
cant as well as moving on the stage,
that characters may be simply and
almost systematically drawn and still
be suggestive and rich in their effect
on an audience. Playwrights can
learn how an ideologically correct
play may be written without the use
OF stock slogans, without situations
that remind one OF the radical class
room. Even conservatives, who are
generally nlystified by the idea that a
character may be presented from
MARKHAM viewpoint and at the same
time satisfy the demands Of objec-
tivity, can see in this play proof that
this seeming contradiction does not
exist.
OF course, audiences who go to see
"Bulitchev" need not, and probably
will not, concern themselves with
anything but the actual drama it.
self, with all its savage humor and
strange force. Yet we pause to en-
phasize these general considerations
because so much of our talk about
revolutionary plays is abstract, based
on rule-of- thumb notions rather
than on concrete examples. Built
chev" at the Artef permits us to see
good revolutionary play in the
fleshi It permits us to compare a
dramatic reality with our dramatic
theories, it permits us to study a
worthy model.
There is something Of a miracle
in the makeup of this play. For what
could be simpler than the story Of a
merchant who is dying of cancer,
and the conspiracy of various people
of this household to assure themselves
Of his fortune. Bulitchev wants to
live, and though he knows he is con-
demned to die, he seeks some spark
of hope or solace from priests, sooth-
savers and charlatans Of all kinds.
The corruption Of his family-part of
which he himself is responsible for
and the impending revolution (the
period is 1916-1D lead him to see in
dim but unacceptable way how both
these facts, the social upheaval out
side and the domestic debacle in
side, are interrelated and leave him
no possibility of salvation. Bulitchev
is an individual and yet the unmiS-
taxable symbol of his class. He is
shown as man of passion, endowed
with rude intelligence, slowly
awakening consciousness and GER
tain kind of wry honesty. In other
words, he is drawn sympathetfcally,
yet without touch of sentimentality,
for he is the emblem OF that bour-
geoisie which is blind, despite all its
power, spiritually helpless despite all
its pride.
How has Gorky succeeded In max
ing such limited plot gripping and
big2 BY the strength of his convic-
ton, by real knowledge of his char
acters, and by an extraordinary in
stinct for theatrical capitalization. 1t
is this latter quality, the ability to
translate an idea into a simple, strik-
ing, meaningful dramatic image. that
is the source of this plays superiority,
the tombstone of it's theatrical Vi
tally. One example will suffice: the
second act curtain in which a town
faker who calls himself Gabriel" Of
ferS to play the trombone to cure Bu-
litchev's sickness. Bulitchev asks him
to say whether he Is a fool or
scoundrel. Gabriel replies that he
Is no fool, but that many people ask
to be fooled. The sick man pays rs
roubles for his answer, and Ca
briel" goes on to remark, still. it
helps" and, encouraged by Bulitchev,
he proceeds to blow his trombone. We
have rarely seen more arTesting
symbol Of the bourgeois artist whose
art is supposed to heal all ailments,
but who knows If he is honest that
his playing" is only a forlorn trum-
peting of false cure!
Inherent in the essential theatrical
merit of this play are its great acting
possibilities Its original Moscow pro-
duction last year took place at the
Vachtangov Theatre, and now we
learn that other important theatres
(including the Moscow Art) are pre-
oaring to present it In altogether diff
ferent styles. But whether it Is
played better or worse, It's situations
have SO much vividness that they al
most seem to act for the actors Thus
the Artef company, whose actors pos
sess great sincerity and unusual con-
fidence and energy are able, despite
difficulties, to sustain their perform
ances throughout.
BY all means go to see their pro-
duction, which is given at the Heck
scher Theatre, Fifth Ave. and 104th
St., on Saturday and Sunday nights.
Even the hare figures showing