The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-24
THE SORT OF PLAY
"SAPHO" REALLY IS
All New York is Now Agog
Over 1t.
ASTERISKS NECESSARY
NEWSPAPER CRITICS CAN'T
PRINT THE LANGUAGE.
SURPRISE THAT Me- HERsoLE PLAYS IT
II is Said TO be Piece Offering Very Little
Opportunity For Legitimate Acting,
and Free Advertising Has
Given it its 60"
Given it its go, y

The play "Sapho" is now the sensation
of New York.
You know it's cold day when New
York doesn't have at least one all-absorb-
ing sensation. Well that sensation is
now "Sapho," as played by Miss Olga
Nethelsole at Wallacz's Theatre.
\ hot war is being made on it by some
of the newspapers. hut that only gives
it free advertising; DIR. Parkhurst and
his followers are berating it but that only
calls attention to the advertisements. 1T
was called to the attention of the chief
of police and some OF his men We're sent
up TO see the show. They came back
and reported that it was zone of the
finest things going
All this time the house was crowded
and seats were being sold for weeks in
advance.
Then the District Attorney and his as
sistant began proceedings against the
producers of ''Sapho." charging them
with maintaining a public nuisance il the
play.
The information in the affidavit on
which the warrant was issued sets forth
that on last Saturday night the affiant
visited a play called ''SlphO' at Wal
lacks Theatre The theme Of the play.
he alleges, is a portrayal of the life of
a dissolute woman i'll such a way as to
offend r}Iblic decency. and he declares
that the whole play is imbued with an
Il u
morals.
But the magistrate declined to stop the
play and the crowds that focked to the
theatre grew larger and the rush for
tickets was enormous The efforts made
TO prevent the further acting of the pay
had occasioned the fear in some minds
that only a few more performances of
it would be given and so many hastened
to see it.
Think of it. Olga Nethersole pulled,
charged with offending public decency."
Nethersole pulled. Marcus Mayor pulled
Moss pulled! All come to grief because
of the immoral play business And IN
New York city, too. the most debauched
dramatic atmosphere in this country.
New York. which has been called "a
sort of way station to hell--the paradise
VI lIle NeliUN IOtIftdl dlItl llS ut3FdtINI
drama
Gods! what a production "Sapho''
must be to offend the sensibilities OF
such a community from stage stand
point
In view of all this it may not be out
of place to inquire here what sort Of
play is this Here is a description Of the
TV,I
cd in the New York Evening Journal
of February 18th:
The first act of "Sapho" is what is
vulgarlv known as trough house"
When Mr.. Clyde Fitch began the dra-
matization of Daudet's youth-forhidden
novel he said to himself:
"Now. we must do something at the
outset which win make an audience feel
that it is getting its moneys worth be-
fore we begin on the real thing
So he took the ball at Dechelettes.
which is a trivial and undramatic affair
in the story and made it great. glitter
ing carOusal, spectacular and decoyne
An audience is delighted to get a taste
of real Partisan wassail thrown in
with price Of admission. TT gives it
an idea of how the ''demi-iohn' live ami
puts it into a sympathetic condition for
the rest of the corruption. This is what
playwriGhts call atmosphere" end 'locai
color"