DOI issue:
No. 173 (August, 1907)
DOI article:Singer, Hans Wolfgang: Modern stage mounting in Germany, [2]: Orlik's ,A winter's tale' at Berlin
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20775#0251
Modern Stage Mounting in Germany
poles in the background
presage the festive day,
witnesses whereof we are
soon to become.
We get all the realism
of a May-day, cast in a
Bohemian garb. The
Swains and shepherdesses
come in laughing and
frolicking, romp on the
common, start up a
country dance and a song,
and generally behave as
we may expect to see
them any day, if we take a
trip to their country. For,
of course, Orlik could
choose his models from
the life, since the national
costume of the country
folk has not changed
essentially for centuries.
"a winter's tale": autolycus selling ballads by emil orlik The vividness of the
scene is little less than
accomplish. It is to the acting of the principal overwhelming, and presented after this fashion
characters what the sounding-board is to the string. Shakespere will no longer appear anything like a
The costuming of these scenes was, of course, " past issue," even to the most untutored, who are
equally unrealistic. Orlik, who generally likes to ordinarily bored by every play not full of actuality
put in a telling touch of gay colour here and there and not thoroughly modern. The great feat was
to enliven an indifferent surrounding, exercised to have dismissed Arcadia, and to have supplanted
great reserve in this case. All of the costumes it by something that appeals direct to the actual
were sober and subdued in tone; they even experience of the lookers-on. Even then the
reflected the serious mood of the play, so to speak. realism was not of a spiritless kind; with the eye of
Leontes' black and gold robe was distinctly remin- a fairy-tale illustrator, Orlik had overlooked what is
iscent of Japanese tone values, though not of inessential and unprepossessing in nature, depicting
Japanese drawing. Beyond that there were scarcely her only at her brightest and jolliest.
any subtly tasteful combinations in evidence. The first scene of the fourth act was acted in an
Quite in accordance with the character of the open arcade, from which a view of the shepherds'
play the mounting of the comic parts was altogether common was to be seen. For the introduction to
different, and joyously realistic. Heretofore these Act IV., Time, as chorus, came in before a drop-
scenes have always been located in Arcadia—by scene on which the firmament was painted. This
German stage managers at least. They used to be was perhaps less successful than the rest of the
represented as happening in a wood, which might mounting. The firmament was painted with planets
belong to any country, by swains that were of no and other stars in an arbitrary fashion, neither
nationality whatever. Orlik, himself born in satisfying us as an illusion nor as an allegorical
Bohemia, takes his cue from Skakspere's stage setting for Time's soliloquy.
direction, which speaks of this country, and offers But the two remaining stage decorations, the
us a most lively picture of Bohemian peasant life, prison scene and the one before the palace (Act V.,
When the curtain rises we see the common of a Scene III.) were excellent and worthy of being
Bohemian village, a small hollow of green sward, noted. The stage in each case was a very short
with a few farmhouses beyond, and only a tree or one, and each architectural detail was reproduced
two in full blossom in the foreground. The birds in its actual dimensions. Perspective drawing is,
are singing in the trees (Sada Yacco had this in one of course, what has rendered an ordinary scene-
of her Japanese plays !), and a number of flags on painting so absurd. We see a street scene, which
poles in the background
presage the festive day,
witnesses whereof we are
soon to become.
We get all the realism
of a May-day, cast in a
Bohemian garb. The
Swains and shepherdesses
come in laughing and
frolicking, romp on the
common, start up a
country dance and a song,
and generally behave as
we may expect to see
them any day, if we take a
trip to their country. For,
of course, Orlik could
choose his models from
the life, since the national
costume of the country
folk has not changed
essentially for centuries.
"a winter's tale": autolycus selling ballads by emil orlik The vividness of the
scene is little less than
accomplish. It is to the acting of the principal overwhelming, and presented after this fashion
characters what the sounding-board is to the string. Shakespere will no longer appear anything like a
The costuming of these scenes was, of course, " past issue," even to the most untutored, who are
equally unrealistic. Orlik, who generally likes to ordinarily bored by every play not full of actuality
put in a telling touch of gay colour here and there and not thoroughly modern. The great feat was
to enliven an indifferent surrounding, exercised to have dismissed Arcadia, and to have supplanted
great reserve in this case. All of the costumes it by something that appeals direct to the actual
were sober and subdued in tone; they even experience of the lookers-on. Even then the
reflected the serious mood of the play, so to speak. realism was not of a spiritless kind; with the eye of
Leontes' black and gold robe was distinctly remin- a fairy-tale illustrator, Orlik had overlooked what is
iscent of Japanese tone values, though not of inessential and unprepossessing in nature, depicting
Japanese drawing. Beyond that there were scarcely her only at her brightest and jolliest.
any subtly tasteful combinations in evidence. The first scene of the fourth act was acted in an
Quite in accordance with the character of the open arcade, from which a view of the shepherds'
play the mounting of the comic parts was altogether common was to be seen. For the introduction to
different, and joyously realistic. Heretofore these Act IV., Time, as chorus, came in before a drop-
scenes have always been located in Arcadia—by scene on which the firmament was painted. This
German stage managers at least. They used to be was perhaps less successful than the rest of the
represented as happening in a wood, which might mounting. The firmament was painted with planets
belong to any country, by swains that were of no and other stars in an arbitrary fashion, neither
nationality whatever. Orlik, himself born in satisfying us as an illusion nor as an allegorical
Bohemia, takes his cue from Skakspere's stage setting for Time's soliloquy.
direction, which speaks of this country, and offers But the two remaining stage decorations, the
us a most lively picture of Bohemian peasant life, prison scene and the one before the palace (Act V.,
When the curtain rises we see the common of a Scene III.) were excellent and worthy of being
Bohemian village, a small hollow of green sward, noted. The stage in each case was a very short
with a few farmhouses beyond, and only a tree or one, and each architectural detail was reproduced
two in full blossom in the foreground. The birds in its actual dimensions. Perspective drawing is,
are singing in the trees (Sada Yacco had this in one of course, what has rendered an ordinary scene-
of her Japanese plays !), and a number of flags on painting so absurd. We see a street scene, which