The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-16
WRITINGS FOR The THEATRE.
AN EXAMPLE BIZ HENRY JAMES
OF MOTIONLESS COMEDY.
Demonstrauve Passion In . Hhf-iiour
Mdodraus, Turbulent Humor IN
Musical Farce and an Unseen 'iri
: as an Object Of Comedletta Love-

Ntelodrama, Turbulent Humor In q
,,os,csI Farce and an Unseen Girl
as an Object Of Comedletta Love-
There would have been astonishment.
.yen ACKNOWLEDGMENT, II Mrs. Jasper"
had sbown M activity. Henry James
had written IL, and so the well-informed
audience OF Thursday afternoon at the
Ennire Theatre where the Academy OF
Dramatic Arts made the reason clear why
no manager had produced II In a regular
vay, expected nothing else than a good
eSanpie OF motionless comedy. II ihtro-
ouced a man and a woman In wediock,
soo ..yeu persons In courtship. The odd
pumber of bachelors and maidens gave
one s~uperfuous wooer. esides that cause
for commotion, all the pairing OIL at the
start Of the play. including that OF the
husband and wife, was inharmonious a
tenth character, a matchmaking shrew'
was there to mix In and mix up a hula
baloo. Yet Mr.. James had resolutely
resisted all temptations to write anything
but conversation. from the quiet common
place Of which came q few faint CLEANS.
not flashes, OF verbal brightness, but moth
ing that gave the renotest suggestion OF
dramatic fire. There was talk. talk, nothing
but ak during two hours. The takers
came In and went out very often. but thst
was their only physical exercise lhey
moved the play along so little and so slowly
that when il was over nothing had seemed
10 happen, and the readjustment OF its
almost im~perceptibly amorous affairs was
devoid or interest. Probably Mr.. James
could have lone no better. The truth
was, no doubt. that he had not tried.
His purpose had been TO write a LAY In
the manner Of his novels, and he had lone
that, beyond all question. -.
ITe failure To throw out a single nenful
of paw ore in all his digging over OF WORTH
less sand would have been unendurably
duh 20 other then peculiar spectators
hut 10 those who filed the Empire at this
matinee II gave satisfactory entertain
nent firstly, because II was the work OF a
noted fctionist, and, secondly, because II
enabled Mr.. SaTgent's students to show
their proficiency TO their friends. Con-
eiderate Observers Of theatrical affairs
like TO see, once in a while, not too often,
one Of the literary plays that are too
good for general appreciation. The Acad-
euny Of Dramatic Arts serves us admirably
rs an independent theatre" by acting
pieces that do not deserve to be acted at
all. excepting 10 crafty curiosity. And
such 4 selection as his nerveless. heartless.
soulless Mrs. Jasper was good for the
school 10 which its performers belonged.
Tho practice in entrances, exits and cues
gained in the rehearsals must have filed
weeks and months with beneficial hard
wo.k. Even the quick study required CT
the repertory stock companies would hardly
tuf3,e between one Monday and the next
for this Mrs. Jasper" with its lack Of pith
or point to help the memori7ing Of it's dia-
loCues, and Of anything like incident to Ak
the matter in mind. But the students
had got the stuff into their heads and they
delivered il In n manner that did not deaden
it-that enlivened it with keen intelligence,
graceful demeanor and expressive elocu-
ton. The nearly uniform uu'mportance
of the colorless characters, the absence Of
vieor requiring strenuous action, and the
abundance Of opportunity for nicely in
speeeh and pose were al con duoive TO a
display Of thorough schooling.
In the strongest possible contrast with
Mrs. Jasper" at the same MATINEE was a
Gentleman Of the Road" a half-hour OF
melodrama by Arthur Ketchum. 1t Is far
easier to write a good play in one act than
any one Of four or FIVE equally good acts
In a play Of full length. In the first case
only a single episode has to be handled;
In the second there must be an adjustment
of our or five in a sequence tina requires
skill and patience to work out. When you
read that some dramatist has been a year
at a Job do not conclude that he has wasted
time. Mr.. Ketchum, II he is a ready writer,
may have easily turned out A Gentleman
of the Road" within a week after deciding
on the theme for such a brief romance.
But he did il well In both diction and
construction. The French poet, Francois
Nnlon, figured in it, not as a starving vaga-
bond, but as a lusty highway man. he
was among pals at an inn where he showed
his nature by giving a barmaid rhymes
and kisses in lieu of money for wine, and
tried 10 stab his duel antagonist unfairly
in the back. Nevertheless. he obeyed a
transitory impulse to become a gentleman
worthy Of his noble birth, He had by
chance encountered a delicate, gentle,
sentimental maiden. She had asked him
10 write verses to her, and the love he ex-
pressed in them was genuine. lie made
up his mind to mend his ways in order to
qualify himself as a sutton. So he declined
to 70 with his fellows to commit another
robbery and declared that he would strive
for honest renown as a poet. The victims
of their attack, being brought into tbs
tavern. proved to be- the girl Of his hear
and her husband. She had become tn,
bride Of a wealthy old man. The upsho'
was that the rhymester did not become
gentleman, but remained a footpad. Her,
was q play with more of dramatic substance
in one Of It's minute than Mr.. James haC
put into a hundred and twenty.
Ordinary ~pay-their-way audiences saw
last week y the vaudeville Orpheum'
co sdiottr that had originated in tn
La b. Club. and had amused the theatrica
members of that body in the seclusiol
OF taeir own house. This was Henry NJ
blossoms "Virtuc Is It's Own Reward
The novelty lay in the invisibility of tn
heroine. 4 fellow encountered a gir
across the street, praised her. declare,
love for her, went TO call on her and cam
back 70 tell moro about her, but not a glimps
OF her was given to those whom Ia
interested in her, Three capable actor
from the dramatic stage, Joseph HOLLAND
Charles b. Bell and Morgan. Conan repre-
- N-A-N T.