New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-04
OPPOSED TO CHANGES IN PLAYS.
. PLEA FOR FArTuFULNEss TO THE TEXT w
STANDARD DRAMAS

STANDARD DhAMhS'
To tho Editor OF The Tribu
Sir: was somewhat surprised "he" TO-.
Tuesday vour dramatic article on Jeferson's representa-
49,, :. .rbo u.,, at Law Your criticisms on such
,.o,s 70 USUALLY very good and yet In the arucie
,cr,d N Won apparently defend the practice OF mu
uIating standard plays for presentation OH '.o SIS
Your critic sneers at the "pursts," VINO oeohio '"
the old comedies are sacred that no ceiesua oo"'
mr. holy hyphen can be omitted from them withou' s'
and that the alteration OF single sentence IN uls o"o
Of them Is hdeous sacrege' Your critic exagsera'es
Tn. "nuristsn do not object to such small changes
espec,ay omissions-as are absolutely necessary W
adapt old plays to modern audiences They 10 opIeo'
10 the prevalent for dismembenng tle 'n",'e
pieces of uterature-plays that have maihta"eu "'o'
popularity for generations, and before audiences oio
intellectual than those Of New-York-of tearing these
pays act from act, and scene from scehe' anu .i'
reconsructing them according to modern IDEAS. lhero
remain the name the characters and some favor Oh te
original: the adaptation may be good play put ~
is not the play of that name. II the gentlemen WIN
do this kind OF work can write better pays ''"'
shakespeare or Sheridan, let them write few il nov
how can they claim the ability to Improve their "orA
Who would read one Of these adaptations In preference
to the originate When We go to see play Oh ohaAe
speare we want to represented, as nearly
az possibe the very words and thoughts Oh
a great man. We do not want to sec them d-
luted and changed to meet the supposed needs Oh
the box-once. Nor do think that such an anaputio"
really increases the popularity Of play Few OF inc
audience little know or whether play CONFORMS
TO the original or not. They are not choice III Iieh
taste and think the adaptation good enough, because
thew know no other. But l feel sure that II they
could see both firms equally well acted the choloe
would usually justify tho author and not the Tinker
am not referring particularly to "The Heir az Law"
| have not seen that play and do not kno" no" iar
II has been altered. l have seen "The Rivals ana
while some Of Its alterations and omissions-parucu-
lary the Iattcr-have strengthened the play, IL mas
been weakeped By other changes
Does any one think that midsummer Nignts
Dream at Days two years ago was improved by that
rIckety panorama If so, no will find the Bowery
theatres congenal.
Last winter the School for Scandal" at Days, was
utterly changed and the screen scene was ruined III
representation some years ago. which was ac'eo-aS
remember Tin close conformity TO the text
In Goethes Faust the designation with Margaret
Is only limited at, and is revealed to the audenee by
Mr. Irving and Mss Terry they meet on the stage IN
full view OF the audience and 60 thence into Margarets
critics suggestion that only in this way can the
public be Interested, amused and impressed"
II the theatre is to be merely place In which 70
display tank horse race ssse psottps LET u:
acknowledge it ct once and relente the saSe TO tc
level Of the dime museum. IT, however, 1t rs capable
munity 1t only be by the representation or good
plays and by elevang the public taste to their level
And your dramatic critics the persons who should
that this is done; 1t IS your peculiar province TO
resent any attempt gnrble the works presented,
to lower the standard Of dramatic purity: and you
should emphasize the truth that 1t does not follow thai
he can act or manage theatre. Ii.
New York, October 90, 1891.