The evening world. Newspaper, April 5, 1921, Page 21

| Rostand’s Last Play Finally Sees the Light * “LAST NIGHT OF DON JUAN” . } Noted French Playwright Wrote It Ten Years Ago; Postponed First by War, Then by Dramatist’s Death— Not Acted Even Yet Explores the Psychology of Traditional Betrayer of 1,003 Women. By Marguerite Mooers Marshall. Coprright, 1921, by the Press Pulliahing Oo. (The Now York Evening Wortd. HE LAST NIGHT OF DON JUAN," the last work of the great l’renan dramatist Kdmond Rostand, lias just been given to the public, and “as it proves to be a work fully worthy of the pen of the author of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” “Chantecler” and “L'Aigion.” In two acts and a prologue, the play explores the psychology and de- Pa he = hrs xem soribes the ultimate fate of Don Juan. traditional betrayer of women commits the unpardonable sin—{« #m against the heart. For originality 2% conception, for poetic beauty, for sheer, satiric brilliancy in the treat ment of the Eternal Masculine, “Tx , Last Night of Don Juan” is the most » fmportant plece of dramatic writing Ym recent years. Completed in 1911 *8\tg production on the stage was twice “postponed—once by the Great War, again by the death of Rostand him- who self, in 1918. It has just been pub- ished, however, in the pages of ._ LDiustration, from which the picture ‘accompanying this article is taken. ‘2 m the prologue, Don Juan is res (Sted from his conventional fa De EDMOND Li ROSTAND ~omeending the stairway “odtted by the statue of the Command “er, his gallant bearing touches th into heart of that old warrior, who offer him a respite provided the Devil will ision they) had agree. «Although Don Juan's cloak w alone, and the anstias been caught by the claw of the aughter is that which they shared ri wtween them but which no a 8 persuaded to grant his 7 datter, he is persuaded srant BIS inan ever heard.” Furiously, the man . disciple ten years more on earth, since who knew all about women pursues Don Juaf points out that there still his quest; the curtain falls on him : ‘aie “ rushing frantically from one ghost to any sins for him to commit remain many sins for hin mit. another, the silver candelabra in his |, The ten years a up on the night hand; at the beginning of the second ‘when the first act opens in the supper «nd last act he still is searching—in room of the Venetian palace, overlook- Y\n—and day is about to break. : Neverthe! s ig the Adriatic, where Don Juan is on erercieas We loved each oth living. He tells his vale narelle, might have Joved each other!” sigh the ghosts. "You have se known nothing! ay #hat he is devoted to the Adriatic t suepuse it is married—ref » of gourse, to the old ceremony by which this sea was wedded yearly to the °*'Doge of Venice, who cast into it a ceniketien ring. Sganarelie reminds him # "hat “the hour approacnes” when the Evil One will claim bis soul, but Don Swan, still gayly insolent, plans to cel- **ebrate his last night with a supper, « all and, after the ball, the usual “?'fttite of Don Juan's usual ne>°¥rom the street below + !\@ry of a puppet showman, *Warelle calls him in to amuse Dog Juan aijttsupper. The showman proves to be evil himself in disguise. mn Juan, undaunted, asks the De to their al regions. m nothing! Yow have You have had noth- is the Devil's scathing summary. Sut, even if I did not know you, L dominated you—in that sense, 1 pc ed. 1 corrupted. I seduced you, cries Don Juan, “When we persuaded you to It,” re- plies a ghost. “You proudly dictated hat was our will.” "Oh, bow LI seduced the magnet!’ the iron said to itself," dryly com- ments the Devil, Then Don Juan takes a new tack. t, he says, he has the distinc- the iron~the distinction of pleasing the magnet. Whereupon the thousand and three ladies tell him the petty, superficial pleased them; ‘‘be- aon! 25 sup with him, p ture for the infer! Do: he ©f Juan boasts of his cleverness, his dar- with you one blushes ing, his joy in life the pride of facing so wef And I carry you away omijgnted with having lived ? then, de- asks the parisons," “because of a © composed of mild t and of the u jeove I am the only hero that humanity, -p-at bottom, admires!” proclaims Don acduan. “Why, read their books! See “dir plays! Everything proves it! ‘Mote with what a glittering eye vir- eertua abhors me. What power do 50 erffmany dull and sluggish men antici- pate save that of believing themselves <1for an hour what I am always! Ob- serve with what ardor of literary ex- 1 anything else Kiven Prince Charming admits that he detests this sort of glory, “But, at least, 1 Was the one who left you,” he “for ten years I have run my life's course without law and order.” “Because you were afraid to stop elf,” «he Devil