The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-24
SOME POPULAR" PHYS.
Stage immortality Laughed at Which
i'm Real Life Is Tragic.

Kate Epson Clark, in the Independent.
Those among us who have been enthu-
siastic upon the subject of 1.-The elevation Of
the drama have had a good deal TO bear.
Some of these people are genuinely good.
They believe that the theater has come to
stay" and they are equally sure that il can
be made an agent for righteousness. All
that is necessary they affirm, is that only
good actors and good plays shall be patron
lied. Thus the fittest will survive and the
pulpit and the religious press will secure
valuable ally.
This sounds plausible, and there are many
considerations which support the theory. On
the other hand, there are some pitfalls in
the way.
Thus when IL has come to be taken for
granted that a certain actor will appear in
nothing but the finest plays, you go to see
him in new one and find that its morals
are dubious, or worse. Or when you think
that certain manager can be relied upon
to present only chaste and elevating dramas
you patronize him and discover that he is
giving to the public those which are cor
rupting and regarding
An insidious form of these popular plays
is borrowed from the French. Burke says
that one cannot indict a whole nation.
Nevertheless, II may be affirmed that any
thing from the French in the lines IF the
drama or art or literature may We'll be re-
garded with suspicion. The Latin races
have little in common with the sturdy
morale of the Anglo-SaXon. The French
play usually turns upon the supposedly
funny adventures of some model hCs-
band, whose wife leaves him for few days
or weeks. During her absence the husband
fiirts with various young girls, or with
wives whose husbands happen TO be absent
also Thus situations developed which in
real life would fill hearts with disgust and
bring bushes of shame TO the cheek, but
they are greeted, even in our best theaters
with shouts of laughter. If husbands and
wives were to live In America as these
plays represent them as living in France our
Republic would be impossible and our
ligion would vanish. These sickening trag-
edes are advertised 8ght comedies"
refined and sparkling. 1t has come TO
positively indecent in them they can do no
harm. Yet many a coarse play which calls
a, spade a spade does less mischief than
these refined presentations. in which
loathsome vice plays the part of a merry
and innocent Pantaloon and teaches those
who look upon them to laugh at violations
OF the most sacred vows. 1t is
to-day true as ever that
Vice is a monster of such frightful mien
As TO be hated needs but to be seen;
But seen too oft familiar with her face
We first endure. then pity, then embrace"
In several recent divorce cases men have
professed themselves surprised that their
wives objected 10 courses which the hus-
bands themselves considered harmless. II
only meant 10 have a little fun. LII she had
been willing to take it all as a joke it would
have passed off without any fuss whatever"
Probably the wife had laughed at just such
situation in play and the man logically
inferred that she would take the same thing
in real life as lightly.
Certain individuals who have lately figured
in shameful criminal case and upon whose
degenerate Leads decent people are heaping
abuse We're simply living out the morals of
plays which have lately held the New York
boards amid delighted applause-very likely
from the identical ones who are now unspar-
ing in their condemnation of these loose
lived men and women.
But however they may receive the French
plays themselves. our pure, high-spirited
those plays intolerable in real life This is
as II should be. Such morals break hearts
and ruin homes. Why should We endure
that in a play which, if translated into
Wit is not funny when it attacks virtue.
The French, with their declining popula-
ton and political power their debauched
courts of justice and their dissolute litera-
ture. may enjoy any theatrical sin so long
as 1t Is gold plated with the captivating
art which they know so well how To use.
But we have more TO lose than they. Let
us hope that their plays will depart from
our shores and never return.
Some industrious statistcian has made a
list of the plays of the last quarter of
century which have brought in upward of
SLOcOO00 each They are fifteen i'm number.
RIP Van Wrinkle" leads with 5000 perform
ances, which have realized $4,000 Then
comes in their order THE old Homestead"
IErminie, The Silver King Robin
shaun Rhqe:S The Two Orphans: "A
Parlor Match" 1.-THE World" THE County
Fair ''Adonis,'' Hazel Kirke'' and
wholesome moral tone. though a few of
them are vulgar. Not one of them is, per-
haps. what the moralist could term objec-
tionable, and, happily. the typical French