The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-11-17
time And PLACE IN PLAYS.
THE Art or Producing WHAT
rs TERMED ATMOSPHERIC.
Examples OF success In That Respect In
the Rural English and American
Scenes and Characters OF Equality
Street. and Under Southern skies"

II In Tar easier TO roduc what Is termed
satmosphere- in a novel than In q drama.
The ~locahzation Of scenes and character
may be done In q book by writing de-
scriptively. The author of fiction for the
stage may put the same kind of language
Into the mouths Of his p~ersonages that he
would for print. but there must be less OF IL,
and n needs be restricted closely to the
action. IL they are permitted to tell. save
very Lriefy. what they or others have seen
or done, they will excite the audiences i'm
patience instead Of interest. Things that
may be effectively presented to a reader in
pages upon pages must be impressed al
most ~instantaneously upon him in the
theatre II they are to AK and hold his atten-
ton equally well. Moreover. the making
Of atmosphere is quito IA essential and
far more difficult in dramatic art than in
dramatic literature. The author of n
play may write perfectly suitable matter
TO be spoken. IL may be exactly idiomatic
in words and fully expressive of his mean
ings. yet II the speakers are not skilful his
purpose is defeated. He may put into his
manuscript the most lucid directions for
the looks and behavior OF the players,
and for the scenery to environ them, but
II the producing manager Is inexpert OF
illiberal the requisite illustrations Of
time and place are not given. In the two
new plays Of last week the compositions
were so admirably treated in these particu-
lars that il is worth while 20 utilize them
as examples in the art Of placing literature
on the stage.
There was n substantial agreement by
the reviewers that Quality Street" was a
rare entertainment. and an equally posi-
tive disa agreement in apportioning the
praise to j. NJ. Barrie and Maude Adams.
The harmony of ability In the author and
the actress wa SO sympathetic that their
work was n joint one a collaboration, and
II was hard to discern in the complete blend
of composition and Interpretation the
ratio of merit. There can be no dispute
of the fact, however, that Mr.. Barrie set
for Miss Adams a more dclicately difficult
task than his THE Little Minister" had
given her. He seemed to have grown
confident Of her power 10 enforce subtleties
where most actresses would lose the charm
OF them in strenuous ~endeavor, or not
betoken them at all. So he left some of
the passages TO depend altogether for po-
tency on her acting. Things that he would
nave portrayed and related in long periods
n writing a novel he intrusted to this
wonderfully gifted young oma to make
palpable. IL is lard to conceive that he
had a thought in his mind that she does
not convey to the eyes of the audience.
She is indeed 50 profuse in the graphic
portions Of her performance that. If she
were a less adorable creature to the people
who go to the Knickerbocker, she might be
regarded as retarding her own and others
dalix,aru nf tho fart Rnt M sigp Of inn
patience or inattention is to be seen
while she is 30 deliberately characterizing
Phg6e Of The Rineiets. and her success,
thus both artistic and popular, is partly due
TO the atmosphere which she and the
author could not create IL they were not
helped by the outfit which Mr.. Frohman
has provided, II is not in money so much
as in taste thai this essential aid has been
Afforded The mounting is not extrava-
gantly expensive for these days Of lavish
outlay in theatrical ventures, but it Is faith
full to the requirements. What can have
been no more than bare suggestions by Mr..
Barrie have been carried out with car, full
dexterity. The blue and white living room
Is as prim and staid a. the old-maidish one
OF the sisters who occupy IL. yet az quantity
attractive as the young girl whose vi
vacity is not altogether restrained by the
rigorous rules of propriety laid down for
jewellers In Quality street. which We see
through the windows With it, inquisitive
n~eighbors passing. or In opposite houses
peering OUT. Enough has been said in
praise of Ms Afams's par In the repre-
ssn,ation. ani a. % Sydney Brough, i'm
ported newly from London. he deserves
oomnendation for making the lover n
hearty good fellow, but explicit recognition
h. deserved by the minor actors and their
drillmas,er for the harmonious filling IN
Of the scenes with suitable action IN"
schoolroom incidents, including the urchin
who per-istentiy threw out his lsliy in
stead Of his chest, aud the other one Who
weep hecaus- the mistress wouldn't whip
him. were gwen with spontaneous humur
- were the less reasonable aHd therefor"
harder autirs - phabss admirrr- a. IA"
military tall
~ a coiucidruo-. the -s-spui nrN plIy
Of the vcHk Wa- altp wn' H. q Ldrf
southern Skit~" ~. -loh advantage -
novelty had hten given ~ the producer Ly
Intiie blair rartur 49, NJ Hafur hal pr.-
Vldel in 40 utlrf Dars Plantation life
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