The Indianapolis journal., 1903-04-12
JOHN S. SPANN eco
40 North Pennsylvania St.
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Henry Austin Clapp, the Boston dramatic
critic who is to lecture in Indianapolis
this week, has had an unusually varied ex-
perience of life. He was born In Massa-
chusetts and educated at Harvard, and he
was a soldier in the civil war. He is
lawyer by profession and practiced until
his appointment to the clerkship of the
Supreme Court of Massachusetts, a posi-
tion which he still holds. He had, however,
from his early days deep interest in the
drama, and he held for thirty years the
position of dramatic critic on the Boston
Advertiser. About year ago he changed
his allegiance to the Herald His criti-
cismS are limited, however, to the more
important productions. He has been called
the dramatic conscience OF New England.
His standards are very high, and he is a
real dramatic critic and not a faddist and
word painter like William Winter. Mr..
Clapp has written often in the Atlantic
on subjects related TO the stage, and his
"Reminiscences of a Dramatic Critic"
which appeared in that periodical, have
lately been published in book form.
Many lecturers are dull or inaudible, but
Mr.. Clapp never loses his hold upon an
audience. He has a voice of singular fexi-
bility and strength, which he accommo-
dates TO very large halls and theaters. He
has enjoyed the distinction of being the
only speaker who has ever given two
courses Of lectures before the Lowell In
stitute in Boston. A few years ago he
gave a course OF lectures in Cambridge.
IT was thought that one of the Harvard
College classr0oms would accommodate
the students. but after the first day the
lectures were moved to Sanders Theater
and continued there to crowded houses
He has lectured in Cooper Union. New
York, to newsboys and in many American
universities to students and scholars, and
always with success.
1t is a curious fact about Mr.. Clapp that
while he has been a writer of dramatic
criticisms for so many years he has in that
time known personally very few actors.
He knew William Warren and some of his
contemporaries of the old stock company
days. but there only a few exceptions
10 his rule not TO embarraSS himself in the
role OF critic by meeting players socially.
The Phi Gamma Delta at Wabash Col
lege has arranged with Mr.. Clapp to lee
ture on Hamlet to a company of invited
guests on Monday evening, April 20 The
fraternity has engaged Music Hall at
Charlottesville for the lecture and will
make IL one of the events of the year.
Mr.. Clapp will give two lectures in In
evening, April IL. and Saturday afternoon,
April is. The subject of the first lecture
will be Hamlet and of the second 1.-The
American Theater" The lectures will take
place in the assembly hall of the Harrison
school, corner OF Delaware and Walnut
streets. The price of a ticket admitting to
both lectures will be IS cents. The price
of single ticket will be 80 cents.
Mr.. Clapp comes to Indianapolis pri-
marily TO give address before the teach
king Lear on Thursday afternoon, the
18th, which will be open only TO teachers
Of the city. In order to defray the ex-
penses of this lecture the remaining two
lectures are given, TO which the public is
invited. Tickets may be procured at the
Bobbs- Merrill book store and from Miss
Clara Stonebarger IN the school office in
the library building.