The Washington times., 1903-10-18
A DedTth of PlduS.
Mr.. BelasCo's Comment and
a Few Independent Obser-
ADMINISTRATION as a Re-
Quisite in Theatrical Art.

do for plays?' Great plays, mean. plays
that are really worth while. Just now
we seem to have reached period Of
stagnation. All the old playwrights are
either dead or suDerannuated and the
younger men lack virility. Germany
has Sudermann and Hauptmann and
there are a few others, but their genius
is cranky and their plays are full of
theories.
II don't know exactly what the Amer
lean theatergoers want. But know they
want something better than they are
getting, as a rule. The farces, the bur-
lesaues. the extravaganzas are all very
we'll in their way and there win always
be need of them, but the public wants
something more than that. They are
only the entrees, the salad. the dessert
the hors d oeuvres. The piece de resist
ance Is left out of the feast entirely and
the public is beginning to demand 1t. a
confectioner once told me he always m
structed his clerks TO eat all the candy
and tarts they wanted. They soon get
tired of them. he explained. when they
can have all they want And that's just
the way with the public. 1t has had a
surfeit of frivolous stage entertainment.
1t wants something solid now. some
thing TO reach the intellect"
A Postulate Well Established.
This is merely Mr.. Belasco's postu-
late. He has only laid down the threads
OF his plot, so TO speak. The great con-
ce-n~ Of the manager is the lack OF great
plays He does not know exactly what
American theatergoers want. but he has
discovered that they want something
better than what they get. The stage
has surfeited its patrons with sweets;
it must now serve upbuilding. strength
giving meat.
The Times is under no obligation 10
review the seasons bookings in order
to affirm this view.
A few notable dramatic writings sug-
gest themselves to everyone: Heyses
Mary OF Magdala," Stephen Philips
Francesca" "Herod," and Ulysses"
"Old Heidelberg" as translated for Mr..
Mansfield. Sardou's Dante and the
classics, OF which we are TO have so
many REVEALS" are all exceptional
and noteworthy. II not great
But the great number Of stage COM
positions belong decidedly in another
class. BY far the majority are made
from books. The next large number is
q product OF the peculiar ability pos
sessed by such men as Bronson How
when all is said and done, has written
what are probably the only noteworthy
satlres on the life OF today. One play
end it may be significant that It has
hsd a most precarious existence-had in
Il the clements Of greatness, Mr.. Gang
Wills Children Of the Ghetto" Polite
meiodrama, plays of the most moderate
literary quality. plots which vary much
like patterns in wall paper and char
acter studies cut TO the personality or
she actors for whom they are designed.
these-with the few exceptions noted
constitute the great number OF dramatic
representations now 10 be seen on our
stage. The Times has puTposely re-
Trained from classifying the plays writ
Ten by Mr.. Belasco himself.
Intellect and Action.
In expansion Of this thought Mr.. Be
lasco continues: "Of course" he SAYS.
the heavy German style Of intellectual
drama viii never suit the American
playgoer. He demands something with
acton-Dlenty Of action. And that kind
OF play is possible. Shakespeare plays
are full Of action; so are those Of Sheri-
dan and ali the other old playwrights -
Action. then. and intellect are the dis
tinctiFe requirements for the great
modern play as they appear 10 Mr. Be
lasco. 1t should be said parcnthetically
that both these qualities abound in Mr.
Belasco's own works. The chief point OF
interest IN this second proposition is that
clear distinction Is drawn between
literature in the form OF the drama and
plays which are dramatic and literary
at the same time.
The dictionary defines play, in this
sense. as "A dramatic composition for
scenic representation by speaking OF
acting A drama Is "a composition in
prose or In poetry. usually intended to
be acted upon the stage. presenting a
story by means Of characters speaking
and acting In situations contriyed TO de-
velop plot and with such accessories
Of scenery, stage machinery, costume
etc. as are fitted TO create an impress
sion Of reality"
II Will be noted there is here no men
tion Of action as the chief quality Of a
play. On the contrary the chief aim o!
the drama is TO develop a plot" How
this Is TO be done is left TO the ingenuity
OF sthe playwright, and the producer
and in Mr. Belasco's instance II must
invariably be Gone through action. p
Shakespeare plays arc fun OF action
as he sees them. So indeed. they arc
But II IS no proof OF Mr.. Belasco's case
Shakespeares pen afford such abundant
1000 FOR study as 10 make their actor
entirely subordinate TO interest OF an.
other sort. This IS Of course even moro
true OF his histories.
Action or Laziness.
Action OF the sort indicated by Mr.
Belasco is a tribute to the intellectual
laziness Of the age. Our people, IN tn,
theater and out Of II. must have theii
thinking done for them. Sufficient evi
dence Of this IS to be found in the new
form given all our periodical publica.
lions. II is not enough that playgoers
should hear portentous words clearI,
spoken. They must also De TRANSLATED
By means OF sign language SO that thC
deafest person in the audience may un.
derstand clearly
Action is an undoubted requisite II
theatrical art, but not IN the sense in
dicated by Mr.. Belasco. 1t Is an at
tribute merely and not an end. Tn,
development OF plot the expression OF
noble sentiment in language which /,
clear, delineative and musical the en-
phasis Of a valuable lesson. by what
ever means attained. and not action. OF