points out. and of envy the profes- ou fled from woman to woman, as nose is thrust into my life! flees from tree to tree before an AWtio does not secretly admire me for her whom one fears,” charges the taking the kiss that he felt himself ghost. "With each new body encoun- tered on his road he made a rampart agai an old love," challenges an- other: “You were afraid!" they cry all togeth That h Don too indolent or too ugly t am every man’s home ‘There is no work, the is no virtue, Ro science and no faith which is othe) than an expression of regret for not being I. I—I have possessed!” d no rivals among men is Juan's next defe: e° But, dear iminoralist, w have | Whereupon half the women sigh, ci i © “Romeo!” The other half nrurmur, eae poner? mildly ‘inquires the “Romeo!” Don Juan calls Sganarelle to bring “They are lovers,” points out one fee list of the thousand and three la- ghost. “You profiting from the weak- oo fee whom he has loved and van- Ness left in our souls by these names, ry ed. you, plunderer, your only achievement terhat is possessing?” again in- W4s finishing off the wounded. Even wi we love you, it is they who are quires the Devil. “It is nothing more +, ea the g for it is they whom we Soe IT knew them," argues Don blaapheme. Their glory troubles you! "Soan, “the name, the date, the reason, You had only women—but not one woman!" anthe He—all their secrets Devil bids him tear up the list, whole alphabet, from A to Z wi lhe bits of white paper dance madly wuto the music of the Devil's violin; Don Juan's next argument is that he, more than any other, made women suffer. To prove ix the Devil collects in a cup from the eyes of the ghosts ye a rn the congealed tears of their bitterest float over the lagoon; they turn t eee caviolen the gondolas approach &Tiefs. ‘Then he tests them with a 4ehe terrace; from lands a lady, }ens——and finds that all save one are + resume of all love in her frail because they were in equipment—the mask, the cloak, the Net ae oe fom —until flitting about one takes Don Juan, my \ifamand the rose”—un 5 ne. taken Don Juan my 4 Dea Juan are the ghosts of his thou- ford oneself the luxury of knowing gand and three loves. 7 ‘ : . ; eo me the Devil telis him, “re- byw he makes one suffer M iene He uded in her cloak, be- , Suddenly the hand of the Devil is maining shroud“di draw for you in burnt—he has touched a true tear. ‘three words the portrait of her soul sue fee ree ae Senet 7 s ) sheds it for Don and de ape tell her name the maak 7 oi's ang Yet he fails to rec- : » OBNize her, ¢ hen she takes off Confidently Don Juan essays the Penize ber, tven wien 6 3 5 a ia costs mask. He cannot find her name task. One after the othen the #host® othe copy of his famous list, which “whisper a message in his ear. wnin a single instance does he guess cor- pecially, bother the Devil takes from his own pocket, “Must I be punished,” asks Don Juan, suddenly understanding, “because allowed the Ideal to escape me only ing," explaina the thelr trie ake pane gus of a thousand and four SES “Only once?" sadly echoes the White Ghost. Then Don Juan arns the truth—that she, the Ide the goul, Was in each love, each woman, . ree if only he had tried to find her vAn Original Play by Even now, When he is given’a last , chance, he cannot be true to Mrs. John Barrymore$ Write we words of his pledge o si pianos faith ss tremble upon his lips th unm kk, nd he ad. IN a recent notice of Michael mits heart for one alone ange's now play, “Claire ) %° ieee Gale new face intrigues me . Stre } " given courage for a new boas de Lune,” it was misstated at he did not love woman, but that tt was a dramatic version seareh for n, that she was inspiration, you done with the ghosts clamor us an ace ales of ot of a part of one of the Victor Hugo. As a matter fact, “Claire de Lune” is an accu: ron hic! , In what Ode did the rose flow wopr ti hich are intro- again SemApel pley inte whi i tors ot 9 that, departing in the morning, you uced a few of the characters of @ pincked from my hedge? What did ‘one of Victor Hugo's stories. Michael Strange a Mrs, John Barrymore's pen name you do with the kiss which, since I Was a queen, should have compelled you to become a king?” And they over him with their ultimate scorn, “for having made of us—wishing only oy ‘THE EVENING WORLD, TUESDAY, APRIL &, 1921. By Maurice Ketten | Conryrietit Brew Pa ty The ran (The New Yor Evening Nou BouauT) | YES ITSAVERYY th ACRAZTY / | QLD House. / ee. LOOKING:( {| JOHN HAD IT _ HOUSE {ALL REMODELLE D y J a, \\ [COQEROC THESINK ) \Yes, HE PLUNBER MADE ISINTHE ./ ) A MISTAKE LAYING BeEDRooN!