Life — April 5, 1900 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

. THE WOX OFFICE BUZZARD TELLS LM EVERYTHING 18 SOLD OUT FOR THE ENTINE MUN OF THE PIECE, of the Mountains. ITI respect of Hauptmann’s fantas- tle play, “The Sunken Bell,” there are iikely to be as many opinions as there are people who witness tt. It will be caviare to most New Yorkers. Others will at least pretend to under- stand It, The physician will seo at once that the play 4 meant «lmply to be a graphic description of the delirium that comes to a man who has received a severe Injury in the head, The religlonist will be equally sure that Helnrich’« wanderings and sufferings deplet the ain of straying from the beaten path to wore ship false gods The moralist will be able to demonstrate that Hauptmann’s allegory [4 meant to show that married nen should be true to their Wives, that they xhould not leave the straight and narrow way & domestic virtue, and that the Wages ofsintadeath, They willall be more or less right, but the author has puta very pretty puzzie to hla commentators, and the avers, w Yorker heed not fect sadly humillated if he cannot Inimediately settle In a satisfactory way Just what the play means, If he will regard it simply asa falry tale In dramatic and poetic form, and draw froin It whitever moral best fits his own partlen- lar case, he will Go all that could naturally be expected from htm. ‘To produce sieh a mystical plece ts a remark- able enterpri for Mr. FB. Il. Sothern. He bt very lite the hero tn it and the character of Hrinrich 4 not a prepossesdng ¢ ‘The claims of the play to popularity are most prot and the outlay for the very elabonute staging Must have heen considerable, For these reasons Mr. Sothern deserves high credit. Itisa worthy effort in a serious Atrection and away from the trivial ambitions which seem to satlsfy those of our actora who have the means to achleve good things. It 1s an encouragement for the lterature BUT TEN PRET FROM THE BOX OFFICE HK CAN BUY FHOM A CARRION BUZZARD EMPLOYED BY THR MANAGEMENT A GOOD SEAT FORK ANY PER- POMMANCE, AT A MIGHER PRICE. Of the stage Instead of a lure for the easy money of the matinée girt, ‘The work devolves almost entirely upon Mr. Sothern as the bell-founder who leaves bis wife and children to consort with the uncanny crea tures of the mountains, upon Virginia Harned as Rautend tein, the eifin mald, and Mr. Buckstone, aa The Nickelmann, & damp, unpleasant gentle- man who ts in fact & water xpirit and who only Appears with his head and shoulders above the Parapet of a well. No one of these gives all the value to all the Hues in Mr. Meltzer's poetic trans- lation of the play, but with this exception they give a most creditable performance of very dim cult work. Virginls Harned 18 not fairy-like in proportions or temperament, but in spite of these disadvantages she makes Rautendetrin a win nome creature for whom It seems quite plausible Heinrich should desert his mortal and common- place wife. To the eccentric creation of The Nickrtimtun, Mr. Buckstone give & most Iintelll- gent interpretation ‘The part of Mrinrich Iso xerlous, almost a tragic, one, and tn tt Mr. Soth- ern rises to heights of earnestness of which we were beginning to doubt bis possession, Its a fine rendering of the part and one of which he may be Justly proud, The minor parts are ade- quately done and the scenle efects are excel- tent ‘The characteristic music of Almé Lachaume which accompantes the action 14 successful In ‘that It asid4 to the tlusion Instead of detracting from It as auch efforts frequently do. w Yorkers may not lke this play as tt ine Volves some mental effort to enjoy it, ‘The fact remains that artistically It 1s @ success and & credit to tts producers, . . . ME SAVAGE of the Castie Square Opera Com- pany, and Mr. Grau, of the Metropolitan, have Joined hands to produce grand opera tn English with all the resources of the Metropoll- tan This tsa good thing for the public because {t will have an opportunity to hear Engitsh opera wt Its best, for Mr. Savage because it will enable him to realize his highest ambitions ax a dis- penser of good muste, and for Mr. Gran because he may imbihe from Mr Savage some improved ideas and methods in dealing with a generous public, OTHING but the gen. eral excellence of the company and the stage management at Daly's raves AD Interrupted Honey- moon” from being ® dire and dreadful failure. Both resources could have heen used to so much better advantage that It seems a pity to waste such good effort on such poor matertal, This ts notably true in the cases of Mary Mannering, Mr. Edward J. Morgan and Mr. John Mason, ‘They all have ungrateful parts, The play Itself deals with the mistaking of a couple who planned a clandestine luncheon for « young bride and groom who were expected for a honeymoon. This highly original compttcation ts made more complicated by the Introduction of the bride's doting papa and the clandestine, married lady's prying sister-in-law looking for evidence ‘on which her brother may secure a divorce. Misa Hilda Spong hasa fatrly good part as the wife who appears guilty, but lsn't, and Is afterwards, in nome hazy way pecullar to the English play- wright with s dificult third act on nis bands, Proved tnnocent. The plece Is called a comedy on the programme and by grace of Mr. Dante! Frohman's excellent company may pass for that, The same matertal In the hands of a competent French writer might have made @ farce of the kind produced by the Syndicate and in which nelther Mr, Axa Bird Gardiner nor the yellow press see any indecency. IFE this week omits the Ist distinguishing the plays that are clean from those thatare not. The chan in Dill at several theatres make It seem poralble at pres- ent writing that during the week including the date of this Issue of LIFE the New York stage may be free from plays thatare unseemly. This 1s an unusual state of affaira whose continuance is devoutly to be wished, But we still have with us the Theatrical Syndidate waiting til the clouds roll by, Metcalfe. comicbooks.com