The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-18
FOREIGN PLAYS and PLAYERS,
WITH DOMESTIC HAPPENINGS
TALKED or on BROADWAY.
The National Theatre Chimera and Why
II Will Remain . Dream Here-A
New BJornsOn Drsma-Fannie ward
nl-Max BeerbOhm's New Comedy.

NCtuosu uTVaU vCTt-N
New BJornsOn Drama-Fannie ward
u-Max BeerbOhm's New Comedy.
With its inevitable punct uality the dis
cussion OF a national theatre and its posse
bihties bobs up about this time of he year,
Matters theatrical are sluggish. The
shopper is abroad in the land. And the
Christmas tree is a bigger attraction than
any show in town. But Ms we must talk
TO hve-one shiveringly recalls Voltaires
Il do not see the necessity!"-the endow-
ment OF a national theatre is preached
with annual regularity. and when the
weather begins to grow mild, when iciclss
no longer hang by the wall. and tho various
Dicks and Marians are disporting their
spring attire on Broadway. then return
the solemn persons who have almost per-
suaded a Senatorial committee as to the
wisdom. of providing America with
national conservatory of music Between
these two topics the agile newspaper writer
has to depend upon mere happenings for
his mill grist
As II would be presumption for one
scribe to pretend to represent the opinions
Of a vast reading constituency. we leave
the subject OF a national theatre for
further discussion, not, however, ithout
calling attention to n well-attested fact:
aver - quite iDItlkn 10 lie genius
of this nation. What private enterprise,
backed by experience and taste. can &C.
complish may be seen in the workings
of the Boston symphony Orchestra. But
an orchestra is not a playhouse. and an
endowed playhouse IL apt to stagnate in
the stale waters Of Journalism. The present
writer has often admired the dexterity
and finish of the PLAYERS Of the House of
N..la Vat .kot ,r,e l.. L..
purcnasedl Fresh air, genuine vitality
and new ideas are excluded from the placid,
artistic atmosphere Of the Coincide Fran
case. Custom regulates the movement Of
the lips the dying fall in a cadence, the
number of inches necessary for a move
ment expressing passion. II is all very
classic. A mistake is impossible in this
wcll-oiled mechanism. But nature
Nature is outside on the busting streets.
or is better interpreted at the unpretentious
THEATRE Libre. Here in America a ationa
theatre would succumb to political in
fuences. We should have Hamlet" with
excisions, or Macbeth without certain
scenes. while all modern plays such as
the People" and Pillars Of Society would
be vigorously excluded, as being 90 satiri-
cal In intention. The curse Of artistic
Interpretation has always been tradition
no just. right way to read Shakespeare,
anv more than there is 10 play Bach. Your
official academy or conservatory pretends
there is--hence the ultimate decay of the
individual David Belasco was not far
amiss when he declared that America
needed no endowed theatre Competition
is the salt Of art.
When Bj6nson's -Iaboremus" was pro-
duced in Munich in September. 1901, at the
left the story in the air And it IL a story
almost commonplace in its outlines; the
adventuress-a pianste who bamboozles
q middl married man and later nearly
ruins the peace Of his nephew. Bjornson.
unlike his great contemporary and rela-
tive. Ibsen. is ever didactic. The parable
he sets forth n groaning accents is that
work saves us from the wiles of Mr.. -
and Nine. - Devil. To fill out his ethical
plan the Norwegian dramatist has written
called 'Paa Storhove' and depicts the
struggle between two women, each en-
bodying respectively good and evil ideals
1t 10 said TO be powerful and interesting
attempt.
Some one shouted Speak up at the
premiere Of The Unforeseen in the Hay
market Theatre, London. This injunction,
while 1t shocked the audience, produced
the desired effect and several Of the actors,
who had been mumbling their lines, began
to speak with more distinctness
Fannie Ward, VIII o couldn't count her
New York admirers, from American dukes
to plain commoners. has been sick in Eng
land. She was recently at Brighton,
recuperating.
Gerhart Hauptmann's latest play. Der
Arme Heinrich" is meeting with a mixed
reception in Germany and Austria. Az is
usual-and natural-the newspapers con-
traAict aQCh nj her and IF ha thar,a
IL voted repulsive by certain critics. When
anything new X offered in the drama it is
always denounced as "repusive." Read the
criticisms OF century ago and you come
upon the identical word. Human nature is
very conservative.
Lost in the Dark" by Roberto Bracco,
has just been produced in Naples. II was
success despite its gloomy, sordid themes
The She Devil" is the charming title Of a
four ,ct sensational drama by Rdgewood
Barrie. The lady first saw The light in
Lancaster, England.
Aususte Van Bicne. the cells, actor.
goes To South Africa with his eternal
Broken Melody"
After many seasons Of delightful dra-
matte fsuHetons with occasional dips
into carcaturing Max Beerbohm Of the
London saturday Rc"len has written a
comedy in company with Murray Carson.
N Is called The Fly on the Wheel" and was
produced at the Coronet Theatre, London.
on Dec. 4. II did not make much of an
impression as a novel composition, but as
il was exccllently acted Il was we'll re-
Ceived
NJ Antoine will not apply for the man.
agerhent of the Odeon, Paris, as he re-
ceived several hints that his candidacy
was not viewed favorably in Official quar-
tiers.
Lugne-Poe and his company have been
playing with more or less success Mae
terlinck's "Monna Wanna" at the Porte
St. Martin. This was the Iiece, II NAV
be remembered. that the censor banished
from public performance in LONDON.
"Florodora" is to be producet, at the
Theatre des Bouffes next month.
vesta Tilley may not appear in play
by Louis N. Parker, when she visits here
next fall, though she will be heard in some
theatrical production. She says she il
by no means a. newcomer on the regular
stage, having toured the provinces with
her own comedy company.