The sun., 1897-03-22
TOPICS OF THE THEATRE.
WHAT IT WAS THAT THE LMERI-
CAN DRAMATIsTS OELEBRATED.

CAN DRAMATIsTS CELEBRATED.
Tho Radical Novelty OF the Law TO Iniprison
Thieves who steal Pinys--Tho First LcEisla-
tion which Ever Put Brain work = Par
with Hand work-News OF the stage.
The dinner given by the American Dramatists
Club and the theatrical managers on Saturday
night was an uncommonly interesting affair, not
SO much because 1t gathered a hundred and fifty
men who are conspicuous in the theatrical
world, but for the fact that 1t celebrated an un-
precedented law. The speeches were tedious,
considered as aftor-dinner oratory, as they were
not meant for momentary amusement, but were
mostly serious discussions Of various phases Of
the achievement over which tho club and tho
playwrights and managers folt glad. This was tho
passage by Congress OF the first law ever enacted
to punish thieves OF literature by Imprisonment.
ANY person publicly performing dramatic
or musical composition for which n copyright
has been obtained" says the statute in question,
without the consent OF the proprietor, shall DO
liable for damages, and II the unlawful perform
ance be wilful and for profit such person shall be
guilty of misdemeanor, and upon conviction
be imprisoned not exceeding one year. Never
before has the work of mans brain been re-
garded in the eye of the law as deserving tho
same protection as the work of his hand. Tho
thief who stole copy OF a play might be I'M
prisoned for larceny of the paper and ink, but
not for his theft OF the literary composition.
Under tho present statute every manager
or actor wilfully concerned in tho un-
licensed performance Of n copyrighted play
for profit Is liable to go to jail
along with other kinds Of thieves. Another
radically new provision Of tho statute enables
tho owner of q play to apply the injunction OF
any United States court to the stealer OF the
piece Of the Hnsd svea
district in which he may find his property In un'
authorized uso. This measure Is not only i'm.
portant to the writers and managers OF dramatic
and musical works, as affording sure and com
plete relief from an evil which they have hither-
parture in iawmaking, and may lead to further
legislation in the same spirit of protection to the
product OF mems brains.
There is ono scone In "Tess Of tho D'Urber-
villes" which tho spectators never take seri-
ously. Some Of them are doubtless very much
impressed by 1t, but there are enough who laugh
to make 1t plain what view they take of the situa-
ton. In the last act Anget Clare comes to Tess's
rooms and she tells him that -Aicc is with
her. Without a word Angel walks Off
tho stage. Nothing is said by him or by
nybody else to explain why he should leave
as suddenly and speechlessly as he does.
Doubtless it is the knowledge Of 1diec's presence
that drives him away. But the action Is SO sud-
so many of them laugh. Tho situation really is
rather more comic than serious. whats he
mad about :" asked an irreverent man the other
night as Angel walked Off the stage. The action
suggested some such emotion on the actors
part, and as he returns without q word
of explanation the spectators are left
In ignorance as to what the motive
of his conduct at that particular time may have
been. The fact that some Of the spectators are
invariably moved to laughter proves that the
effect Of the scene is not what 1t is intended to
be. Mrs. Fiske's acting restores tho right tone
to the situation Immediately, and the uncer-
tainty OF angels sudden and unexplained de-
parture damages the scene only temporarily.
Tho second scene OF the last act is not played
In the darkness now, as It was at the outset.
merly only their voices were heard in the dark.
ness. The mixture of symbolism and reality
that closes the play has powerful effect on the
spectators, and Mrs. Fiske, standing on the great
rock and holding her arms up to the sunlight. is
q .splendidly significant and impressive figure.
one scene in the drama that carries her further
away than any other from the Iess Of Thomas
Hardy's novel In tho talk about money and
Grafton that seem alien enough TO the character
OF the gorgeous pagan that Tess in the novel
never 'c have suggested itself SO clearly to her
mind; She might have felt i. but to have re-
fHSsa fsfss eod hs sGnT'tSa that implies Mts
would have been impossible to her
But one episode at the conclusion Of that inter:
view shows truly the Tess OF the story. That Is
when Alec drops the money from his pocket and
the woman suddenly crouches like an eager dog
That movement, full OF feeling and humanity. Is
a delineation OF the real character Of the woman
that seems thoroughly natural Ia ana for that rea
considered statement OF her position that Mrs.
Fiske makes only few moments before.
Yvctte Guilbcrt has commenced her progress
toward n different class OF work by appearing
at La Scala in Paris in q species Of monologue.
"a symphonic and allegorical triptych" 1t is
called in a French newspaper. and the title is
" Pessima." She sings and recites many as
twenty-five songs in the piece. which is Illus
trated with views thrown on a screen. She is
evidently determined to make her transition to
the dramatic stage gradual matter. The pres
ent performance is said to have been highly sue
cessful.
The unspeakable Barrisons have been having
their troubles IN Vienna. music hall manager
has sued them because Sophie was left to sing in
Berlin while bogus Barrison was substituted.
Iona said that she willing to take her place,
but this did not molify the manager. Now
society composed OF music hall actors has tried
to have the entire crew kept out OF the music
halls OF Germany, on the ground that their per
formances are demoralizing even TO their asso.
ciates. Europe seems to take a remarkable in
tcrest in these spindle c-shanked nonentties.
Albert Chevaller has been telling his London
friends that n number OF wealthy men were
anxious to build him theatre In New York,
and how much he regretted that he was com.
PEELED to refuse their offer. Chevaler will not
rcappear in the music halls. but returns o the
London stage in comic opera written by him
and called "The Land OF Nod" The music was
written by Alfred West. who was MIR. Chcva-
lier's accompanied here.
Both Fregoi and Biondi have descended on
London.
Mrs Henry f. Abbey has written to friends In
this country that her temporary retirement
from tho stage was brought about by i'll health
which was tho result OF her reappearance as an
actress and the troubles which had preceded her
departure from this country She writes that
her nervous condition was such that she tainted
two or three times day AS soon as she is in
better health she will come out again under the
management OF George Edwardes.
While Arthur Pnoro's new comedy contains
more than thirty characters. the action Is really
Gooree ] HieSsnder ii. b. irving. Julia i Netiso1s.
and Fay Davis. II Is said that an entirely new
set of subsidiary characters Is introduced In
every act.
The English rights to Louis n. Parker's play.
Tho Mayhower, are owned by syndicate
which must produce the play before May l. It
is supposed now that this will be done.
,t,,.a Nf t1,a