The herald., 1895-04-21
ACTORS ON THE
MIMIC STAGE

Stephen Fiske, the dramtic critic OF
the New York Spirit, has some words of
wisdom in the last issue OF his paper
anent Oscar Wilde Mr.. Fisher has the joint
faculty of saying things worth hearing
in particularly bright, impressive way.
From time immemorial, the dramatic
profession has been prolific OF scandals;
but never before has it been associated
with such terrible disgrace as that OF
Oscar Wilde. new recruit or rather an
insolent invader of the stage, who bad
forced it to accept his plays while he
openly affected to despise both actors and
audiences. A week ago, Wilde had plays
running at two London theaters;, two
touring the British provinces; one at our
Lvceum, and another in rehearsal at the
Empire. When his ignomlny was sud
denly revealed, there was cynical mo-
ment of indecision as to whether his
criminal notorietv would attract or repel
the public. but his offense was too gross
for discussion; both the London and New
York managers tore his odious name
from their bills and by next week his
plays will be removed from the theaters.
1t is an open question whether mans
good work is to be condemned because
his character is bad. Ii we decide for the
a1nTmdG1Ve, now many WIltcfS,
and otherwise, would escape whipping?
We kow at least half dozen persons
connected with the profession who, in
our opinion, ought to be sent to state
prison, and yet we go and see their plays
or their acting and praise or blame with
out considering what they are outside or
the theater. However. Wilde's crime is
SO exceptional as to make law for itself,
and che action of the managers will be
generally endorsed
Fallen as he now is. we must not forget
that the world owes a great deal OF good
to Oscar Wilde. He preached beauty,
although h.. practices vileness. When
he publicly paraded his eccentricities as
the self-ordained apostle of the new cult
OF estheticism, and
Walked down the Strand
With flower in his hand,
he was ridiculed. caricatured in Punch
and Patience and cotemned as a cross
between an idiot and an adventurer. But
all this laughter and abuse served only to
advertise him. The entire change in the
style of our houses and stores and their
adornmenss, during the past fifteen years,
comes mainly from his initiative. His
wildly poetical worship of a lily. pea
cock feather or a bit of old China has had
very practical and beneficial results.
Bestial as he is, the great cities OF the
rid are more beautiful for Wilde's hav-
ing lived in it.
He might also, had he been decent,
have done much for the stage. His two
plays seen here, Lady Windermere' Fan
and The Ideal Husband. were clever, but
left bad taste in the mind. There was
something unsavory, uncanny. unnatural
proverbs and sneers at conventionalty.
We thought them false in art; now we
know that it was the viciousness in the
authors mind that smirched them. But
a man who could write such PLAYS could
write better. Wilde's remark: There is
no doubt about the success of my play;
the question is whether the audience will
succeed in understanding it?' contained
q lesson which audiences in this country
and especially in London-ought to be
taught. As a rule. there are not in
theater, on first night, twenty persons
as intelligent. educated and capable of
jugdment as the dramatist whose play is
presented for their verdict. These twenty
may be fair arbiters. The others know
nothing except that the piece does or does
not happen to pletase them.
During Wilde's visit to this country.
we sat next to him at club breakfast,
and the first question he asked was:
Are you at all interested in the
least. !"
''TIen, "said he, brightly. ''let us talk
Of something else. This is very cosy
club; but my ideal of a club is that the
mem bers should, upon entering, exchange
their outer garments for rich raiment of
velvets and satins. There should be
table d 'hote with the finest viands and
rarest Wines and at the head OF it should
sit monk. cowled and corded, with
crust of dry bread and glass of water
before him, and he should read aloud. at
intervals. from an ancient treatise
upon the virtues of fasting and
prayer. The contrast would give unique
flavor to every morsell''-
Thus he ratified on-a big. Jolly, reck-
less, rolickng Irishman. venting wild
theories in sophomoIical style and say
ing the most absurd things seriously for
the amusement of shocking his hearers.
But there seemed no harm in him. Who
could suspect him of harm as he laughed
argue with Steele Mackaye, who was then
the American apostle of esthetics. but of
very different caliber? Outside of Victor
Hugo's novel, the man who laughs is sci
dom a monster.
If Wilde were to be tried in this coun-
try the defense which American lawyers
would set up is-temporary insanity.
This plea has not been accepted in Eng
land but here is has saved many MUIR
derers from the gallows and restored them
to us. after a few months or years. as hon
ored officials and popular political lead
ers. 1t is perfectly legal plea and hts
the facts. otherwise irreconcilable, Of
Wilde's position and his crime.
An American lawyer would allow the
public prosecutor to pile Ossa upon Pc
lion of proofs of Wllde's infamy-the
higher and biacker the better Tor his pur-
pose--and then he would contrst with
them the beautiful home in lite street
the lovely young wife; the two handsome
and promising children; the society OF
artists and literary people; the world wide
notoriety that could SO easily be turned
into fame; the ample income from royal
ties on plays; the assured present and
smiling future, and would ask what. ex-
cert insanity. could induce such man
roundings to degrade himself by so in
famous a vice.
This is the only plea that can now
avail Oscar Wilde. For the Sake of human
ity, of art, of literature and of the stage
all of which havebeen defiled-let us hope
that it is true plea: that the most mis-
cradle of men is really mad, irresponsible
for what he has done. incap aple OF appre-
ciating its enormity and that the Just
sentence of the judge who presdes at the
Old Bailey may be imprisonment in an
insane asylum during her majesty S
pleasure instead of that penal servltude
which will mean for Oscar Wilde the blot
ing out of life.
Let us also hope that the immediate
effect of this revolving exposure. which
has shaken the profession in two coun-
tries like an earthquake. may be the
Io utN, S.f Ill Il -