The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-09

encourage those who pray for the decad-
ence of drivel.
whatever may be the objections to
novel-reading and to attendance upon
theatrical performances, the novel and
the drama are probably permanent
forces in civilization and must" IN the
opinion Of the Chautauquan, "be so
regarded. In some form or other fic-
tion has always been attractive to the
human imagination and has never
failed to influence it. A story of trag-
edy or comedy, an epic or lyric of
life, appeals to an elemental taste which
neither ignorance nor culture can OBJ
lterate. There Is doubtless principle
at the bottom of this general truth
which demands universal recognition
and respect and the sooner we meet the
conditions of it with liberal intelligence
the better off we shall be. Viewed
broadly the drama Is but a novel ar
ranged and fitted for realistic personal
presentation on the stage; it is a ro-
nance or society story to be Set forth in
imitation of life in the concrete by per-
sons representing the imaginary actors,
instead of being read and so realized
in the abstract. Thus regarded the play
Is the novel reduced to example, as we
might say, and set before us in flesh and
blood. 1t is a poem materialized, a
romance exemplified by application to
life. novel Of manners and morals
made real by actual exhibition. 1t
would seem that whatever harm or
good can come of indulglng in taste
for fiction must be referred to the ma
ture of the particular case in hand and
not to any sweeping objection or favor
able accounting applicable to fiction in
general"
Score another for stage realism. One
Of the features of William Haworth S
new play, ION the Mississippi" is a
scene representing a Mississippi river
steamboat gambling house in full blast.
Colonel George II. Devol impersonates
the manager, and the beauty of this,
from the standpoint of modern realism,
Is that Colonel Devol has had forty
years experience in the gambling bust
ness He was klng-bee of the Rambling
fraternity in New Orleans when the
city was captured by the Federal
forces under Butler and Farragut, and
even now takes malicious pleasure in
| telling over the silver-spoon story on
| General Butler in revenge for loss Of
$4,000 inflicted on him when the gen.
eral captured all his race-horses at the
| track and sent him to Jail for a year.
| In the hands of so eminent an artist
as Colonel Devol, this promised play
will of course take a place in popular
favor which will tend to elevate the
drama with a wild, weird whoop.
|
Just before Beerbohm Tree left Lon
| don, al farewell function in which his
| temporary disappearance from Albion
was toasted by prominent personages
of the metropolis, that eminent actor
perpetrated a clever epigram at Oscar
| Wilde's expense. Wildes new play
was to succeed the Trees at the Hay
market Abiding thereto, Mr.. Tree
ventured to hope that THE Ideal Hus-
band" would be found a fit companion
! to A Woman of No Importance
|
FOoTLIGHT FLASHES:
Rose Coghlan has new play.
Lydia Yeamans-Titus may star in comic
opera.
Andrew Mack is to star in "Myles
Aroon."
Sol Smith Russell will play Bob Acres
next season.
Adele Richie will star in new comic
] opera next season.
I w. II. Crane has accepted the scenario
of a new play submitted to him by Frank
| lyn F'yles.
Dorothy Morton will be the prima donna
of the Summer Opera company at At
| lanta, Ga, next summer.
Louis Harrison has signed with Ru-
dolph Aronson to play the Judge in Trial