Life, 1911-05-25 · page 20 of 42
Life — May 25, 1911 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a theater review, not a political cartoon. The author critiques a Bohemian play called "The Clouds" by Jaroslav Kvapil, performed at the Bijou theater. The piece satirizes the play's extreme naturalism—it has virtually no dramatic action, climax, or plot development, simply ending where it began. A former actress returns to her village, briefly tempts a would-be priest to abandon his calling, but ultimately leaves unchanged when confronted with her own moral failings. The reviewer notes the play "out-Ibsens Ibsen" (exceeds even Ibsen's naturalistic minimalism) and argues it lacks broad appeal—unsuitable for "strong men" or "frivolous-minded" audiences. However, the author credits the production's refreshing authenticity: simple staging, restrained acting without melodramatic exaggeration, and lead actress Sara Biala's genuine emotional depth despite minor vocal delivery issues. The satire targets pretentious avant-garde theater that prioritizes philosophical naturalism over entertainment value.
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By a Real Bohemian of Real Bohemia GLANCE over the Confidential Guide will show that A another week brings the virtual close of the present theatrical season. Time was when nothing but actual hot weather closed the theatres. Now the moment the automo- biles and the increased number of country homes begin to exert their charms the playhouses feel the competition in- stantly. The managers know perfectly well on which side their bread is buttered, and electricity being an expensive commodity, the reason for the general darkening of the thea- tres is obvious. OSSIBLY some lover of melodrama, antici- pating the joys of “The Lights 0’ London,” might have made an absent-minded mistake last week and dropped in at a performance of “The Clouds,” which that apostle of the ideal, Mr. Julius Hopp, produced at the Bijou. The absent-minded one would have experienced a wonderful surprise. In the three acts of this play, from the Bohemian of Jaroslav Kvapil, he would have found not one single dramatic situation or climax, using the terms in their usual significance. The play is naturalism reduced, or raised, to a point that out Ibsens Ibsen, Priefly the story is of an actress who comes back to her childhood’s home to find’ that, devoted to the church by a vow of his mother, her former play-fellow had studied for the priesthood and was on the point of taking orders. - Ske had been out in the world and made her place; he had re- mained quiescent and meckly followed the path marked out for him. Stirred by her wonder at his lack'of ambition and somewhat by a feeling her coquetry inspires, he decides to give up the church and join her in the wider world. Then the village priest and the mother get to work on both the young folks. The actress tells the youth that she is not good and that she has been trifling with him. He changes his mind and decides to continue his religious carcer, The actress gocs back to the city. FE Fee FD HAT’S all. Nothing to excite the spectator and very lit- tle that was moving. Hardly any action and almost al’ talk. The story left off exactly where it began. And ye the naturalness of the piece, its freedom from theatric effor: gave it quite a bit of refreshing charm. This was helped b, the character of the staging and the acting. The former wa: extremely simple and the five persons in the cast had beer kept down to an absolute freedom from declamation and ex aggeration of manner. Sara Biala, a young artiste of evi dently foreign extraction, was the actress, but wisely re mae IE: frained from characterizing the part with the usual obvio ness. She has temperament and unusual power of expressi in voice and gesture. If she can overcome some defects vocal delivery there should be a prominent place waiting { her. The others in the small cast, Mr. J. M. Sullivan as th village priest, Mr. H. L, Fraser as the young student, Laur Linden as his mother, and Mr, L. R, Lytton as the countr, doctor, all showed the result of rehearsal in the naturalist method of acting as opposed to the elaborately artificial meth ods to which we are accustomed. A play like “The Clouds” is not meat for strong men nor likely to please the frivolous-minded. If it sets forth any- thing it is that even the best intended parental guidance may sometimes be tyrannical, but this isn’t made at all emph: Taken simply as a bit of stage naturalism it was refreshing and a credit to Mr. Hopp’s persistence in gaining a hearin for a Bohemian dramatist. That seems to be the extent of its significance, From its auspices it might be argued that it was a high-brow play. Quite the contrary. ND, T the end of the season our colored brothers and sisters of the profession get a look in on the New York stage ind “His Honor the Barber,” at the Majestic, is very far from being bad entertainment in the way of a musical show With more expensiveness of staging and costuming it would considerably ahead of some similar attractions which have lately been bidding for approval at the best Broadway the: tres, Aida Overton Walker and S. H, Dudley, the comedia who are the stars of the company, are quite as clever in their work as some of their white competitors. In vivacity and musical ability the chorus can give points to most of the mu. sical show aggregations. The plot hinges on the ambition of the hero to shave the President of the United States, which gives a glimpse of the fun of the libretto, The music is by colored composer, Mr. James Brymm, and shows more o! nality an¢ > “ mony scores heard this n. comicbooks.com