The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-14

the stock exchange, OF 1rish-American boys
IN the lower wards, or of dul es on Madi-
son Square, there are one or two who are
out OF the comm and who are dramatic
figures in the group to which they belong.
Whoever uses his ewes and ears can discover
them in no time | do not think it r. quir S
genius. The police officer on his beat finds
them out, the reporter encounters them
and puts their quaint thoughts and sayings
INTO tyre, the serio-comic performer meets
them and initiates them, to the delight of
the gallery gods, and the successful play
wright does the same thing and nothing
more.
If the reader will run back through the
years, he will find that the greatest dramat-
lists have done nothing more or less an
this. MOlere'S comedies are simply exquis-
lite photographs of the feudal life in which
he moved, Shakespeare's creations include
almost every type of humanity which OBJ
tanned in the EllZabethal age. Sheridan's
work was q faultleSs satirizing of the lords,
ladies' ana common folks he knew. Bronson
howard Of the present time has only drawn
the figures which We nightly meet n the
parlors, the theaters and churches of New
York aad our other great cities. The fidel
ltY of the painting has been the corner
stone OF their success.
One of the richest fields for the study of
character Is the negro population. There
are many types among them which are
emlnently serviceable in the construction of
a drama which is intended for picture of
New York real life, yet until recently, the
only ones that were ever seen on the
stage were the conventional darby of the
MINSTREL troupe and occasionally the old
family servant. An exception to the rule
is, of course, the play of Uncle Toms
Cabin, but it is true that dramatsis had
lot explored the field. In striving to pre-
sent New York life, however, the play
wright cannot ignore the negro, and | have
made a systematic study of him for years.
There are in New York, as everybody
knows, dozens of clubs and social organize
ions composed Of calere4i. people entirely.
They give balls and parties, and hold meet
lngs at which any white man VINO goes in q
quiet way and behaves politely is always
treated courteously. Night after night
ave gone to their balls aud watched them
as they displayed freely the riotously funny
ami the amiabe and courteous sides of their
character. Their quaint impulses, their
chlldllhe simplicity, thoir artistic barbar-
ISM, II l may Use the phrase, are all superb
dramatic material, and the luxuriant side
OF their nature, showing as it does in colors
and music, CHI rm the eye and ear alike.
Some of the most charming and delight
full music with which Braham has caught
the popular fancy is the result Of the stud
which he mas made If their wonderful
beautiful tunes and stra ge harmony.
AS 10 tee Irish character we have had, o.
course, bur dreds of exam les on the stage
characters that have been studied and
q, avn by some of the most gifted dramatis E
in the world, bu the field is by no means ex-
hausted, and persc nally l have preferred
>tudy the modified ty es OF the Irishmen as
they are to be found among those who
have lived in America long enough to be-
come Irish Americans. In this study ] la, e
bad the advantage of being myself an isl
American, and, perhaps. combining som.
of the peculiarlties of the race in my own
person At all events, | am helped in the
study by being able to appreciate the finer
gradua lions and contrasts Ghat might escape
the notice OF one who had 10 Irish blood IL
his veins.
II field is perhaps the richest of any.
Certainly the audiences who have witnessed
my plays seem to appreciate the delinea-
Uions of the Irish character more keenly
than others, though perhaps this is because
[ have been able to come the closer to the
truth on account of the fact mentioned, OF
being "to the manner BORN"
| have indicated these fields merely be-
cause it is there that most of my work had
been done. 1t makes but little difference
however, what the field may be. Study.
perceptiveness, fidelity, and above all,
method, are what insure eventual success.
All of our American playwrights that
know follow this method in their work
The clear-cut figures in Bronson Howard
work, the actors in Gillette's dramas, the
finished characters in Grosvenor Wilson
productions are nearly all types of the best
sort. In seeing them, each spectator re
calls some friend, and through the law
association finds that reality or naturalsm
in the play which marks the best dramatic
writing and gives the greatest delight.
EDWARD HARRIGAN.