The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-09
The Dramatic Censorship in England.
Prom the Pail Mall Gascue.

Inc recent Intervention of the Lord Cham
periain In regard to stage costume has natu-
Lany directed attention 20 the powers and
outies OF his office. Some interesting evidences
on these points was given bstore Committee
OF the House of Commons a couple OF wears
ago py Lord Sydney and Mr.. w. b. Donne.
LORD sydney was then, as now, Lord Cham
DeIian, and expressed himself quite satisfied
win the authority vested in his Office. His
department had, he said, sufficient powers for
al necessary purposes He could, if he
thought proper, interdct either the produc-
lion OF new play or the repetition OF an old
one; he exercised general supervision over
the internal arrangements of the theatres
under bis Jurisdiction, both before and behind
the curtain, in regard to everything affecting
the safety of audience or performers. AS to
dramatic literature his powers were absolute
and Unlimited. He had only to say, Such
and such piece or part Of piece is improper,
and II 1t were produced on the stage in
denanoe OF his interdict, he could stop the
managers license. He held that he
could withdraw license in the middle of the
year, or at any moment, If anything were
oone by the manager against the tenor of it..
as regards such matters as precautions against
dancers catching fire, etc., he found managers
generally willing to carry out his suggestions,
but his authority was so far only negative he
could threaten not to renew the license when
1t expired at the end of the year. In 1865
the admission of gentlemen behind the scenes
at her Maesty's Theatre but he declined. He
understood that visitors made their way there
without Mr.. Mapleson's permissisn and acci-
dents resulted, some of the singers dresses
being burnt; that of Mad'lle lima de Murska
among others. The Lord Chamberlain held
that in that case the responsibility must rest
with the manager, and refused to interpose.
Mr.. William Bodham Donne supplied more
detailed information as to the working of the
censorship. The Office of examiner of plays,
which he has filled for some years, was first
established by act of Parliament in 1877.
Walp0le was very much annoyed by the
covert hits at himself and Lord Townshend in
the characters of "Peachum" and "Locket"
in the Beggar's Opera, and also by threat
ened continuation of that famous piece, under
the title Of Polly. play entitled the Golden
Rump, full of political illusions and grossness,
which was laid before him by the manager OF
the Goodman's-felds Theatre, exhausted his
patience, and he brought in the measure now
known as the 10th Of George III. All plays
performed at any theatre in Great Britain
must first go through Mr.. Donne's hands. In
addition to O modest annual salary, he re-
ceives a fee for every piece he reads-f2 Is.
for five and more acts; f1 Is. for less than
five acts; 5s. for new song. II he finds any
Objectionable passages he marks them on the
license, with q direction to omit them in
representation; II doubtful about the
whole bearing Of the piece, he refers
it to the Lord Chamberlain to confirm or
reverse his decision upon it. When license
is altogether refused, he is in the habit of
giving reason for it (although, according to
Lord Sy dnsy, not bound to do SOY, such as
Indecent, profane, reigiously or politically
Objectionable" Since he entered Office, from
1857 to 1866, he has read as many as 1900
plays. Only comparatively small proper
tiOn of these-seven in all-has been rejected,
and the number of rejsctions has diminished
very much of late years. ''All the excisions, I"
he said, (which / made in 1865 would not
occupy more than sheet of paper; not be-
cause overlooked what was wrong In them,
but because they did not require it." His
busiest time is in December, just before Box
ing Night; in the course Of that month he has
some twenty-seven pantOmimes and bur-
lesques to read, besides five or six regular
plays intended for production later in the
season. When any words have to
ink He seldom has occasion to visit theatre
TO see whether his instructions are carried
out-not three times in year. When he
hears of any transgressions, he executes jus.
tice at once by telling the manager he must
either Withdraw his play or mind what is said
to him." All the action of the ballets and
psntomimes is written in detail, in addition
to the dialogue, but "gag" Is beyond his
reach. Clown and Pantaloon can say wha
they please--there is no possibility of pre-
venting them. In regard to opera, Mr.
Donne is disposed to be more indulgent thar
in regard to the ordinary drama. 81 think,
he said, ''that If there is musical version Of
piece, ii makes o difference for the story i
then subsidiary to the music. :. (h
an opera) it must be something almost of
scandslous character to warrant interference
Where there is an obvious intention, or
very strong suspicion OF an intention, to max
wrong appear right, or right appear wrong
these are the cases in which l interfere; o
those in which there is any open scandal, o
any inducement to do wrong is offered. Blu
stage morality is-the morality OF th
stage, and generally quite as goo
as the morality of the hteratur
of fiction" Mr.. DOnne holds that tn
propriety of a piece depends good deal o
the circumstances of the day, especially
the case of political illusions. As instancs
of pieces prohibited after having once passe
the censorship, and having bee4 actually PEI
formed, he mentioned Jack Sheppard an
Oliuer Twist. King Lear was also interdicte
during George HIPS madness for thirtee
years; so was Ruy Bias in French befol
Queen Victoria's marriage, but 1t has SIM
been produced in an English version. Scril
tural subjects are rigidly prohibited. On'
an application was made to license dram
founded on the story of Joseph and
brethren, but II was refused "because 1t w
almost the Scriptural story; offers were mac
TO alte, !, but it was impossible to unscri
turslize the plot" In another case, The Pr
dioal Son, license was granted on the groui
that ''the plot of many comedies may real
he said to be the story of prOdigal son