Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-25
DECADENCE OF TRAGEDY
[BY E. W. MANsFIELD.l

1t loSt forever, or is 1T to appear again at
some later day? Will there come a
prince of art who will awaken the slum-
bering Melpomene with the kiss OF
genius, or has the world outgrown that
most serious of the nine and reduced
muses. to sisterheod of eight? There
is not lacking evidence to suggest that
we are in the midst of a conflict OF
schools not unlike that waged by Dumas,
Hugo and their disciples when they re-
volted against one despotism of arti-
ticiality in order to establish their own.
One of the possible consequences of the
strife between the realists and roman
ticists is the end of tragedy upon the
stage. Time was when the play-goer in
America or England considered himself
victimized if he received not fair share
OF tragedy with the triple or quadruple
bill that formed his evenings entertain
ment.
There have been desperate conflicts
between Drurv Lane and Covent Gar
den for supremacy in this sort of plays,
and London has known riots when theat-
rical purveyors have advanced their
prices, not for the entertain ment, but
for thrilling and narrowing stage hor-
rors. 1t would be utterly impossible at
present for combination of patriotism
and interest in tragedy to bring about
such affairs as the riots caused fifty
years ago by the rivalry of Macready
and Forrest.
In England there is but one tragedian
of eminence, Mr.. Irving, and he devotes
two-thirds of his time to playing eccen-
trio or high comedy parts. In this
country there is no great tragedian ex-
cepting Mr.. Booth, who is in the autumn
of life. He will play few weeks dur
ing this season, but his retire.
ment from the stage in all prob
ability will take place soon. Who
is there to take his place? Several we'll
trained actors have attempted to star
in the legitimate tragedies of late,
but no one of them has sue
ceeded in convincing the world
of his genius. Richard Mansfield is an
actor of picturesque character, in the
highest sense comedian; but not q
tragedian, in spite OF his wonderful
Richard III.
This brings US to the case in point. In
this production Mr.. Mansfield left all
trodden paths and of all contempor-
aneous stage portraits none can be re-
called so glowing with originality, SO
vivid with thought. The impressions
made by the great Richard of other days
have been chronicled for US. We read
of the impetuosity of Garrick in the
character; OF Coake's demoniac malig-
nifty; of Kean's bursts OF passion
which have caused women in the boxes
and actresses on the stage. to faint.
These actors seemed to have been praised
most for self-forgetting enthusiasm, a
power purely physical, which nowadays
would stand in danger of being called
rant.
We, OF these days, can only vaguely
compare Mansfield's Richard with the
crooked-back tyrants OF stage annals,
vet there is reason to be-
lieve that he is the equal in
originality and intellectual power of
these famous heroes of the footlights.
Yet, mark the difference; while thou
sands crowded the theaters to
see the Richards of other days.
Mr.. Mansfield, with won
derful characterization and superb
production, is obliged to turn from
Richard the Third to Prince Karl and
Beau 6rummell'
II is easy to say that he is no worthy
heir OF the great Richards; but is not
the difference in the audiences rather
than in the actor? Is there any good
reason for supposing that great geniuses
were born hundred years ago, and are
not given to the world now; that there
were "giants in those days" and none
in these? We find fault with our actors
ktryifh
the changes are not in them, but in our
selves. OF the hundreds of companies
that busy managers are heralding with
hourishes of trumpets tor this season
perhaps one per cent. are devoted to
tragedy.
Doubtless there is no sort ofstage show
that is so intolerable as tragedy badly
or indiferently performed. There may
be some element of entertainment to
redeem bad comedy, but unless tragedy
is inspiring it is simply tedious. Moth
| ing less than a genius can keep it alive
upon the stage; and even genius can
not do it unless he is encouraged by the
taste and inclination of the public,
| Another thing that contributes to
this decline is that no tragedies are
written at present.
Tragedy at the theater means Ham
let, Othello, Richard III.-perhaps 9
dozen plays altogether, the hackneyec
repertoire. Now we may never weary
of Shakespeare if we read him; but WI
may easily tire of stereotyped imperso
nations of a few of his most actablt
characters.
In speaking of tragedy the term is no
used in its broad sense, according tt
| which any serious play with one or NOR
deaths is tragic. A tragedy in its def
mite sense demands that poetry o
philosophy mingle with its passion. l
is not intended to suggest that a tast'
for serious plays will depart from thu
public or that the tragic poets will b.
forgotten.
While Shakespeare is not acted a
often as fifty years ago, he never had 9,
many readers as at present. After all
the stage gives US small portion OF tn
endowment found between the covers O
a substantial book with good, clea
type. The Imagination and mood d.
more for us than the costumer anC
scene painter can hope to do. A well
known writer tries to tell us why W
find pleasure in tragedy in thes
words, "When we reflect upon the dc
pendence OF our existence upo
chain of causes and effect
stretching beyond our ken; whe
we consider how We are doome
to struggle against the enormous power
, Of nature how we are subiecs to O.