Judge — January 15, 1921 — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

(CR ~Os > yS~ JUDGE at the Play 1O the theatric soul of Mr. David Belasco the producing of “ Deburau must have been a constant joy through stage of what is ordinarily a most “Zaza” had the © beca every fatiguing proc same kind of inspiration in a less ¢ it dealt less constantly with the stage and its people. That was one of his great popular successes and whether “Deburau” equals it or not in general popularity there can be no question of its higher quality in everything nt strongly emotional moments. To reproduce the little off-the-bouleva n theatre, with the scenes in front of the house, in the audience and back of the curtain could have been nothing but pleasure to Mr. Belasco, who doubtless reveled in the ven to every detail. a play written tre by an actor, Paris minute care he has For further inspiration he h about an actor and the t an English vers! of the French original made by an author who is himself a th tical n,and the material nsiderable reputa task of making th acceptable to the American audiences he knows so well. producer of congenial ITE play nd the present ville have the rare distinction of literary d by that state- , by M. Sacha Guitry, version, by Mr. Gi Barker, merit. Don’t be frighte ent, Mrs, Ordii heatregoer and Mr. Tiredbusinessm The literary quality 1 which claims superiority se it is complicated, highbrowed and The author has given us a plot with entiment and contest. skilfully vith an exception noted later) to keep the interest strongly held. His lines much poetic thought which the ter has turned into musical English, smetimes rhymed in French forms, but always easily understandable. ‘The speeches allotted to the players are admirable in character and the element of humor is by no means lacking The defect alluded to is one that has a serious effect on the attitude of the audience and its liking for the play. This is the in- clusion towards the end of the fourth act, when action should be speeding to the con- clusion, of a long speech or ser by Deburau something after the manner of Hamlet's instructions to the actors, Coming from the father who has just finished his carver in touching circumstances, the recital n't of the ki 3 of speeches sums up for the son, who is about to assume his father’s falling mantle, what should be his relation to his art and his public. Delight ful in expression and interesting in matter, had it been ible to make this delivery in the play, shortened a little intelligent part of any audience would be glad to listen to it. Coming where it did, and falling to an artist on whom an exacting réle had already laid an exhausting burden, it evoked from the audience the ominous cough and dulled the previous agreeable impressions. French audiences are different from ours in their fondness for elocution as elocution, so per- haps in the original it was not the defect that it seems to be here. It is to be hoped that Messrs. Guitry and Barker have no such affliction as Mr. rnard Shaw's idolatrous admiration of every word of the sacred text he writes and that Mr. Belasco has the right at least to modify a fault which must now be very glaring to his experienced eye “D BURAU” has been cast with the producer's usual skill and judgment. The success of his choice for the title part is calculated to give heart to those who have been fearing that so far as competent young actors are concerned the stage has reached the point of fatal decline. Mr. Lionel Atwill’s person and performance in_ this part do much to dispel the fear. There t be other Mr. Atwills, if only they can be caught and developed. He brings to this rpretation of a French actor very little that is temperamentally French. Tha not a fatal absence except to those critics a Frenchman on th come earlier perhaps, the more and ear. who do not recog stage unless he has a waxed moustache anda can can manner. In place of these he gives us a dignified bearing, a charming compo- sure, a musical voice, excellent delivery anda general sincerity not often encountered in the younger generation of actors. It isa plea to hear him speak and to see him move. He was ably contrasted and seconded by Mr. Mongan Farley as the junior Deburau. I the ingenious pla of the action among the celebrities of that period when Paris was at its greatest in romantic liter- ature, music and painting, the author was able to make use of Marie Dupl the original of Cumille, as the heroine of his 20 play and the object of Deburau’s misdirected passion. She is herershown less sympatheti- cally, but perhaps more accurately, than in the familiar depiction of Dumas, fils. Even Armand Ducal is personified, after a fashion, to lend realism. The Marie of Elsic Mackay isa most charming and coquettish picture of the light lady of that period, even if she is made more heartless and mercenary, and less consumptive than our long cherished Camilic. In the large membership of the cast recruited for this play we find such names as those of the ever-esteemed Rose Coghlan, and of Messers. Hubert Druce, Joseph Herbert, Rowland Buckstone and John L. Shine. None of them has much more than a bit, but every one does what has to be done with artistic conscientiousness and effect. Among the non-speaking characters in the ensemble scenes we have such celebrities as Victor Hugo, Chopin, Dumas, Georges Sand, Gautier, Janin, de Musset, and Saint- Beuve. These are all carefully resurrected in make-up and costume. To any one interested in the Paris of 1840 and thereabouts “Deburau” is suggestive and delightful in characters and atmosphere. To those locking only for entertainment the play will be found unique in method, Belasconian in staging and so well played as to bring the blush of pleasure to the hardened cheek of the most inveterate harker-back to the palmy day I may seem over-generous to devote thi: entire space to one attraction when so crow for review, but especial distinction is deserved by so unusual an accomplishment in the theatre of today. It is indeed exceptional to find brains in creation, brains in interpretation, and bra in exposition, all combi production, It is to be doubted that even in Paris itself, where it should be easy to revert in costume and scene to that remarkable period Parisian life, the atmosphere and portraiture have been more accurately preserved than in Mr, Belasco’s most carefuljand painstaking accomplishment, ‘This is notably true in the first act,which carries us almost actually back to theatrical conditions which seem primitive compared with our present-day elaboration. As these scenes come at the beginning, those who would enjoy “Deburau” thoroughly should go early and not miss the first curtain. Metcalfe. many others are comicbooks.com