The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-07
Proposals for q National
Theatre.
MANAGERS DISCUSSING The PLANS
How the Best English Thespians Re-
ceive Their Training.
NEED OF A DRAMATIC CONSERYAT0IRE.

better consigned TO the llmDo OF oDnVlon-Niz the
establishment among of State aided theatre
similar to tho Theatre Franca,s. This Is. of
course. no new idea. Some eight nine years
ago Mr.. George Godwin F.sA. called attention
to the necessity of State aided theatre at
a public meeting, and he backed up by Mr..
Planche the Somerset Herald, and of our
Oldest dramatic writer's; by Mr.. Tom Taylor. who
wrote series OF letters on the subject; by Lord
Duferin. who spoke on it at dinner in aid of the
general theatrical fund and urged the need OF ma
tional theatre; by Mr.. E. L. Blanchard. Mr..
Joseph Knight. of the AMen9uns and. in
short. by q good many people who had
a practical acquaintance with the drama and
ought therefore to have been the very last persons
to support a scheme which would do more to de-
grade it than the most foolish buresques or adapa-
tions of risqae French plays. Mr.. Matthew Arnold.
too, gave vent to his feelings in a shrl scream in
the Ninetcenth Century. in which he pictured the
inimitable Sara Bernhard looking at us. indeed
she does look from the photograph shop windows in
the Strand and saying "tho theatre is irresistible
organize the theatre" But it will be said. if State
aided theatre would do particular good how
would it do harm. and the answer is an easy one.
Passing the impossibility of ever getting a
grant-for the money which would tempt the really
great histrions would amount to enormous sum,
and the national cxchequer has little for such uxuries
art having recently curtaled the money spent by
the British Museumit Is easy to the kind of peo
Pile into whose hands national theatre would fall.
WHO SHALL RULE THE ROAST?
1t would in the first place probably be engineered
from South Kensington. and if the science and art
department had thing to do with it, adieu to any
practical results. Then. again, the scheme would be
differed by those lordlings and young of fashion
who take an interest in the stagc-such geniuses
for example, Lords Newry and Desart, to say
nothing of scores Of other people in good positions
in society with still less claim to speak with authority
matters dramatic. The company. too. would be Of
necessity second rate one. For what money would
tempt Mr. Irving to sell his interest in the Lyceum
and make Mr.. and Mrs. Bancroft give up the
Haymarket. whittier they migrate ut the New Year.
and would bring Mr.. Hare and Mr.. Kendall from the
st. James to plsy under one roof? And even II all
the big people were not required, it would not be
easy at the present moment to make company
gether 30 good. as those which play
der the above named managers. Thus it would
would find place in such theatre. and the leading
ladies who great guns in provincial towns, but
who don't draw sixpence in London. and who are
slated" with surprising unaniinity by metropolitan
critics Nor would the ensemble OF the performances
be SO wonderful even il good people were engaged
in spite Of all the twadde that talked about
II Mr.. Vein going to bring banner when Mr..
Irving played Hamlet and Miss Nelson take the
then, we should have all sorts Of yobbery and COR
ruptipn in the managerial department and income
petel1e on the stage. so that the National Theatre
would soon become = byword and would do an in
finite amount of harm to the very cause which 1t
was intended to serve.
now THE IDEA Is REGARDED.
s fortunate then that the revival OF the idea has
produced any unanimity Of opinion regarding it,
and that many OF the managers and actors most COM
petent to judge of the merits of the scheme have
pronounced decisivey against it. First. as to the
evidence in its favor. OF course. Mr. Gladstone.
whose opinion on all things under the sun is per-
petually being expressed as rule on halfpenny
post cards. has word to say on the
matter. He says:-"I have already thought
them some which may be drawn from the
existence of institutions like the Royal Academy. to
that the drama requires. in order to its pros
periy great centre Of attraction and Of eleva
ton" Now, Mr.. Gladstone Is undoubtedly great
statesman and orator, and an authority on the Ho-
merc ballads. but his competence to judge OF the
stage may be gagged by his excessive admiration.
p actor named PENNINGTON. while his reference
to the Royal Academy will be esteemed singulary
unfortunate one by the many people who hold that
it very perfunctorily performs It's duties to con-
temporary art whether IN exhibition or an art
school. Mr.. Vein also wants theatre aided by o
State subvention supported by "a guild OF actors
themselves without any exterior aid." which. by
the way, might be appropriately called:-
'THE KILKENNY CAT COMPANY, LIMITED.
Mr.. Irving again writes to Mr. Goodwin that he
would like to national theatre but in the course
of rather winded letter he seems to deprecate
any application for State aid; for rs he shrewdy OBJ
serves, this country the State would never grant
monetary aid to individual enterprise under any
Ia letter to the Times q short while ago. speaks
decisively against the scheme. remarking that "the
expense would be necessarily prohibitive for with
the present limited means of artistic cu-
large body of trained artists 70 sup
ply the demands of existing theatres" That
remark Is a very sensible one. tor we must always
remember that the National Theatre would be
ira house. and would have to compete with those
now in existence. even If started under the most
august patronage. writer in the NdndQrd, dating
from the Garrick Club thus sums up the question or
dams fora nlsai A Zal theatr He wi
considerable truth that 1t would DO IAN asylum tor
the incompetent, the home Of the homeless actor
duce innumerable heartburnngs in profession al
ready too much given 20 jealousy. and.
finally ln, there is about as m1eh chance OK
for tho establishment OF Retreat
for Droken,down Bookmakers in the Mountains Of
the Moon" Finally Mr. Clement Scott the dramatic
critic OF the Daily Telegraph. in nm able paper in The
Iheaire pronounccs against the idea, and indeed
the balance OF opinion among practical men
seems to be az inst going to government
for two good and sufficient reasons. In the
first place. there no ear hly chance getting such
u grant, aud in the second. 1t would do no good to
tho stage IL 1t given. Aud yet. in spite OF all
this. the question crops up again A lady who
offered E1.000 toward the establishment of u
National Theatre, and q circular has been sent
round In which number OF individuals express
their anxiety to get more money. and then. sup
pose, start theatre and spend the funds daily in
producing Shakespeare after tho fashion OF second
rate London house.
NEED OF TRAINING SCHOOLS.
What is really wanted, and what more than ono
writer has suggested, is the establishment of
servatore similar to that in Paris, where actors and
actresses could learn their business. In oden days
they could do this In the country, but now good
stock company is a thing of the past In England,
Scotland and Ireland, the managers of provincial
theatres relying upon the travelling companies
| which start from London. All the provincial
manager does is 10 find home for his
| visitors; he may keep an old man aud an old wo-
man, general utility people. and an odd young man
| or woman to supplement star who has run short
| Of people, but the old companies which won't on cer-
tain small circuits In the country-say to two or
three theatres under the same manager, within the
radius of few milcs--are now things of the past
| And yet they very useful. The Bancrofts
| the TerYys the kendalr, Mr.. Irving and Mr. Toole
| all learned their profession by being members OF
such panies, WITH need hardly be said the hap
| pest results Nowadays, however, a young man or
| young woman does not know where to turn IL de
sirous of going on the stage. One or two actors
| such Messrs. Ryder, Vein and Mead teach clocu
| ton. and here and there promising pupil Il
affer cssaxiur LIllet--all Tho lndios hcgin Will