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M. Saks, the director of the Second
Avenue Theatre, asked me to try to engage Ludwig Satz for the
coming season in the Second Avenue Theatre. At the same
time, I received a letter from the Artists' Union in Warsaw,
that Samuel Goldinburg lies in a hospital and cannot travel
back by himself, without a companion. I found that I was needed to be the companion. I mean that Goldinburg
deserves it from all of us.
"To tell you the truth, I also had
a third intention -- to get acquainted with the situation of
Yiddish theatre in Poland, and you can easily establish
relationships with the Artists' Union due to future work
among our organizations."
Guskin raised one part of his mission.
In Antwerp he happened upon Ludwig Satz, who played there
with great success, and Satz will play in the coming season
in the Second Avenue Theatre.
"He will play roles that he has played
before in the first years of his career, when he made his
great name as a character-comic," according to Guskin.
That said, that Satz will ... this
coming season in the Second Avenue Theatre, meanwhile he
sends a greeting to everyone of his friends here; he will return
here in the summertime.
From Antwerp Guskin traveled to Warsaw
to take Goldinburg and travel with him back home. Upon
arrival, he realized that the patient had recovered so much
that he was able to recover on his own.
"I am of course pleased that Goldinburg
is no longer sick," said Guskin.
"And what about the intention you had
of making connections with the Artists' Union about
unitary work?" -- asked the "Forward" contributor.
"It is difficult to answer this
question," said Guskin. "Unfortunately the two leaders of
the Artists' Union, who I happened upon in Warsaw, would not
show the relationships that would encourage what it is being
negotiated. Their hospitality was very strange. I could not
come together with the broader membership, so unfortunately
all of my plans did not come to fruition."
Guskin knew the situation of the
Yiddish Theatre in Poland, though not as thoroughly as he would
have liked. He spent only a few days there.
According to Guskin, there now exists
four union theatres [in Warsaw] and an amateur troupe with Dr. Weichert
as the stage director. The theatres are the Kaminski, an
outspoken theatre; Nowości, Smocza, Yung-Theatre and the
Skala. The one that is most successful is the Nowości, where
the "Ararat" appears. The other theatres, however, according
to the remaining theatres and
circumstances are also struggling.
However they are "members' troupes,"
which play, that is, as cooperatives, according to the mark
system. Only in Lodz, where Tselmeister is the director, are
actors organized wage-wise as we are in America.
"In my opinion," says Guskin, "the
field of Yiddish theatre in Poland is vast. Despite the
bitter poverty, the audience arrives at the Yiddish theatre
in the middle of the week, as well as on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday. And don't forget that they don't have any benefits
like we do. They come to the box office.
"In addition, they have a considerable
province, with stars who are not far from each other. With
us, you know, the strengths among the cities are great, and
the stars, where one can play Yiddish theatre are only
getzelte, still great. In Poland, a city of two-thousand
Jewish inhabitants, is a manageable field for Yiddish
theatre. It is packed."
Guskin believes that the Yiddish
theatre there helps under the expensive prices that they
charge in the movies, as well as the national feeling of a
large part of the Jewish youth.
If the field for Yiddish theatre is in
such favor there, why is there a lack of private
entrepreneurs? Why must actors have to direct theatres
and also act in members' troupes?
Guskin did not want to answer the
question after a short visit. He pointed to this in passing,
that the form of the management in the Artists' Union is not
healthy and must not appeal well to the theatre profession.
The large membership of the Artists' Union can never speak,
unless harshly criticized, if necessary, by the leadership.
"Leadership?," Guskin explained: "In
New York, at
least once a month every actor who is in New York
can come and negotiate the business of his organization. If
he is not happy, he gets up at a meeting and speaks. He can
come to the Executive Board, which has meetings every week,
and have a word there.
"In Poland it is different. Once a year
in Warsaw they hold a meeting of the delegates of the
special troupes. The great majority of the actors cannot
express themselves. The delegates inherit a management of
five people who must guide the important works for an entire
year until the next meeting. The fact is that two or three
members of the management often are traveling around the
province, leaving the entire management of the union in the
hands of two people.
"I want to stress that the 'think and
fail,' the broad membership, does not have the possibility to
come to speak out and have a direct effect on the work of their
organization. This, in my opinion, is not a healthy
condition. He cannot effect for the good on the business
side of the Yiddish theatre.
This is how it is possible for all
actors to be employed, to play. But they have no earnings,
neither do they make a living. And earning a living is not
for those who play for "Jews" in a members' troupe.
About the repertoire that is played in
the Yiddish theatres, Guskin did not want to speak about
this after his short visit. His impression is that they feed
themselves with the plays from America. Often they change
the name of a play. Then, when the American guest comes
there, unfortunately, they often come there dispirited
because the plays have already been played. If social
relations with the Artists' Union had been established, the
regulation of repertoire could also have been established
between the two countries.
In Belgium there exists one Yiddish
theatre, according to Guskin, and it has not only fine
actors, but also a very beautiful audience. When times were
better, Antwerp and Brussels would be prosperous cities for
Yiddish theatre. Now Ludwig Satz is playing there, and the
theatre is constantly packed.
The situation in France is difficult
for the actor, according to Guskin. The earnings are from
thirteen to twenty dollars a week. Playing theatre there is
associated with large taxes. Twelve percent of the take goes
to the government, twelve -- to the author. Even if the
author had received his, however, he seldom sees a penny.
Two-thirds of his twelve percent goes to the manager of the
business.
Recently the situation became worse due
to the persecution of foreigners; two to three times a week
"raids" occur on the streets and in the cafés. The public
sits at home because they fear going out somewhere. From this
the theatre is not healthy. Lately the number of unemployed
in Paris has grown strongly.
The acting family in Paris, Guskin
tells, received him with a rare warmth. He brings a greeting
from Ola Lilith and Willy Godik, who have played there for a
couple of years. She plays now on the Polish stage as a
star, and Godik took an important position in "Ararat."
Guskin visited the Medem Sanatorium in
Otwock, with Comrade Sh. Mendelson as his guide. The
sanatorium made a rare impression on him.
"It was said here that you were in
danger of bringing in new talent from Poland," the writer
told Guskin.
"I only brought Satz and Goldinburg,"
Guskin immediately replied. "In Poland quite good actors are
found, but the number of the young talents is very small. I
do not know what is being said here, but what I am telling
you is the true truth of my vision of Europe. I have no
secrets." |
