The times., 1898-09-18

question too and one that appears TO
substantiate strongly last Sundays re-
marks on the policy of honest crii-
cism.''
New York, frivolous to the point of
idiocy, has not within recent years given
its commenda tion TO any play of real ar
tistic merit. At present the reviewers OF
the metropolis are speculating on how
quickly the big city will damn Hall
Gaines forthcoming play, The Chris
tian." In reviewing the book and it's
prospects when dramatized in last Sun
days Journal, the rather well-knOwn'
Jessie Wood, remarked:
Serious plays prosper in London, but that can
establish precedent for New York London Is
city where people eat boiled puddings with
thick crust. and the men wear high silk hats all
the year round, and cannot therefore expect
its people 10 be gay. II IS the very boiled pudding
and high hat atmosphere that make Londonzrs
flock 10 see plays OF The Christian consistency
of seriousness, after which they 90 home and dis
cuss it logically and sadly over pork pie. By the
time you meet them at O'Clock tea the next day
they ready for another gloomy psychological
or religious titbit, for the English people very
strong.
No one who has the faintest knowledge
of Gotham and its prOclivities Will for an
instant doubt this confession of artistic
poverty. But there seems to be some
thing strange in hearing a city boast Of
its inability TO appreciate anything but
that which contains filth and frivolity.
nausea and nonsense. Perhaps the state
nent may be laid to the same emotion
that made the virtuous inhabitants of
Knickerbocker burg post all over their
their houses on last New Years day the
motto. ITO He'll With Reform" But OF
the verify of the boast there can be no
doubt New York is the home of music
halls and vaudeville houses. of French
farces and racy burlesques. of comic
operas and lewd melodramas. Within
the last twelve months it has been so
busy patronizing Charmion and THE
Conquerors'' that il has not had the tinse
to consider the number of really clever
attractions given on Broadway. The
same audiences that are now making a
success OF THE Turtle" turned into a
failure the strongest play of its kind ever
written, Charles Klein's DIR. Belgraff."
And it is for this reason that Nat c.
Goodwin. Sol Smith Russell Joseph JET
ferson. Stuart Robson, Roland Reed and
other stars of equal reputation prefer to
remain away from the metropolis and
even such people as Richard Mansfield
find runs there useless save as advertise
ments in outside towns.
Really, when one considers the output
from that theatric factory. the Rialto, he
cannot help wondering that New York re-
tains any yestige of its prestige as a city
of amusement lovers and critics The sue
| cesseS sent on the road with
the stamp of Gothamistic ap-
proval have been of the most doubtful
character. There are nearly forty thea
of these there are only four presenting
| performances that verge on the legiti-
| mate. The remainder are given up to
Vaudeville. variety, and such attractions
as 1.-The Telephone Girl Yankee Doodle
| Dandy THE French Maid" "A Day
and Night" 1.-The Turtle" 1.-The Run
away Girl" "A Brace of Partridges" "a
Trip TO Coontown." Hurry Burley,' The
| Golden Horseshoe" and Devils Island. :"
High class amusements for a city of
over million inhabitantsi
Not that one must weep TO be artistic as
some people seem to think il necessary
! to weep when religious. but certainly to
even the most charitable Jesse Woods
frank statement that New York cares for
nothing that is not light. and passing
must partake of the nature of a humiliat-
ing admission The least demanding could
hardly find in the list of offerings quoted
dDONS q StuSic DltCE WOEAEl OF EGtlte Dy
reason for any real qualify. And on top of
this, the critic OF the Journal remarks that
Londoners must have strong constitutions
in order to tolerate the sensible products
offered there.
In view of these facts it seems difficult
to discover from just what source. the
inhabitants of Manhattan get their
vaunted superiority over the less fortu-
nate and more humble theatergoers in
other cities. Assuredly Gotham has not
learned art from the class of the drama
it supports. Under such a stimulous it
seems that one does not need much of
the gift of phophecy to say that either
affairs must alter themselves soon or
! that New York will cease TO be foot
| light criterion for the rest of the coun-
try
Meanwhile, supposing its strength suf-
| ficientiy pronounced to make it worthy
THE Christian" will probably go quietly
| on it's way toward success whether the
verdict of Jessie Wood is for or against
| it.
| Those who go to the theater often
| enough tn remember the faces of the