Judge — May 25, 1929 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

JUDGE tnt Adolph Fassnacht as Christ, “ Bishop Morris Gest, getting the old s and moving-picture audiet Angel, smell of anin the Hippodrome by me accomplished show: hibition, Bishop Gest the case of “The and Joe Schenck the ves out of ns of much incense, offers us the Freiburg Passion Play. Everything that a highly in could do to put over the ex- . renowned for his virtuosity in Miracle,” has done. He has con- verted the Hippodrome into something vaguely sug- gestin a Turkish mosque; he has installed an orches- tra so big that it overflows into the laps of the dra- matic critics; he has supplemented it with a copious Russian choir; he has given the windows of the show- house looking onto Sixth Avenue nobby stained-glass effects; he has put a m in the theatre's cellar; he has bought stock of joss-sticks and set them to perfuming of the milieu. tone the limit. commendable enthusiasm, showmanship about the Jel of the He has, in : But it seems to me there is an whole Holy City atin: down s entire siasti nobly all his over- in ¢ word, that, for r of business that comes very near putting the Passion Play itself out of com- mission, I note that some of my colleagues complain that the Bishop has removed all the simplicity from the Freibur; ously ¢ While the lame; the Passion Play as quite the simple little ¢ itis. It is a pretty e! backgrounds, costumes, Passion and thus coincidentally leted a great measure of its pristine force. tis partly true, the fact rem: r on its native borate mobs and obvi- ins that heath is not affair our friends ims thing in the and what vine matter of not. It is, therefore, not so much the circumst: robbed of a presentation has been plicity that milite nee that the local theoretical sim it as the circumstance that a portion of the figging-out of it is a bit unne sarily ham, Surely the old theatrical hokum of in- jecting a belly-dancer into a theologi dly and to the p There »propriate to the present occasion. such ancient Lewis Morrison devices as an nated cross, a serim transparency for illumi- “vision” scenes goblet with a red electric light in it add greatly ty of the festival. is no doubt that, as played in Baden, the Passion Play is often peculiarly hushful and mo The environment has the stag Gest's fault; it is not ault, although some like those mentioned— that the performance ena, a sense of misplacement; ments, herent t of the lity that I have The Christus of 4 a lot to do with it has the mood which the spectators brir s essentially one good than it is on its native soil. the atmosphere of the enterprise is wrong. an unmistakable clash of playhouse there is theatricality that is damagin: and so, too, with them to But, as transplanted to the Hippodrome ,one finds a great deal missing. It is not the M altogether his father-in-law’s of the re highly disturbing; it is not here atter’s staging tric! whit less It is, rather, that There is and play; there is feeling of pure Yet there are mo- t one or two, when something of the in- exhibition comes out of it and cross the footlights. alluded to ag hand and the Freiburg spell is sent scooting. Jolph Fassnacht is pictorially fter the n gets in its But soon ther (Continued on page 28) ‘fretnerg Passion Play” (Hippestrome) “The Lite Show" (Music Box)— You'll ind some gay fooling bere. Grand Street Follies” (Booth) —Not in Hand” (Morosco)—An amuse ing comedy’ Uy the hitherto appareatly bumorless M. Drinkwater “The Love Duet™ (Barrymore)—Ethel Barrymore does what she can with a dull play “The Camel Through the Needle’s Eye’ (Beck) —Why it was ever picked by the Theatre Guild is a mystery. ‘Man's Estate’ (Biltmore) —Mystery “Jonesy” (Bijou) —Very poorly written and tedious comedy. “Reckbound™ (Cort)—Dismal junk. Theatre “Carnival” (Forrest) —One or two ine teresting scenes but for the most part cut-and-dried stuff “The Come-oa Man” (49th Street) — Sour, very sour. “Messin? Around” (Iodson)—Talent- Jess colored song and dance show (law) — jartem” (Times Square age melodrama, commended to your ‘Meet the Prince” (I.yceum)—Child- omedy by Dr. Milne “Let Us Be Gay” (Little) are some adult humors in Mile. Crothera ‘Journey's End” (Miller)—Somewhat overly polite war play but with points of merit. —But there by the Digest “Holiday” (Plymouth). able light fooling, “Street Scene" (Playhouse) —Elmer Rice's best play, though with touches of obvious bokum. “*tdima’" (Beiasco)—Belaseo, with great skill, writes the word “Nothing” on the bead of a gold pin “Kibitzer™ (Royale) —Some Laughs but with arid stretches between them. “She Get What She Wanted” (Wal- lack’s)—Claptrep. telly Git Friday” (Republicr—Same ere: Some agree- “Lite Accident” (Ambamador) — ‘There are many chuckles on tap here. “Pleasure Bound” (Majestic)—Some ood low wheeses and some graceful ‘erpmichorean exercises. “Spring is Here” (Alvin)—Its rough house, at Teast, is diverting, “Follow Thru" (Chan factory suegemoe to News “The Age of Innecence’” (Empire) ‘The Mile. Cornell is a tedious dramatiza- tuon of the novel. (Gaild tanpeSd Vara tno pr evening “The Pertect Alibi" (Hopkins) —\s mystery plays go, this one is pretty fair “Lady Fingers” (Liberty) clowning of E- Buazell, Ea. ide a pleasant For the New Amsterdam)—For theaters of Cantor, Ean “The Red Robe” (Shubert)—For the tunes of J, Gilbert, Es. comicbooks.com