\ = ( THE Pipes oR >, a ES, A NISTAKE ) THE ARCHITECT / MADE IN THE — THEY MADE LOTS OF MISTAKES / IN THE PLANS fu Y€s, BUT ITS NOT ENTIRELY / THEIR FAULT A KITCHEN STOVE INTHE PARLOR | J )_ Yes, THe CONTRACTOR J MADE A) \nistare f/ eae decd IN REMODELLING THE BASEMENT THEY FOUND A LOT oF VERY OLD Booze HIDDEN IN THE CELLAR: COOKING HELPS. BOTTLH or jar of beef ex- A tract should have a place in every kitchen. It is so handy as a base for gravy when warming over meats. If there is not sufficient soup to go around for dinner, a little beef extract and hot water added to the stock on hand will make a good soup. Or it can be added to vegetable soup to give the meat flavor. It may help out in the meat pie. There are numerous uses for it in cooking; but be sure to bay an extract whose label is a guarantee of quality. When you cream carrots add half a teaspoonful of onion juice and a dash of nutmeg to the white sauce. You will like the improved flavor. Very often the failure to pro- duce a perfect food is due to inferior ingredients. The very best cooks cannot make good things out of indifferent materi- als, To secure good results everything that goes into a cake, or any other mixture, must be of the very best quality, An ex- perienced housekeeper recently said: “Keep your shelves filled with only high-quality staple foods and half the worry of cooking will vanish.” House- wives would do well to bear this in mind. for us—the Woman who forever leads only to Woman; for having made of love, which be’ detames, am which can lead only to mome Then Don Juan discovers hel! realization, in the mon that he has done nothing, nothing, t nothing will survive him, ‘Do you understand this suf- fering?” he asks the Devil, who re- plies: “It is mine! That !s hell, No creator is there." Stul a shrewder punishment is re served for the end of Don Juan. He assumes a last defiant pose— a cour: ageous readiness to plunge into the flames of hell, the flames he has won The Devil undeceives him, “Hell ts where I make it,” he observes; "I ain the judge of hells.” And he sentences Don Juan to an eternity ax the pup pet, Polichinelle, in the theatre of th: puppet showman. . I shal make th ex flare-up of sex van It is at this speech that the tear up and dis- ity, of the White Ghost drie: appears; the Devil effects Don Juan's complete transformation; he defiantly sings Polichinelle’s song; and the White Ghost, as the cur murmurs, “What a pity!" An Artist’s Conception of Don Juan’s Last Night, Surrounded by the hadows of His 1,003 Heart Conquests I “CROWN PRINCE” OTTO 3° having. Ye EX-EMPEROR CARL'S ELDEST SON NEW and exctustye photo of A the edidest son of ex-Emperor Carl of Austria, who now re- sides with his family in Switzerland, He fled there from his native land. MODERN MAID BY MOARGUERITE MOSCERS MARSHALL + Copyright, 1921, by the Press Publishing Co. (The Mew Tork Evening World.) N the game of love many women cheat, some hold good hands, & few ° eternally play dummy—and only rarely does anybody win a prize yrorth Celeste, men are superior to women in mentality—thats why « OF: A man succeeds in persuading his wife always to remind him to wind the clock, write his thank-you notes and renew the lease on the summer bun- galow. Jealousy may be the salt of court- ship, but after marriage the salt has lost tts savor. i One ginnce at the foot-wide floppy brim of the Faster hat shows that faces are not betng worn this season. Wherever there's a femfirine chicken,” look for a maecdfjne “pind.” 1 “A Nttle more than kin and iss than kind” adequately defines the kiss with which a woman maked a point of greeting her dearest enemy. Why is it that an otherwise epu- servative and law-abiding bushand and father insists on inciting revolu- tion among the children against thieir mother’s dietetic rule? i Haster parade etiquette this year involved clever explanations from each “parader” who met a friend as to why he—or she—was not at At- lantic City or in the country. That sign of spring: The editor comes back from lunch bearing a new golf club. Reno—the land of the about-tihbe free and the home of the divorce lawyer. ; i Ts Copyrteht, 1931, by the Pree Publishing Co. (The New York Prening World.) 