The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-13
WARDE ON
THE DRAMA
Ills Talk Before the
Social Science
Club.
A FINE AUDIENCE
AT JUDGE FREAR'S
The Trssedian Makes . Scholarly
Talk About the Dramas
Widespread Influence.


guest and speaker last evening the
eminent traEedian. Mr.. FredericS
warse. Though the weather was wet.
{, desire to hear Mr.. warde up17 a dra-
matte theme crowded Judge Trear's
house. where the club met. wIsh repre-
.entetives OF the learning and culture
OF ne city.
The Eject 90 the Drama Upon civ
iIiza ton wns the title OF the address
Mr.. wsrde traced the influence OF the
drama upon history from the earliest
times. making apt quotations from
epic verse. and showing In all ways the
results OF erudi;e research. Coming
rapidly 10 the English drama during
ars after the ~spaeiJus days OF great
T1z4besh." the stetksr made s'rikinS
Illustrations OF the fact that moral
Rays were not uncommonly used 90
SuppIement the horniIies of a pulpit
hence the practice OF taking wayward
apprentices once a year to see a drama
in which the punishment OF the bad
apprentice and the triumph Of the good
one we're togehingiy portrayed
Tnat the plays OF Shakespeare have
had. for three hundred years. a powe--
full Influence upon the literature and
therefore upon the thought and con-
duet OF the time. is. said Mr. warde.
an unquestf0aed fact They have been
studlsd more than any other works II
poet or dranatist: have been quoted
more widely their impress upon the
Thought OF humanity IL more visible.
They have been a text book OF phiios-
ophy and % human nature for three
c~nturfes. and for ages 20 come they
win mold the thoughts and habits Of
msa. "And did not william Shakes
p~are write these piays7' asked thei-
strong Interpreter. Il would as soon
doubt the authsntieity and holiness of
the LORDS PRAYER. which I learned To
lisp ~ my mothers knee. as TO doubt
that Shakespeare was the author OF
The works that b~ar his name ZAP
piau-e1
Mr. wards made a ferVid appeal 10
students OF Shakespeare To seek for
his spirit. 20 regard his ctearneSs and
stmplicity. the majesty OF his teach
fu<-. the breadth and humanity OF his
vis~-not To worry over misplaced COM
mas and miaor anachrOuisms.
Th@ worthin@ss of the stage a. a fac
Have We n hfEh-rlfneed staEeg II not.
" hose fault iSit7 Surely not the dram
qti-rr. Tor To produce an immortal
play 10 the natural goal of his art: not
the MANAGERS fault. because he IL only
too saGer TO meet the appreciation OF
the pubic. not the actors. because u
- his ambition 20 win fame In the
uobIest Interpretations The fault 10
The publlc'a what u asks for and pays
for. the manager provides for u. When
lt Demands msrstriC.ious plays u gets
thsra- Perhaps the public might b.
-siueafed to better things. but manaGersl
viii not do that az their own expense
n the public would support the drama
,s they do the schools. there would be
, chance fur the playwright and the :
,eto- 10 mould the public taste. but as
,hinrs are now they must accept and !
'ollov It.
ur. Warde earned hearty applause
~ his rebuke os plays which turn upon
ne -fns OF ser. saying the subject had ,
70 place on The stage but should be
egs 20 each mans conscience From
his ne went into n discussion OF the
.haractcr of players. urging That as
N~ stage xas never 50 full AZ now OF {
.f~h-rnsudc,i men and women who lead Z
.arn~st sincere and studious lives. ,
4@-. should BE- n closer union between !
: and other agencies of public good
In View York; he said. I'VE have the
,cforSs Church Alliance. headed BY
:ishop Potter. an organization which
AZ It's chapiains in many cities Act a
~ and preachers are often brought
ether at our meetings and thus
saay false impressions are removed
N soth sides. The preachers say: b
WY surely these are not syh minded q
e1c1s.' and actors say: Tnsss men q
- ,os narrovs and austerc.' and they =
s~f uIth a lust opinion OF each other. =
noo~ 20 SEE shs time when the y
surch. the stage and the school viii :
: apffed in the work of civilization. !,
h~ day viii come the sooner u people I,
m go o. good plays and avoid bad y
80. Then they wfri help us 90 build .
p a drarna that - an honor and al