Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-22
Views of Minnie Mad
dern Fiske.
THE COMMERCIAL SPIRIT.
Greed Of Gold a Iiindrance to the Ac.
tors Ambitions-The Unwhole.
some Influence Of the Shy
locks Of the Theater.

New York, Jan. 20.-The attitude OF
Of appreciation too often betrayed by
the devices of commercialism, yet
steadfast In its following of correct in
buttons wherever the opportunity to
appreciate art Is afforded. While the
arts of the theater have been preserv-
ed and enhanced in the older countries
lin the Latin and German countries by
fostering paternal systems and in Eng
land by an adherence to the traditions
of theater conduct that have perpetu-
ated the union of management and act
Ing. under which union all possible
progress has been made-those arts
have been embarrassed and hampered
here by transitional conditions that
have leaped from actor management
and the stock company to a subordina-
tion of all degrees Of talent. as well as
OF genius itself, to the necessities of alb
stract speculation and the mercantile
spirit which a consolidation OF the
atrical interests represents. And yet
In spite Of the embarrassment and re-
straint that dramatic art has expert
enced under this transitional state of
the native theater 1t may be said-and
the fact implies wonderful integrity
OF taste In this country-that new day
Ia dawning for the arts Of the stage in
America which promises in the future
TO furnish for the world of art tokens of
Its own origination as notable as is its
understanding OF the best that the rest
of the world displays.
There is no country whose actors are
as responsive to new ideals and as
pregnant with progressive ideas as are
the actors OF this country. The arti-
fatalities of the theater are here per-
haps more markedly than anywhere
else giving way to the veraclties which
all art should simulate Artince and
trickery-so long enthroned in the the
alter that for ages they have robbed the
stage of much of Its possible effect for
good on human life-are yielding to
truth and simplicity in every drama
worthy of serious attention. All art has
Its beginnings in simplicity. and truth
Tor Its aim and end. All art suffers in
Its period from elaboration, which de-
velops artiiiciality, and from the lido
syncrnsies of artists that cloud true
elements. But these are from time to
time swept away, and its disciples re-
turn to inevitable principles. Thus 1t
is that stage art is becoming true agnin
after long devotion to the superficial
and the artificial. We are getting back
to the lessons taught early In the the
aters. We are beginning to return to
means that ennohle the stage as an in
stitution and its followers as indivld-
uals. Work cannot be artistic and eff
fective in any field unless the artist has
come to recognize and understand that
his calling is merely light upon the
path TO truth and beauty. Actors at
this time quickly respond to true DEM
onstrations and more than ever before
strive to describe the varieties of life.
In spite of manifestations on the
stage today made through the mistaken
Ideas OF managers who estimate the
public from their own personal View
points as to amusements and who mis-
conceive the vitiated taste OF the few
as representing the general public taste
there IL much in contemporary drama
to bear out the idea OF progress and de-
velopment on the higher lines of art
Even the less meritorious OF current
plays show change OF method for the
better-a truer grasp-whils all new
drama of the more serious kind dwells
upon living matters rather than upon
apparent artificialities. If we wish the
romantic on the stage. we find It STILL
but 1t is far different from much of the
romantic drama OF past generations
because more of plausibility has been
infused with its incidents. When Pope
wrote. "The proper study of mankind is
man." the stage presented no pictures
OF his time that bore true resemblance
to the life of that time. Mankind truly
is mans greatest study. either for In
struction or for entertainment. The
true function of the stage is to present
life as II really is, and in doing this the
theater need not depart from romance.