Im bunten Rock

Lustspiel in drei Akten

von

Franz von Schönthan und Freiherr von Schlicht

Aufführungen am

im Irving Place Theatre zu New York.

New York Times vom 8.11.1903

New York Times vom 11.11.1903

New York Times vom 29.11.1903

„The New York Times” vom 8.Nov. 1903:

Comedy and drama will both hold sway at the Irving Place Theatre this week. Tomorrow evening one more performance of “Alt Heidelberg” will be given. Tuesday night Schiller's “Kabale und Liebe” will be presented. Saturday morning at 10 o'clock a special performance of “Wilhelm Tell” will be given at half prices. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings and at the Saturdaymatinée the offering will be “Im Bunten Rock”. The cast of this last production follows: [s. Besetzungsliste]

„The New York Times” vom 12.Nov. 1903:

„Im bunten Rock.”

There was lots of merriment at the Irving place Theatre last night. The occasion was the first performance in this city of a new three-act comedy – „Im Bunten Rock” (in uniform) – by Franz von Schönthan und Baron von Schlicht.

In this last comedy Mr. von Schönthan exploits the little weaknesses of the German upper and middle classes.

The play hinges around a pretty and rich American widow, who is visiting her uncle, a wealthy manufacturer, in Berlin. This worthy bourgeois is ambitious to get out of his class into that above him. The wealth of his niece attracts many titled fortune hunters, and the manufacturer bathes in the sunshine of their presence until he realizes what they are there for. Then he discourages them, for he wants to marry his niece to his only son. The widow, however, prefers the hand of a dashing young nobleman of the Imperial Hussars, and finally gets him, while the bourgeois uncle is appeased by the marriage of his son to the young nobleman's sister, for, reasons this rich old „climber”, with so many family connections with the nobility he cannot fail to be admitted to their circle.

Max Haenseler as the manufacturer brought salvos of laughter from the audience. Matthias Claudius, as his son, in uniform looked dapper, and acted with snap. Otto Ottbert once more proved his right to be called the German theatre's „bon vivant par excellence”. Gustav von Seyffertitz as a young man with no business but that of trying to hold off his creditors was delicious.

Of the women Camilla Dalberg as the American widow carried off the honors. Ida Frey did full justice to a good bit, as a French maid. Hedwig von Ostermann had not many opportunities as the dashing Lieutenant's sister, but she was good in what she had to do. The others in the long cast acquitted themselves well.

„The New York Times” vom 15.Nov. 1903:

“Im Bunten Rock” will be at the Irving Place Theatre another week.

„New York Daily Tribune” vom 17.Nov. 1903:

A military comedy, “Im Bunten Rock” (“In Uniform Gay”), by Von Schönthau and Von Schlicht, had its first presentation at the Irving Place Theatre last evening, before a numerous und appreciative audience. A rich young American widow, visiting her German uncle, is sought by the latter as a desirable wife for his son, Hans, who, however, secretly prefers the pretty sister of another declared suitor of the fair American, one Lieutenant Hohenegg. The lieutenant's reputation as a ladykiller threatens for a time to lose him the widow's favor, but his cleverness in circumventing her efforts to punish him wins him his pardon and her hand. The pretension of an elderly general, who is also devoted to her, add complications to the plot, but they are happily disentangled, and the bluff old warrior yields gracefully to his younger rival. Mme. Camilla Dalberg had a part as the dashing American well suited to her vivacious manner, and Herr Ottbert was a graceful and resourceful soldier-lover. The broader comedy element was furnished by the demonstration of his unfitness for a military life by Hans (Matthias Claudius), and the Betty of Hedwig von Ostermann was arch, coquettish and charming.

„The New York Times” vom 29.Nov. 1903:

This is the last week of “Im Bunten Rock” at Conried's Irving Place Theatre.

„Bühne und Welt” 6. Jahrgg. 1903/04 S. 436:

New York. Das Deutsche Irvingplacetheater wurde mit „Es lebe das Leben”von Sudermann am 1. Oktober eröffnet. Dies war eine ziemlich schwache Vorstellung. Das Drama hielt sich auch nicht lange auf dem Repertoire. Mehrere Wochen regierte dann fast ausschließlich die Posse: „Haberkorn”, „Das Theaterdorf”, „Die lieben Feinde” und besonders „Im bunten Rock” fanden viel Beifall. In letzterem Lustspiel gelang Frl. Dalberg die Miß Clarkson vorzüglich, ebenso Herrn Ottbert der Leutnant.