Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-29


MAKE a drama our Of what Is essentially a
story q thought and act OF action. The
reader Who ~ilI shut himself cut from the
influences Of the present and permit him
sslf % be transported through the medinm
o. The Scarlet Letter" a. that qasaint old
Puritan settlement where the master Of
ro1aa1tic American fiction has laid the
scene Of his touching study q erriBg hn-
man n4kare IS IL existed 20 years ago.
still exists tosi2y and always will exist,
cannot fAii "a be Impressed With the meta
physical strength u Hawthorne's work
he will perceive. Il he be student or close
observer II the drama It's wOeful lack 0r Ia
cident aad its dependence for strength up
on the artfnl. albeit masterful. manner IN
which the author oompsls the readers inn
agfnatioB 70 AID him in supplying the pro-
nouncsd colors Ia his pictures. most OF
which be has painted 10 neutral tints. In
a book the mind u the person TO be pleased
must be catered 20, Ia a play the eye aud
ear are practically the only agents Tor IN
terpreting the writer's meaning
Fer this reason, If for no other, THE
Scarlet Letter win never be satisfactorily
dramatixed. A play is not a literary condi-
msnt. as many seem 20 Imagine. Neither
h II a series OF descriptive tabloaux, strung
together By lerky. analytical speeches, in
PRODUCED for the purpose Of leading up TO
the opportunity which the star must have
20 bring the curtain down upon tine ex-
hibitiOn OF his declania1ory ability. The
subject matter OF the reflections OF a man
a. be- sits mute and motionless IN a chair,
might make very interesting reasling. II
well described, but IL would scarcely be
considered exciting and entertaining, or
even Instructive, IL attempted on the
stage The character which thinks has
no place In theatricals, il is the figure
which acts that Is necessary. The drama
il essentially the realm OF action. for liv-
Ing, moving figures are furnished as sub
stitutes for the novelist's descriptions, and
II these embodiments fail TO sustain the
lines marked out for them they fall short
OF their mission and belong not upon the
stage.
Mr.. Joseph Hattop is the last person 10
attempt a dramatization OF The Scarlet
Letter" and it would be misleading TO say
that he had accomplished his task either
we'll or I'll, for he has simply reversed some
incidents, much TO their dstriment, and
clipped the authors dialogue almost YER
batim. IL is " that Mr.. Hatton has
also written in" mountebankish sort o!
fellow who Is the master OF the smuggling
vessel on which Hester Prynne and Arthur
Dimmesdale have planned to escape, bat
boy might have done the same thing
equally we'll The elevation OF Mary Viii
lis into a robust, approximations soubrette
role also tends To mar the delicacy and TO
nnement OF treatment, which are conspicu-
Gus features OF THE Scarlet Letter. y
Should this dramatization. as recently
presented by Richard Mansfield at Days
theatre. New York city, prove successful
IL will not be on account Of Mr.. Hatton's
work. but IN spite Of IL.
Richard Mansfield is frequently spoken
Of by those critics who are never willing &C
admit that any one Is wholly artistic, a:
lone OF the best Of the younger actors OF
the American stage" Mr.. Mansfield is in
nay opinion the very best general perfor