| Show AMERICAN THEATRES SEEM SO IN NAME RESULT IN MUCH TALKING BUT NO DIRECT ACTION t By B JAMES JAUS W V DHAN DrAN NEW YORK May 6 B The Tho Tho movement movement m ment nt to establish a theatre ot of 1 b L land for tor or the American people seems eem to have resulted In much talking ta and no- no no direct action toward that end ond land Earlier In the season In nn ebullience ebullience hence of ot spirit resulting from tho the very ery cry excellent production of ot Peer by tho the Theatre Guild I pro pro- proclaimed pro proclaimed claimed that the guild In n Amerle stands for tor what the Moscow Art theatre stands tor for In Russia N now recant The Theatre Guild ha has produce six ph this season bason six piau which the most worth worth- worthwhile worthWhile worth worthwhile while contribution to the stage b by any ono group this year However How only one of ot those ph pl s The Adding Machine was waa b bv an American pla pia playwright wright Tho The others I I represent Slovakia Czecho-Slovakia ohla akia and Nor Norway Norai nY The ot of several averal of ot them was b by a RUb Rus- Ru alan sian The cats ets often Included prin principals from other countries I 1 he ho Theatre Guild hoc hM done no- no notable no notable table things In the theatre It ha done doneen se ven en little toward to the devel devel- development op nent ot of o the theatre as anmer an Amer- Amer AmerIcan merI merlean lean Ican art I Now 10 consider the Iho American Na- Na National Ka Theatre It was wan r under understood tood that this hea headed 1 by 11 Augustus Thorn Thomas S ca as formed to develop the tho drama asan as asan an American art Its It name namo indi indicates cates that at lea leat t I IThe I The first production of ot this or- or or organization is As You Like It It written bv by one William Shake Shake- speare an Englishman who vho dl died d when only a very small part of or Ar Api- Api erica An-erica I erica had been explored The play Is performed by a 0 halt English h cast When en supporters ot of o the guild or ot of the American National say that either of ot them are doing doms for tor the American theatre what the Moscow Art theatre lj IJ doing for Russia Russi the tIie are mouthing empty words I The Moscow troup Is COMposer composed of Russians directed by n a Russian lot and pia lug plays by Russians When some group of ot artists artist does something on that bibis tor for Amen Ameri America ca ca we thai shall hall begin to develop elop theatre e indigenous O to America The last lut production of ot the tho Thea Thea- Theatre Theatre Theatre tre Guild for tor the thc season is Shaws Shaw's The The Devils Devil's Disciple a story ot of the American Revolution Re Written some 25 ears cars ago aso It reflects th tho same satirical boldness that has hoiS marked all of ot his hIB works but It Is IsI I I expressed in broa broa er terms tham thal some ot of o his liEs plays of ot a ag age Isome It alo has DIU a weakness that one dos not find In his later pia pias s that Is Its Ineffective e ending Some have hase I I i z I j I 7 Q a aI I hw Left to right Young Lotus RobS and Sydney In the Theatre Guild production or of ha Dc 11 s been boen disposed to criticize the play play- players ers ens or the tho director for tor the tho letup In action at the final curtain The flaw is in the pla At the moment 1 can think of or no nl play which has been ben e 1 Ith with co balanced sowell-balanced 0 well balanced i t c cat t Basil Sydney and Roland Young respectively Dick Du Dudgeon an Infidel and Gen Gen- General Gen Gon General eral oral Burgoyne are top hole Mor- Mor Moffat tat Mot tat fat Johnston B Berley erley e Lotus Robb and Martha Bran Al AI Alien len ien range ranse with w them v 9 9 Doubtlessly As You Like It as as selected as 03 the Initial hy ot of oth th the i American National Theatre bL- bL causa b cause causo ot of its artistic possibilities Ono One would therefore expect t those I pOSSIbilities to be realized In a greater measure n by such an organ organ- organIzation organization than by the tho usual ommer Iclal commer-Iclal elal cial manager The Tho truth of ot the matter is that this thia production ot of ofAs As s You Like It In no way equals the production of ot Romeo and Ju- Ju Juliet Ju Juliet liet by the Sol ns The The Met Mer Merchant chant hant of ot Venice by Belasco or Han et bv 5 b Arthur The lovely and very tory ory feminine Marjorie Rambeau au Is 15 poorly suited to the part of oC Rosalind in the forest scenes The role rolO of ot hoyden boyden is Ie ju juet t not In her line lino What hat hat seemed the ono one on perfect pe pe- pe Corm nce to me was that of ot Mo Mar Mar- Mar Mar-galo galo gab Gillmore as a Celi The Incongruity of ot various arious arlou nc- nc accents ac accents cents ent of ot others In the tho cast cant rasped the cars ears |
