The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-26
sumptuous stnpe Propertte,

Observers of theatrical affairs have
noted for some years past the steadily
Increasing disposition on the part Of man
ayers TO spend money on scenery and COS
tunes II sometimes looks as If they
were more willing to spend money on
these things than on the acting, which is
not a development which would be very
good for the interests Of art The time
has come when the public must serious
y consider the extent and significance Of
this tendency.
There Is no question that II takes sew
e-al Tins as much money to stage
drama according to the standards Of to-
day as it took in the days when Booth
and Jefferson began their work The
details of every costume must be in keep
ing with the time and place Of the drama.
a1d nothing but handsome costumes are
tolerated in any scene where there is the
least excuse for them The stage furni-
ture must also be appropriate in every
way. and all sorts Of ingenious and costly
devices are used TO produce scenic effects
Of one kind or another Sometimes these
effects, and the costumes, almost make
the play and the house, filed mainly with
people who want TO enjoy the display OF
expensive gowns and the curiOusly re-
alistic limitations of scenery, or atmos-
pheric effects, or the noise Of galloping
horses. The audacIOus Introduction OF
the machinery for making all these er-
fects in -Zaza" was only a legitimate
de~eIopment Of the craze for mechanical
devices. some OF the society plays OF the
last ten years have been practically moth
in2 but millinery shows The average
musical comedy is nothing but scenery.
costume. and mechanical effects. spiced
with the cleverness Of two or three ac-
tors. and sweetened by the presence Of as
many pretty chorus girls As can be found
IL the manager.
On the other hand, we have productions
f. which there is good acting. as well as
elaboration Of detail. such as Aansheld's
Henry y" which IS hardly more than
a moving series Of gorgeous historical
pictures. held together by a certain
amount Of very good dramatic work
Such productions not only raise the
standard Of expense. but Of art They
VIII in time make il impossible for slips
and errors IN matters of detail to be toll
Grated At present the effect which they
have is TO make 1t utterly out Of the
question for any actor 70 play Shakes
a-are or any other classic unless he has
money enough 10 stage and costume the
production as artisticaIly as II can be
done. II Booth were to begin his career
TODAY his genius would profit him moth
inc. II he ala not have a hacker willing
10 give him the proper surroundings
This IS Tho immediate effect. The con
sequence Of it is that the American actor
and the American playwright are both
having rather "a hard time The huge cost
Of The production makes it profitable for
the theatrical manager 70 spend money
on ono or two stars. and not on securing
an ail-around good company 1t also
makes il wise for him to refrain from
paying the playwright any large sum for
an original drama. The more sagaci3us
plan, from = monetary point Of view, IS
TO produce = musical comedy. which needs
10 plot and very little acting. TO adapt
something from the French. which viii
draw an audience by its immortality # not
BY its merit. or to dramatize a popular
novel whose vogue viii advertise the
5,lay Al Of these methods result IN a