The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25
THE GREAT ENGLISH NOVELIST COMMENTS ON THE AMERICAN STAR SYSTEM AND SHOWS HOW IT CONFLICTS WITH
 HIS IDEA or THE DPAMA.
Specially for The colerod be Day Before He Sailed for 5me

5ealousies it provokes, for these, how ever vexatious, are often both natural and salutary as spur and an inspira- ton. would rather point to the eS- sentlally non-dramatic principle of the star system. It conflicts with the idea of the drama. If a play were like novel of Fielding, an organism center ing in single individual, the star sys- tenn would have much to say for itself, even on grounds of art Occasionally play does center in one character, as in the case of King Lear" but there the method of Shakespeare is the method of Homer, the method of Field ing, the epic method, and glorious as Lear" is as an epic poem it is poor as stage play, and not even the greatest heroic actor can make 1t hold the stage.
 Now, the theory of the star system belongs to epic art, and any general attempt to make dramatic art accom- modate itself to the necessities of the star system would be to break down the one without establishing the other.
 Dangers to the American Stage.
 Drama lives by the clash of incidents, emotions and impulses. and its best work can only be done where all it's forces are at full play, at white heat and at utmost strength. Any effort to secure the result without the means must surely fail. A good Romeo and bad Juliet make poor performance, and the system that tempts us to the danger of such combination is folly.
 It would seem to me, however, that the worst risk your stage runs is not that of an inadequate support. It is the risk of the drama itself being made to take shape from the necessities of the star system. To make the dramatist play second to the star, however popu- lar and attractive, would be a cardinal error. Any attempt to do so would re- solve itself into a trial of strength be- tween actor and author-which has the greater appeal for the public-and there could be no question of the reply. The play is the thing, and always has been and the most gifted actor cannot draw independently of subject. I remember Wilkie Collins telling me that Fechter had said in his heydey that he could draw the town six weeks in an unpopu- lar play. Is there any English or American actor of whom even as much as that could be said now?
 Speaking for myself, have no griev- ance against the star system, and the only star I have been immediately con- cerned with during my visit to America has borne her trying position with the utmost artistic unselfishness and charm, but I will risk all misunder- standing and say at once that your AHleTiCdH star system dS d WHOlS IS IlOC good for the production of good plays l will even risk all small witticisms and say that if you must have the star sys- tenn, the best thing that can happen for the American drama is that you should star the American dramatist. That is a condition that is coming in any case.
 I think I see a time not far in the fu- ture when the dramatiSt will be the master of the theater, just as he was in the best days of the drama, both in England and in France.
 The dramatist will be the rallying point of public interest, as actors and actresses now are. When he has once established his right to be heard he will be engaged by business men for terms of years to write plays for a particular theater and the theater itself will be called by his name.
 The extraordinary disproportion of his present position will in the near fu- ture be altered by a violent change, and when the dramatist has come into his own again the drama will live and grow.
 Here's Question for Actors.
 It can hardly be hurtful, even for an English dramatist. to say that the American stage seems to be strangely dependent on the contemporary French and English drama Travelling through your country I was constantly im- nressed by this fact. Nearly all your country playbills bore the names of French and English plays and play wrights, and the picture posters every where depicted French and English scenes Naturally, I can have nothing hut warm feelings toward the liberality