The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-30
DRAMA THRIVES IN
RUSSIA, WRITER SAYS

ten of Russia in magazine articles
and travelogs, Mr.. Houghton went
in the back door of the Russian
theaters, explored their easements
as we'll as the parlors.
At the Meierhold Theater Mr..
Houghton saw what makes people
talk about that group, the strange
philosophy of one man completely
dominating theater's activities.
Meierhold, founder and director, be-
lieves that the audience should never
be allowed to imagine it is not a
theater. So he dresses the actors in
denim overalls, lets the audience see
all the lighting equipment. the stage
scaffolding and hopes they will not
forget where they are.
MeierhoId Interprets
The infection, the action which
Meierhold actors go through are not
of their own Interpretation, but
Meierhold's. He tells them how he
would read the lines and they are
read that way.
AT the Vakhtankov Theater Mr..
Haughton saw Intervention, a
Russian spy play with plot laid in
Odessa in 1920. The outstanding
characteristic of this group is a
gross caricature. If men have long
noses, the noses are very long, wom-
ems large hats are very large and
fat persons are extremely fat. Mr..
Houghton likens the Vakhtangov
players to Peter Arno cartoons come
to life.
One of the few people ever to in
terview the great Stanislavski at
work, Mr. Houghton watched him
direct his Moscow Art Theater actors
in THE Days of the Turbins." Here,
according to Mr.. Houghton, is the
most conservative atmosphere to be
found in any of Moscow's temples
of the drama. Rhythm and move
ment are the essentials at the Mos
COW Art rehearsals.
Audience Is Secondary
In "The Iron Flood" which he
saw at the Realistic Theater, the
audience sat right out on the bat
tlef1eld. The wounded and dying
were dragged over ones feet, the
bombs burst near ones chair. The
entire theater became the stage, with
the audience of secondary impor-
lance.
Russian actors never are con-
cfrned over the size of the sala-
ries. They get what the state pays.
them. So it is with playwrights,
scene painters and every one else
connected with the drama.
Almost any one in Russia who
has a yearning to become an actor
or actress will get the chance, &C.
cording to Mr. Houghton, whether
he happens to be working in steel
factory or bakers shop. A strange
harmony exists among the various
theaters of the country, harmony
which Mr.. Hougthon ascribes to the
fact that people in Moscow know
what they are trying to do"
He does not think that the Rus
sian system could be transferred
Immediately to America, but hints
that some of the ideas might work
we'll here.
Writer to Speak Here
The success of the Russian the
alter project can be traced directly
to the audiences. In his six months
in Russia, during which he attend
ed theater almost every night, the
writer says he saw no more than a
dozen empty seats in any theater.
When he has time off from stage
managing Libel" Mr.. Houghton
lectures on the Russian theater. Re-
Gently he spoke before the National
Convention of Junior Leagues in
Washington.
What is next on the boards for
me I don't know" he wrote us re-
Gently, 1--we come back more in
terested in directing than in de-
signing and I'm hoping to do some
directing in summer theaters this
summer"
Mr.. Houghton is scheduled to
speak at Tabernacle Presbyterian
Church next month. He is the son
of Mrs Grace N. Houghton, 1874
E. 36th-st,
ellis book, published by Harcourt,
Brace x Co., sells for $275)