The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-23
Scene from cAe Darling offhe Gods

Nothing less than q dramatic mir
acle, the critics write, is the japanese
play, The Darling Of the Gods" which
its authors, David BeIasco and Luther
Long, have endowed with charms Sc
subtle as to almost defy analysis. AS a
result Of it's success, the book review
eTs have been overwhelmed with ava
lanches Of japanese literature; the
stores stocked with Oriental wares,
and tea tables have become eloquent
with discussions concerning cherry
blossoms and Sake bowls. All this is
only scratching the surface. for the
causes which exalted THE Darling OF
the Gods" to the twenty seventh Jap
anese heaven of popular favor must
be found in the association of the COL
laborators. in their methods of work
and in the history of the building of
the play, which is now told for the
first time.
With the individuals of the dramatic
partnership the public is familiar. Da-
vid Belasco, dramatic thaumaturgist
had worked many wonders before this
last triumph. None knows better than
he how to translate the printed page
into action and lifeIike dialogue. He
is a master of expression, of light and
shadow, of the witcheries of calcium
and scenery and stage mechanics.
MIR. Long Feared Not.
John Luther Long, a Philadelphia
lawyer, first attracted attention in
1895 by writing a novelette, of Japan
csc life. An actress who had read it
suggested that it would make a good
play.
$50 it WILL" said Mr.. Long, and with
knowledge of the dramatic art which
literary man may gain from sitting
in an orchestra chair he wrote the
play. He read it to a circle of friends,
and, observing an untranslatable ex-
preston on their faces out of the cor
ner of his eye, he tore up the manu-
script. Mr.. Long tried again, and the
result was so much better that he had
the courage to take it to a New York
manager, who shall be nameless. The
director of theatrical destiny told him
that it would not do.
'The Japanese environment" said
he, lis suited only to light opera and
musical comedy. A serious Japanese
play is bound to be a failure
What would you say to a play"
asked Mr.. Long, "1n which all the
characters are JapaneSe!"
Impossible" was the reply.
The answer to this was Madame
Butterfly" at the Herald Square few
months later.
When the story of Madame Butter
fly appeared, David Belasco, play
wright and manager, saw in it posi-
bilities and obtained the dramatic
rights. During the course of the dra-
matfzatiOn, Mr.. Long was occasionally
consulted. The two men found that
they were enough alike in their ideas,
to work together in harmony, and an
agreement was made that they should
collaborate in the writing of a play.
Madame Butterfly" the play, was as
great a success as the book. 1t has
been performed thousands of times,
and the book, which has had a large
sale, is soon to be printed by the Cen
fury company in an edition de luxe.
The inception of THE Darling of the
Gods" dates from the second night of
Madame Butterfly" when Mr.. Belasco
said to Mr.. Long:
Brother Jonathan, We must follow
this up with a long play of Japan"
How about having every character
Japanese a tragedy" asked Mr..
Long. GOOO, SAID belaScO.
Beginning of the Idea.
Nothing more was said on the sub
ject for several months, when, in the
course of a conversation, Mr.. Belasco
exclaimed: Now then, let's get down
to work on that Japanese play. We
must have something mystical, tragic,
a story of feeling, you understand;
passing away of old Japan, may be-
Something like that"
How about the Samurai?"
Good; the crossword men; extinc-
ton of the chivalry of old Japan. We
have it."
That was the beginning Of "The
Darling of the Gods" The idea was
abstract, almost chaotic, when the au-
thors began their labors. Mr.. Long
had by hard experience acquired some
knowledge of the technique of the
drama. He learned more as he labor
ed with David Belasco. The building
of the play was carried on in New
York, and the hours of toll would have
been q shock to the walking delegate
of a Playwrights' union for when the
fever of composition possessed the au-
thors they worked twenty hours at a
time. Their meals were sent in to
them, and they separated only to snatch
a little Sleep There is not q passage