Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-27

1IN AN4aAA u NV AnAA NMEh NHN I
activity Of the English stage censor against
theatrical indecencles. IL is said TO be due
to her influence that Maeterllnck's Mamie
Wanna was prescribed, and that Nine. 4
Rejane was asked to omit some Of the al
legged strong plays Of her repertory. While
the queen is not "squeamish," she has a
very rigid idea Of what constitutes public
decency, and so far as her power and ex-
ample goes she will aid in unfolding a high
standard Of purity. II is quite likely that
America will feel the effect Of the queens
example, and that, to a large extent at
least. the tendency toward the impure on
the stage will be checked. II this be the
result, clean-minded Americans will have
something to feel thankful to England's
queen for.
The decadence Of dramatic art. both In the
playwriting and playacting phases has been
much discussed and much d~eplored during
recent years. Some writer's. whose ems
thusiasm can hardly be distinguished from
hysteria. have hailed this author or that as
great, ana have exhausted the magazine OF
superlatives in singing his praises. But
while these impressionable people are
burning incense before the shrines Of one
or the other of the moderns, the public
taste is surely and not so slowly swinging
away from their inanities, and that the
vogue Of the classic drama will be re-es-
tabHshed. Not that we are likely to be
overwhelmed with a flood Of heavy drama,
or that the light and entertaining play is
to be abandoned. That would be too great
a change. Most people still go to the the
ater to be amused and distracted, and Will
in a large measure patronize any sort OF
play that promises this result. But they
have grown tired Of the type Of play that
has been given prominence during the last
few years; for the book" play and the
"problem" play and the romantic" play
are ali of the same family, and differ only
in degree. Here and there a few modern
pieces loom up like rocks In an ocean OF
mediocrity or GASES In a desert OF dramatlc
driviI. but these resting places are few
and far between. 1t is in hope OF hnding
more Of them that managers are now cast
ing about, arranging for revivals Oh ola
plays, while watching for the appearance
OF new, In discussing this point Lyman
"a. Glover, the we'll known critic Oh lne
Chicago Record-Herald, writes;
All fashions, even those of literature ana
drama. run In cycles. movers
are the t6e fad next Sf one %e s one Time s"f the pubic
Graves farce-comedy, and at aho niays oT
music comedies are in demand. We DO not
consider a woman,s apPeutemos She tnrns
s srom roast Beef ana Yorkshire pudding to
Ice cream or charlotte de russo. One can
not be In the mood for sqo s. apbasomss dee
generate now and then through 700 muc ~
Indulgence in sweets ana pasrrtSs' any such
Perhaps for several years there has been
200 long A continuance of dessert with us
sweetened wind and general lack OF SUD
Stance. This sometimes happens not 80
~ 3 LACY OF eubstantials. AS occurs In the
domain Of wheat, corn or pee, ofSatsple
articles. Not a great play or a hne,
~lthoughtful drama Is 70 be nae; have
been scattered all along through the his,
tory of the drama and neeo occasion ~
SSPPe eSdiSst and much easier neld OF general
literature there are plenty OF lean yeats'
when not a MASTERPIECES nor even d uS
Under such adverse dramatic conditions
those. who fnd fault without stopping =
ter with shapespeare or Goldsmith. sheri-
dan, Lytton, sheridan Knowles. Tom Fay
II, sRe ana mates ter with with them, but 4 Is imPossI6I;s
to repeat their plays All the time; You cHrt wl,
WITH constant rereadings of Dickens and
Scott. They long for green fields and pas,
old love. This is the attitude OF those whG
love the Important drama, and they. II
e eSte9 persons, form the saving mlnorits
which can be depended upon to supper,
o one will occur again this fall aftel
one OF the customary intervals whicf
sSvsTS ndw See by their works whether PEG
pIe really want high-class plays or only
grumble in their absence as a sort o.
There Is promise Of Shakespeare II R,t tshFs'
MSansSeid intends devoting his season a6so
'iutely TO as fine as revival OF JUN,
Caesar as skill and unlimited resources SOU y e,
Important revival since the closing year
OF Edwin Booths career. Always rsgarde.
Of the tSraSedies' with three characters Q
remarkable interest and others OF sSarcet
Couture with when prOouced and acted {
a commanding manner. But there's IN
F sbskesp Maneiui spells ell 'h1 bankruptcy ffor tn
manager, which is not always true yer
adeonste production of Julius Caesar
The same statement might be made wit
feld triumphantly exploited two years age
although II must be conceded mat -Junu
owing to It's e~xacting demands upon IN
supporting actor, 1t is not strange ina
Serf sSys see S sSrcSR i as Edwi Booth. Hsnr
irving and Richard Mansfield, shrink fror
these great shakespearean productions. Blu
such men have always feit the respons
Silit ,@nS Of lssd sSiass. ap Mr. the Ma a%SsilDn d.
spite all envy and detraction, has achieve
such a oommanding position thaI nc migS
or three OF his old plays and win q hug
income each year without troupie 9
II animated only by the commerce.
spirit, which Is rather common just nov
this Is the course he would be likely TO puI
sue, much to his own ease and peace {
mind. Since all OF his recent and importaT
efforts. such as "Cyrano,' Henry v an
"Beaucaire," have brought with them
great deal of abuse TO mingle with the sn'
cess and prosperity. one might imagir
That he would forego any further an
bilious efforts. II Is rather dispiriting
he abused for well doing, but since tn
abuse Is greatly overbalanced by the con
mendation Of the great public. suppo'
Mr., Mansfield can grin ana bear X.
saw him the other day Just before ]
sailed for Europe. He was going TO 10
his family In a summer residence on Il
Thames In England. although his pre-
erence was 20 rest In this country. 5pea
ing OF his plans for next season, he sa
that a fine revival Of Julius Caesar HI
been his dream for a long time. 1T
not" he said. "a star play in quite q
same sense that Hamlet u or Henry !
since IN each OF these cases one charaet
very greatly p~redominates over all (
of the others. But It Is a great and sple
.didly balanced play, which ought 10
brought forward not only on account OF {
general public. but for the benefit
schools and colleges whore pupils :
studying literature. / have been very j
orally supported by the people OF I
United States and consider II a duty, az