The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-02
staEe ReaIIrm and Imagination.

Madame Modjeska. says the Philadelphia
Times. was iarnenting the other day i'm New
York that few people longer went to see
"A Shakespearean play unless it were made
a spectacle. While this is doubles parti-
culiarIy true Of New York. il Is 10 a great
extent true of this country generally. and
perhaps OF other countries also. and not
only as 10 Shakespeare but as to the whole
range of the serious or poetic drama. so
that the question has been suggested wheth-
or the cider forms of drama as purely
intellectual entertainment are not for the
time being obsolete. except among the few
People Will sometimes go 10 see a new
star, an actor or actress In whom their
curiosity has been excited usually by other
means than those OF art. But this interest
is personal and irrespective of the play
and when curiosity Is satisfied, the star Is
of no more consequence than the stock
actress. There is, on the other hand, a con-
siderable range OF plays OF contemporaries
GUS interest that attract for time by
dramatic means, but these bear the same
relation TO the standard drama that the
popular novel Of the day bears 10 the mas
terpleces of literature, which people Will
look at only In illustrated editions de luxe
And even In these modern plays the prudent
manager makes his appeal largely by cos
tunes and a sumptuOus setting.
The development of the pictorial aSpect
= the most conspicuous characteristic of
the contemporary stage. The actor, IL not
also the author. Is subordinate to the seem
painter. the mechancian and the stage mani
ager. and the delivery of the poens-as in
the case OF Sir Henry Irvin.'s Macbeth or
some Of Mr.. Days productions-is only one
small part, and II may be an insignificant
or defective part. in an imposing en-
stmnie Necessarily. this attempt 10 pre-
sent as reality what was formerly only
suggested by the surroundings OF the action
leaves the Imagination OF the audience url,
exercised. and II gradually grows dull We
essential TO the apprehension and eniov-
ment OF the drama. When the picture Is
no such demand upon the intellectual facul-
ties as where the synpathetic imagination
Is called on 10 complete II. and thus the
TO substitute different form OF entertain
usenr. appealing through the eye rather than
through the ear and We are no longer salts
fed with the old.
The same pictorial DEVELOPMENT thai. vr
have noticed on the dramatic stage has
been especially conspicuous i'm opera. Some
modern composers. indeed. have even in
sisted upon Il as essential and as far as
their influence goes they have introduced
form or spectacular musical drama that
Is different from the singing opera as
IrvinS's pictorial Macbeth from the stir
ring human drama that the older actors
portrayed with the crudest mechanical de-
tails. The natural effect is that when peo-
pie go 10 opera they do not inquire
how II is sung or played. but how il Is
mounted. whether the scenery l. new
the costumes correct: and the most glorious
music Fails TO move them il some member
Of the ballet should make a wrong step or
the lime light flicker In the wrong place
1t Is idle 10 upbraid people for their dull
ness OF imagination or OF artistic appre-
ciation- What u here noted Is simply a
fact, to which every observant person must
testify, whether ne consider Il a good thing
or bad. II II what our most enterprising
managers I'm the show business have been
working for There are sill some persons
left to whom the bodv IL more than rat
ment and the soul OF the drama or the
music IL OF more consequence than all
the stage carpenters devices. and while
they live the 0ne art OF the stage cannot