Judge, 1923-03-10 · page 18 of 36
Judge — March 10, 1923 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the Theater Guild's ambitious 1923 production of Ibsen's *Peer Gynt*, starring Joseph Schildkraut. The cartoon's title references the cultural moment: American theater was being dominated by Russian productions and companies, creating intense competition. By mounting this demanding Norwegian classic with a non-Russian cast, the Guild was boldly challenging that dominance—hence "picking up the gauntlet." Ralph Barton's illustrations mock the play's sprawling scope and melodramatic elements: Peer's various incarnations (the bamboozled businessman, the peeling-onion existentialist, the deluded troll-kingdom emperor) showcase the production's ambition and absurdity. The humor partly celebrates Schildkraut's feat of memorizing such an enormous role, while gently poking fun at the Guild's theatrical audacity in competing against the fashionable Russian theater scene.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Theater Guild Picks Up the Russian Gauntlet—By Ralph Barton It takes the courage of a Quixote or the blissful ignor- ance of a certain musical show that boasts in its advertise- ments a “non-Russian cast” to attempt an ambitious pro- duction while New York is being flabbergasted by the tremendous acting and st This it was that prompted the Theater Guild to put on “Peer Gynt,” which it is Mr. Nathan’s job to chronicle. Above: Peer, in Morocco, middle-aged, after having made a fortune in slaves, Bibles and whisky, is being bamboozled by Anitra, the beautiful dancing-girl (Miss Lillebil Thsen—kinfolks, says the press agent). At the right: Peer as an old man peels an onion and finds it symbolical of his own life—all swathings and no kernel. The Troll-King (Mr. Dudley Digges), come terribly down in the world, begs a few ére for a homeless soul, and The Button Molder (Mr. Edward G. Robinson) waits to melt Peer down as a bad job and re-cast him. However, Mr. Joseph Schild- kraut deserves a nosegay if only for having memorized a four-hour portion of Ibsen's magnificent dramatic poem. The iconograph above repre- sents Mr, rildkraut as the young Peer beginning his un- successful reign as/ Emperor of Himself in The Royal Hall of the King of the Dovré. Trolls—best of the Guild's 15 (out of Thsen’s 38) scenes —and pretending, for his own satisfaction, that The Green Clad One (Miss Helen Westley got up like a toreador’s dream —and loving it!) is a comely princess.