Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-29

lCopyright, 1881
New York. Jan. 2s.-The theater is a
place of great interest one, you might
say. of national interest. For centuries
1t has played a significant part In the
arts and the advancement artistically
or the nations, and we find II today an
institution of really vast Importance,
involving not only the attention of the
amusement seeking public generally,
but the investment of millions of dol
lars and the employment of thousands
of people. The theater being of such
vast public import, 1t is well to turn
the attention ia that which makes IL a
success. The drama is responsible for
lie popularity, success and Its existence.
The question has arisen and has been
loudly discussed of late, what class or
style of drama do the people want; do
they want Shakespeare?' suppose
shakespeare has been selected as an
example because of the fact that he is
the greatest dramatlst the world has
! known and for what the name Shakes
peare stands for in general sense in
the world of the drama. AS l under
stand 1t. the question directly involving
the general public interest is not DO
/ we want Shakespeare as an individual
dramatist?" but DO we want that class
of drama of more or less serious trend
OF which Shakespeare is recognized as
the head?' Is the theater n place for
instruction and learning. or is it one for
amusement only?
am inclined to believe In that sense
that the people do not want Shakes
peare and that the theater Is purely n
place OF amusement. In these modern
times OF trouble and care. which indis-
criminately leave their marks on all.
relief and recreation are n blessing l
think the public go to the theater to be
amused. They look upon II In differ
ent light from that In which 1t was re-
garded years ago. The thenter is n
pleasant diversion from the cares and
worries everyday life involves Most
OF us go to the theater to forget and to
be amused, for in the amusing there is
the forgetting. II one sits down after
q hard days work and says to oneself
what shall l do tonight; where shall
/ go where l can spend a couple of
hours pleasantly" the conclusion is
usually arrived at to attend some thea
ter. OF the millions OF people who in
habit the civilized portion OF the globe
II IL only natural that there should be
common movement toward enjoyment
and pleasure. Pleasure means joy and
, harmony, and we all are attracted by
( harmony, the same as we are not at
tracted by discord. OF these millions of
people who seek enjoyment and amuse-
ment the greater portion select the
theater as the means unto the end. The
average man, after days work and
serious thought, does not care TO court
further serious thought or tears. but
wants something to distract the mind.
to divert the currents of the brain into
more pleasant and enticing channels.
He wants to be amused. He wants to
laugh. to be Jolly and to see the bright
side of things. He has had enough of
the problems of life which face us all
In their different phases In his battle
with their influences during that day.
He wants to throw them of for short
respite and forget. The theater Is the
most successful in this effort. 1t is
most effective and most divcrting. This
man does not want Shakespeare. He
has had Shakespeare all day. He has
met him after breakfast, sat next to
him in the street car on the way to