The Topeka state journal., 1902-02-01
"THE BAD DIE YOUNG.
So Says Hillary Bell in Speaking of
Modern Stage Productions.

Celebrity in pursuit of theatric wick
| edness is essential An ancient proverb
says that only the good die. early. This
axiom does not hold in the theater, where
only the bad die early, says Hillary Bell
in the New York Press.
No salacious plays live long 1t may
be that extraordinary skill in acting or
adro1t method in advertising carries
them beyond the average brief hour of
such questionable entertainments. Thus
Sadie Martinot and w. ]. Ferguson, two
of the most accomplished of modern
comedians, maintained 1.-THE Turtle" in
favor for a period of prosperity that
would have been impossible had the
story lacked their brilliancy of humor
Sut aIter IT'S feverlsh fortune mat piece
fell into misfortune, and at the expira-
ton of Its stay in the Manhattan 1t was
not sent on tour, but fell into limbo
The frequent changes in bill of our
ual fortune, but they are of great ben
eft to the general drama Art does not
become stagnant pool, but is kept
clear stream of running water.
Impurities come into it. We have had
Turtles and Charmions, Girls from
Maxims S" Orange Blossoms Miles
Fiji" Florida Enchantments" and 9TH
er noxiouS things on the stage. No per-
manency to them, however. Presently
they are swept away by pastoral fresh
cts or floods of emotion. Change is con-
tinuous. What was new yesterday is
old today, what Is curious today will be
tedious tomorrow.
Our drama is restless. still impatient,
still seeking, with one foot on land and
one on sea, as the poet says, to one
thing constant never.
Therefore legislations and agitations
and discussions against prevailing styles
of entertainment are foolish. Before
matters can come to an agreement the
system against which argument is di-
rected has disappeared. The daily pa
pers alone can keep up with the prog
ress of the play. Olga Nethersole's
(sar ILL It'd n
had only short prosperity. Weber &
Fields present theater, dedicated to the
obscene, failed completely and the house
never arrived at fortune until our hu
morists came into its possession and
gave the public honest entertainment.
All of which shows that virtue pays.
The drama that has lived longest was
written by Sophocles. 'Oed1pus" is
moral work Of such dramatic value that
it remains to this day in the repertoire
of French tragedies and English and
American colleges.
Shakespeare's Hamlet is of equal
propriety and antiquity, although the
song of Ophelia is carefully edited to
suit the taste of modern audiences.
'Charley's Aunt" the greatest money
maker of any piece in this generation,
was q harmless piece of humor.
Trilby" earned in royalties S240,OOO
and although the hypnotized lass was
not moral her history was, and the story
of her misfortunes brought harm to no
body.
SHENANDOAH paid it's author, BrOn-
son Howard, 5000, 600 in royalties. That
was a melodrama of innocuous desue-
tude.
Our Boys which had the longest
consecutive run of any modern play,
inasmuch as it's continuity was undis-
turbed for three years, was an innocent
diversion.
"Adonis," which had 900 performances
in this city, was without guile.
Uncle Toms Cabin" which has re-
mained in intermittent favor longer
than any other native play, cannot man
tie the cheek of innocence with even the
suspicion of a blush.
1.-The Old Homestead" lasted for sew
en- years without wickedness. There
was no harm in THE County Fair"
which remained popular for five years
David Belasco's early plays. THE
Wife" and Charity Ball." established
the fortune of the Lyceum Theater, and
still remain popular with cheap COM
panies. although there was nothing in
them to interest the salacious.
Beau Bummell,'' Secret Service"
Held BY the Enemy" THE Heart of
Maryland" THE Still Alarm blue
Jeans" Sherlock Holmes" Hoyt's var
ious farces, In Old Kentucky" Way
Down East" Lovers Lane" Captain
Jinks," The Amazons," "Trelawny of
the WelIs,'' Barbara Freitchie," ," Mad
anne Butterfly" and other pieces which
held long favor in recent years were
harmless in writing and performance.