The times., 1898-10-21
MARK TWAIN.
A Serious Talk About the Art of
Play Acting.
CFrom The Forum.)

Grom The Forum.)
II is right and wholesome to have light
comedies and entertaining shows; and 1
shouldn't wish to see them diminished.
But none of US is always in the comedy
spirit; we have our graver moods: they
come TO us all; the lightest of US cannot
escape them These moods have their
appetites-healthy and legitimate appe-
tites-and there ought 10 be some way OF
satisfying them. IL seems to me that
New York ought to have one theater de-
voted to tragedy. With her three millions
of population, and seventy outside mil
lions to draw upon, she can afford it, she
can support il. American devotes more
time. labor. money and attention TO dis
tributing literary and musical culture
among the general public than does any
other nation. perhaps: yet here you find
her neglecting what is possibly the most
effective OF all the breeders and nurses
and disseminators of high literary taste
and lofty emotion-the tragic stage. To
leave that powerful agency out IS 10
haul the culture wagon with a crippled
team. Nowadays. when a mood comes
which only Shakespeare can set 10 music.
what must we do? Read Shakespeare
ourselves! Isn't 1t pitiful? 1t is play
ing an organ solo on jew's-harp. We
can't read. None but the Booths can
do it.
Thirty years ago Edwin Booth played
Hamlet 100 nights in New York. With
three times the population, how often is
Hamlet" played now in year2 If
Booth were back now in his prime. how
often could he play 1t In New York?
Some will say twenty-five nights. ! will
say 800. and say II with confidence. The
traGedians are dead; but l think that the
taste and intelligence which made their
market are not.
What has come over US English-speak-
ing people? During the first half of this
century tragedies and great tragedians
were as common with US as farce and
comedy: and ii was the same in England
Now we have not tragedian. / believe:
and London, with her fifty shows and
theaters, has but three, / think II is an
astonishing thing. when you come TO con-
slider it. Vienna remains upon the ancient
basis: there has been no change She
sticks to the former proportions; a num-
ber of rollicking comedies, admirably
played, every night; and also every night
at the Burg Theater-that wonder of the
world for grace and beauty and richness
and spendor and costumes-a majestic
drama of depth and seriousness. or
standard old tragedy. 1t is only within
the last dozen years that men have learn
ed TO do miracles on the stage in the way
| of grand and enchanting scenic effects:
and it is at such a time as this that we
have reduced our scenery mainly 10 dif-
ferent breeds of parlors and varying as
poets of furniture and rugs. | think We
must have a Burg Theater in New York.
and Burg scenery. and great company
like the Burg company Then, with
tragedy-tonic once or twice month, We
shall enjoy the comedies all the better
Comedy keeps the heart sweet; but we
all know that there is wholesome refresh
ment for both mind and heart in an oc-
casional climb among the solemn pomps
of the intellectual snow-summits built
by Shakespeare and those others. Do
seem to be preaching? 1t is out OF my
line; only do it because the rest OF ths
clergy seem to be on vacation