New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-23
THE PASSING COMEDIANS.

The death Of William Warren following so
soon upon that of Lester Wallack will give a
touch of sadness to the thoughts of the lover
Of the old comedies. ilr. Warren occupied
much the same place in the dramatic world and
in the affections of the theatre-goers of Boston
as John Gilbert has so long enjoyed in New
York. But the company of which Mr.. Gilbert
was the chief figure has disbanded, " the mas
ter" as Mr.. Gilbert ectionately called him
in public address, has just been laid in his
grave, and in few days his name even will
disappear from the door of his theatre, leaving
no heir to it upon our stage. Mr.. Gilbert him
self, though advanced in years is in sound
health, and if there was an organization he
could fit into, would no doubt continue to de-
light the public for years to come. The proper
presentation of old comedy however, requires
something more than q mere complement of
actors 1t needs stock company, in which
young actors may acquire the traditions of
their art-a stable organization, representing
permanent policy, and it needs also con-
stituency attached to such a theatre and ready
to support it.
1t may seem like an extravaganza to say
that, with the death Of two OF these famous
actors and the practical retirement of the
third old comedy begins an eclipse from which
there is no present prospect of its emerging.
Yet such is the fact. 1t bids fair to disappear
with them, for a considerable time, not only
because the conditions of theatrical business
have changed so greatly but because, also. we
have not the actors to take the vacant places.
1t is not meant by this that there are not eX-
cellent and capable players who could take up
a part Of the work, but it is a curious fact and
it must have its significance, that these three
the youngest of whom was close to
seventy years Of age, leave behind them no
fitting substitutes-nOne who can be made to
appear, il versatility and breadth of range as
well as in skill and finish, their legitimate
successors.
No doubt the combination system is largely |
responsible for this. This has not only put |
an end to the training of actors, except in the |
slovcnly habits and intellectual vacancy that |
result from playing one part for months and
even for years, but it has also destroyed al
most entirely the old sense of attachment to
theatres. People now go to the theatre because
they are told the play is good, or to see favor
tie actor, but it is the exception when they go
sven to one of the few stock company theatres
hat still survive out of affection for the house
)r with absolute confidence that they will like
he play The theatre is no longer a school of
lrt, where an art policy is consistently carried
,ut. II is shop, where the purchaser can
rave tragedy or melodrama now, comedy next
month, and farce soon after, according to his
astc and so it is that going to the theatre in
hese days very much resembles shopping The
heatre-gOer trots all over town in search Of a
LAY which strikes him as n bargain, and he
eldom stops to think of the particular shop he
5 in. These conditions are certainly not favor
BILE to the development of art.
1t may be said that the old comedians are no
ongcr as wholly acceptable as they were, and
here will be some to think that this is not
cccSSarily sign of degenerate taste. The
endency of the theatre of to-day is more and
lore toward realism, and the artilicaty of the
id comedies must become more and more ap-
aren't But the fact cannot be ignored that
'henever they are appropriately presented they
tract large audiences, and we can hardly con- ,
Give that the time will ever come when an !
ducated public will be Indifferent to them