The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-25
Our Centennial Drama Fails to Come.

fore cannot be commenced too soon.
| Our Centennial Drama Fails to Come.
II would unquestionably add great glory
| to our glorious Centennial IL this year
| should witness the production of great
| American drama illustrative of the mo-
mentous events and pivotal characters of
our first hundred years. II SHAKESPEARE
were alive and one OF our favored citizens,
he perhaps could create just the play we
all feel we need. But whom have we TO
undertake the task that the mouldered
hand of the great dramatist may not nc
complsh2 The mind fails to comprehend
the scope and Importance Of the question,
and the judgment asks delay before giving
it's decision.
The drama celebrating the birth and the
first century of the great republic can only
be written by n man Of rare poetic genius
and sympathetic understanding of the
ideas which have moulded our institutions
and given shape to our society. 1t is not
enough to introduce the prominent figures
in our history-w BEN FRANK
LIN. JOHN ADAMS, PATRICK HENRY,
JAMES Otis, THOMAS JEFFERSON, BENE-
DICT ARNOLD, Gen. GATES, Gen. LEE, and
the rest: they must be made to express
in dramatic form and action the temper OF
their times, and to exhibit the political
aspirations which gave the republic the
impetus that still sends It along the path
of progress. This the dramatist must
make them do. not by declaiming stump
speeches or Keeling of political geueraliza-
tions, but by bringing them before us as
actual men, elevated by the lapse of time
aud the veneration of their descendants to
a heroic altitude, and sustained there for
the purposes of suitable poetic treatment.
Yet they must be men, not demigods, and
exhibit their character and quality by fit
ting and suggestive action, and not by
mere talk. This ia a hard thing to do, and
II will take bigger man than most of
those who write plays nowadays TO do it.
Still, so grand is the occasion and so in
spring the subject, that the genius equal
to creating the immortal Centennial drama
ought somewhere to exist among our forty
millions Of people.
At Paris competition for plays on the
subject of our revolution has just been
closed. 1t was so far failure that the
judges did not award to any contestant the
first prize. They were afraid TO dignity
any of the dramas with that prime evil
1ence of merit. Two pieces, however,
secured the second prize. Another. the
fourth in rank, entitled 1.-THE Patriots" by
an American who conceals his real name.
IL said to be fun OF movement-a first es-
sential in drama. II will be interesting
10 see how IL succeeds when actually
placed OH the boards.
MARTIN FARQUHAR TUPPER has pro-
duced his play of Washington" Though
this made "a profound impression on Col.
FoRSEy and on POKER SCHENCK, yet it is
doubtful II II will prove n successful play.
TUPPERs moral sentiments are always I'M
Objectionable, but in a work OF art the
lesson should be kept subordinate--or
rather II should teach itself, not need TO
be intruded at every favorable oppor-
tunity. Though an audience which did
not applaud the altogether sound political
opinions which topper puts in the mouths
of our Revolutionary heroes, would be
| destitute of patriotic feeling, yet they
might prefer to hear them in n sermon or
In a Fourth of July Grafton. The great
| moral bard, however, has produced n play
which the most innocent person, who had
the patience TO sit 1t through, could follow
word for word without getting an evil
suggestion. This is IA strong point in q
play. The prejudices of many of the re-
ligious class against the theatre are strong,
but if they knew that they were going to
see an acted homily or sermon under
twelve heads they would probably visit
the theatre to see TUPPER's truly moral
and unObj Objectionable drama.
1t is his fitness to contend with topper
on the plane of obvious truths that forces
TUPPER HOLLAND into prominence as u
writer of our Centennial drama. TOPPER
HOLLAND advocates the publication OF the
theatre, and il he should construct play,
1t would be safe TO assume that its produce
ton would bring no blush TO the check Of
innocence-unless the blush Of pleasure to
its exemplary author as he bowed his ac-
Acknowledgements TO the applause of the
house after its triumphant success.
1t is reported that TUPPER HOLLAND. as
sisted by lady, is dramatizing his novel
of Sevenoaks." That blameless work OF
fiction wofully lacks dramatic force; but
perhaps in preparing ii for the stage the
colaborateurs will infuse that necessary
! lnBfculCnt. Inc luea OF UPPER HOLLAND
may be to thus get his hand in, with a view
OF afterward writing Centennial play
that shall be even more moral than TUP-
PER's II he should produce such drama,
II will be interesting to observe whether
theatre goers are sufficiently DESTROYS OF
instruction in the maXims, manners, and
morals of life to p8tronize the entertain
mont. We have our doubts, but would say
nothing to discourage the genius of TUPPER
| HOLLAND.
Mr.. CHARLES GAYLER seems to be out Of
the lists OF contestants for the glory OF
writing the Centennial drama. lie is tired
of writing above his bread and butter ana
having his manuscripts returned to him
by managers who think they can make
more money out of French and English
plays of more effervescent character.
MI. BoUCICAULT seems TO be too much en-
gagged in rescung the Fenan victims Of
England, to have leisure to enter on the
task. He would probably at least make a
play that would be worth seeing. and
would move with due rapidity. Mr.. DAILY