The times., 1899-01-15
THE THEATRICAL FORUM.
Why Is II Difficult for Able People
To scrurc Suitable Plays!

Nhy Is 1t Difficult for Able Peopie
to Secure Suitable Plays.
Mabel Eaton declares that the scarcity
OF good American drama is the result of
trusting the celebrity too much and the
novice too little. My idea on the ques-
tion is one that has been much talked of
and much disputed" She remarked to a
Times man the other day at the Regent.
Nevertheless l maintain that more en-
couragement should be given the aspirant
for honors in the field of play writing. In
newspaper work, in painting, in acting,
and in every employment that requires in
tellectual exertion you will find that men
exhaust their stocks of ideas in good time
and that, however correct their products
may be after that, the fruits of their la
bors are sure 10 bear the unmistakable
marks of intellectual poverty. This being
true, il is only reasonable TO suppose that
the dramatist finally tires himself out as
his artistic colleagues have done, and that
in his case. as in theirs, the cause is shown
in the result. The consequence is that
nine authors out of every ten who know
anything about construction or the techni-
calities of composition for the stage have
so dwarfed their originality by overreading
and SO injured their minds by immoderate
toll that they are in the position of the
gardener who has a rake but no grass on
which 10 use it.
ION the other hand. there must be many
young fellows whose ability is as great
as it is fresh, but whose ignorance of stage
effects and the methods by which they are
produced is so notable that managers who
Will read their matter cannot be found.
If the graybeards could be brought TO
collaborate with these youngsters the mar
ket should be enliyened-as they say in
the change papers: but it does not seem
as though the junction could be effected.
The average olGster cannot be made TO be-
lieve that his juniors know anything. Pro-
fessional play producers are generally
worthless. and-there you are. Managers
can't get vehicles, and won't read those
they can get and from which nothing would
come if they did. This strikes me as be-
ing the reason, but l will not venture TO
propose remedy. The person who can
had better use il TO his or her own ad-
vantage. There is 4 fortune in it,"
To the average person Lew Dockstader
would seem a very strange man 10 visit
with the idea of obtaining information
about legitimate work. but the clever min
strel has several explanations 10 give for
the present state of affairs and here they
are: 1T has occurred to me that perhaps
much of the fault for the existing dearth
OF good plays lies with the stars who order
them. The average actor confines himself
10 a limited field and then asks the author
10 fit him with a vehicle. Unlike coats
and vests notable productions cannot be
made TO order That a theme may be
worked out to its best advantage the tram
mels should be very few. The successful
dramatist cannot subdue an important
character because ii is not to be assumed
by the chap who is purchasing his work.
nor can he moderate a scene here and
eliminate one there in order to more thor
oughly suit the opposite party in his con-
tract. The fellow who writes in this way
performs the double labor of acting and
composing a piece-he ruins his best ideas
and brings up his worst ones for the per-
sOnal triumph of some star The justice
OF these observations is proved when one
notes the fact that stock presentation are
the only ones that live. Offerings built
around a single role are seldom stable. l
would blame the player for the difficulty
he has in obtaining plays
"Vatefair ees re cause of zis deefcultee."
quoth Leon Hermann last night, when
asked his opinion in the matter; re trouble
eetself cose not eXeest in France. Not on
lay are zare fewer failures in Paree zan
in any oZair ceety in re world but Zare are
greatair successes. 'Cyrano de Bergerac'
an'-Tnnl-'ZaZa, ofair vich you are so ex-
J-ie-e. So also haf AVN an Awf wich is
re product of Bison, an 'Otel Topsy Tur-
vy'-'Le Controlleur des Wagons Lits' an
re 'L'Auberge Tohu Bohu.' 'Ze Turtle
Leon GaudillOt's La Tortue'-ees also
French and NANNY ozair ov re zeason's
heets. Les Petites Michu an several
more ov our great plays haf not yet bin
done heare. So you see We haf no such
worry in Paree-eh?''
Says Clara Morris: Il do not pretend to
know the reason why. but it is neverthe-
less very difficult 10 get anything like the
sort OF vehicle one wants nowadays. The
impossibility of obtaining work that was
in the least possible drove me into vaude-
vile and there ! would have remained but
for an offer to take up one of my past sue
cesses. No one seems able to write drama
in which the heroine is not a young thing
who should have golden hair and blue eyes
OF course il IS impossible for me 10 do parts
like that any more. Il does seem that
some interest should center in older wo-
men but no playwright appears to be able
TO conquer the difficulty. So am regulat-
ed 10 Miss Mutton, which is very beautiful
despite its age
When The Times man sent up his card
to John Craven, Of the Lyceum Theatre
Stock Company on last Tuesday the ho-
lei clerk turned around and handed the
Bit Of pasteboard to a young fellow who
was standing near by. Mutual introduc-
tions took place at once and the &C Iuaint-
ance thus begun was cemented with 4
hearty handshake.
why is it difficult for abe people to
secure suitable plays?" asked the inter-
viewer.
Il do not feel competent to answer"
was the reply. MIR. Winter, who stage
manages our productions. can speak W tn
more authority on the subject, and YOU
would do me a favor If you would speak
to him. Neither of US is likely to know
much about the matter from recent per-
sonal experience. stock company's
chief hold lays with the individual popu-
larity of its members, and, therefore, the
old stand-bys are found preferable to tie
newer works. The public likes to make
comparisons between the impersonations
which it first saw and those of its foot
light friends. And as the said pub ic is
generally more than charitable there is
no objection on our side. Then for some
reason or other, theatregoers seem to eX-
pect familiar vehicles from an organza-
tion like this. Altogether We find very
little need OF procuring new efforts"
Don't you ever stage recent proluc-
tions?''
Occasionally, but not from preference.
When troupe has only one week in which
% study and rehearse a play II cannot lose
much time in inYenting business and
smoothing out the wrinkles that might
have been invented and smoothed out be-
Tore in an earlier success. In the case of
offerings like ours premieres are not SO
difficult as they would be in farces or such