The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-11
THE VAUDEVILLE TASTE.

An actor whose tastes are intellectual and
whose ambitions incline him to the 'legiti-
mate" in his art was quoted recently as
complaining of the popular preference for
vaudeville. "The public will not have Sc
rious drama" he said-'drama that it took
genius to produce and that requires high
talent, at least, to present upon the stage.
1t wants the song and dance, the foolish
variety performance which cannot properly
be called a play, the lightest of comedy,
and satisfied with what it gets in this line
The high-class musician who has spent
years in acquiring his skill with voice or in
strument makes the same complaint. Some
one who knows nothing of musical science
writes a jingling little song, more likely
"bouows' the air from famous composer,
finds some silly verses to set it to-and, be-
hold his fortune is made, while the great
masters go neglected. The same phenome-
non is to be observed in the picture-mak-
ing art. The conscientious artist tolls to
perfect himself and realizes the shortcom-
ings of the best product of the pencil and
brush yet sees the public pass the best
work by only to grow enthusiastic over
cheap limitations and inferior processes.
The same tendency is observable in litera-
ture, and no indignant author is needed to
point it out; it is so plain that all may
see. The books that the multitude read
are light and frivolous, books that amuse
and entertain but need no effort of mind
to comprehend. 1t is another development
of the vaudeville taste. Newspapers cater
to it when they employ a man to write
jokes and a reporter to chronicle the daily
doings of society" The people of finer
tastes and aspirations who grumble over
the prevailing tendencies are inclined to
gloomy representations. They fear that
the age is degenerate and that what is true
of this period will be infinitely worse in the
next. But, while they may have reason to
be discouraged over their individual efforts
to stem this third-rate intellectual tide,
they are needlessly cast down over its
meaning and possibilities. For it
is not permanent thing, but
merely a phase of peoples development
1t is only in modern times-a very recent
period, in truth-that the field of intelec-
tual and artistic endeavor has been open
overrun by those who are untitled for their
Undertakings. 1t has been found that any
one can be an actor-after a fashion. If
he cannot play a sustained part in a serious
drama he can dance clog dance be the
legs of the elephant. If the pretty stage
struck girl cannot be a Juliet or Camille
she can sing a topical song in an unframed
voice, have her photograph taken in a
decollete gown and fancy herself a prima
donna. The spread of free education puts
the pen into the hand of every boy and
girl, and the consequence is that pretty
much everybody writes for publication. AS
a natural result vast deal Of crude and
worthless matter gets itself printed, and if
the flood of it were to be perpetual there
might we'll be cause for alarm. But all this
foam of literature will presently take it's
recognized place as foam and not be dgni-
fed by the attention it now receives. 1t
will dawn upon the undisciplined, imma-
ture writer's who now fancy that they
adding to the worlds thought that some
thing more is required of them than facili-
ty with the pen and a flow of language.
They will learn that even genius must sub
NIT to a long hard apprenticeship before
its product will be accepted without ques-
ton. In the time to come the song-and-
dance artist will perhaps not be classed
as an actor, the topical singer will not rank
as an operate star, and the writer of
cheap, sensual tales as a literary person
age. Meanwhile, as a means of fastening
this desirable contamination, nothing could
be better than the neutrality-suspicious. by
grumblers-of really great pictures great
musical compositions, great books. And for
these things there could be no better time
than now. For it must be said in behalf of
the public that it takes what is offered, and
at present little but vaudeville is set he
fore it.