66 (YPRTAINLY beads and bead Gc trimmings” seem to be i style again,” said Mra. Jarr, as she dragged Mr. Jarr up in front of a store window and held him cap- tive while she gazed long and ear- nestly at the simpering wax dummy ladies adorned with beaded attire, “L wonder if I shouldn't get one of those bead looms and make up eome de- signs for mysclf “gure!” replied Mr. Jarr, “And get me a bead loom too, and [li make me a nice bead necktie or beaded band for my Panama hat— won't I look grand?” “You needn't sneer!" said Mra. Jare. “But then you always sne when I say I need any clothes or that I think the new styles are nice. Beaded dresses are very pretty and it acems to me that the skirts are , if anything.” ‘anything’ is right,” asserted Mr, Jarr. ‘There goes a dame old enough to now better and I don’t know what she’s wearing, if any- thing, in the shape of a skirt under that fur coat. But I am not sneer- ing. I dare not.” “if you are not sneering you are making fun," replied = Mrs. . “which is all the same, and if I say a word you only insist that I have no sense of humor, and if there is one thing above all others that hurts ny feelings it is to be accused of yaving no sense of humor. How vould I have borne with you all these years if I hadn't a sense of humor “We were talking about beaded styles and not about any one’s sense of humor,” remarked Mr. Jarr. “I happened to say that I'd be glad to selp you knit beads or weave beads ir sew beads or string beads or any- shing.”” “put you did laugh at that woman PFAMLY: . OW CARDELL. «+ ‘ who just went by,” Mrs. Jarr went on, “and what hurt my feel wasn't because you laughed at re but because you were not redily lnughing at her; you were laughing At me because I took an interest; in the styles.” “Yet, if I took an interest simply | me; you'd be angry—especially has “You were interested enovgh in the “I didn’t see any skirt she ft “If any what?” asked Mrs. Jarre) all she was wearing, for all we cgpid I don't believe in going to #dch took @n interest in the styles wort! dress skirt that woman wore Mr. Jarr retorted. “That's “If any skirt. Her coat came! to see,” Mr. Jarr explained. | a lengths” remarked Mra. Jarr, some- in the styles, you woutdn't laugh, at other women,” Mr. Jarr insisted. just passed,” said Mra. Jarr, 2 her knees, and that might have béen “Well, short skirts are the style, what moliified. “And I was tell you that I think some of bead trimmings on those di very beantiful, but a Grae rg with beads is so conspicuous body remarks it.” “T've a great idea,” said Mr. Jarr. “Reads are fashionable and beads are made of glass; short skirts are also fashionable, so why not combine the two things and make short skirts! of beads, or, say, glass dresses? “You come right in this store with me and buy me a nice dress!” j Mrs. Jarr, grasping him tightly by sy arm. “All you are trying to do, make me angry by your silly 50 j 1 will forget what [ brought downtown with me for, After T the dress you can talk as «ily a® have a mind to.” * ‘And she led him in, a lamb, te-the slaughter sale. COURTSHID~* MARRIAGE BY BETTS Comma, 66 TEAR Miss Vincent: Re- cently | have met @ young man who hi confessed his love for me and | eo returned it. But he h fault. He is intolerably j: of me. Now, Miss Vincent, him and do not care for any one else, but as we are not engaged | accept the invitations of other young men to go out. However, it him hurt ind to s Wo! me to refuse to and go out with him . man who is not engage: ht to demand all of a young lady's time. However, you seem tb care a great deal for this chap and if you do not wish to lose his love I think perhaps you better give up your other friends. “Dear Miss Vincent: Is it proper for a young man to keep the let- ters sent to him by a girl? My friend has had a quarrel wit ying that she will not write until | have destroyed all x Ne Young people should not write let- ters which cannot be kept. Hven a love letter should be so worded and expressed that one does not have to hide or burn it “Dear Miss Vincent: 1 have known a young girl for a long time, but whenever | ask her to go out with me she says her arents would not allow to. Bo you think it. would be right for me to speak of them? =.” By all means go to the parents and if they approve of you no doubt they will give thelr consent to let you take the young lady out. I should think you would be glad that some 3 are still old-fashioned. Mise Vincent: 1 “Dear am nineteen years of age and went about with a young boy whose home it wi for more He returned to hi a year ago and is out wanted me to marry and return with him. | was eo young at the time that | eaid we had better wait, but he promised to return and marry me whenever | wrote for him to come, After hie return have tried to seldom writes, 1921, ty the Preas Publishing On. (The New York Evening World.) VINCENT a forget him because | am afraid’ Jovea another, but | love him much that | know my heart break. What do you thin had better do? M. Since this young man has declared his love for you and sald he would return to New York to marry you, you would be perfectly conventional in telling him how you miss him and wish he would visit the city again If there is a spark of the old love left he will certainly come to you or at least write you « letter which will assure you of his affection. OLLY put the pure bread on Polly put the sure bread on Polly put the Bond Bread on That just suits me. ° | |