New-York tribune., 1903-01-18
THEATRICAL INCIDENTS AND NEWS NOTES.
Mss SH4H- AIRS HER VIEWS ON LBSEN-MLSS ANNE
RLSSELL ND :. lR PLCKUICK >, THIS WEEK.

Miss Mary Shaw. whom George Fawcett. Of Balu-
more, is 70 present at the Manhattan Theatre, IN
this city. week in series Of 'Ibsen matnees"
beginning with q performance Of Ghosts, has, as
zreu known decided opinions on the merits Of the
Norwegian dramatist. the more decided perhaps
because Of the opposite views Of very considerable
portion Of the American public What these views
she has from tine tine set forth in scat
tered fashion. But the other day in Baltimore she
gave them at greater Iength. As her idea Of the
PLAYS she il going 10 show NeF-York. it may be
only fair 70 let her be heard
Miss Shaw sat in her dressing room between the
Bcrs oT z Shakespearian production al Chase's
Theatre one Of Mr.. Fawcett's stock houses Every
cultivated man and woman has an opinion Of
Ghosts favorable or otherwise she said It's
one Of those things that you can't help having an
opinion sbout Il you have ever seer read it The
ro5rv which has thus far been At issue is whether
or not Ibsen has told truths that should be sup
pressed Even AT their worst the critics have never
dared 70 say that he did tell the truth He has
torn the mask from hypocrisy: he has flung down
the veil: and To- there stands naked truth! Cring
Ing modest humanity has seen fit 10 raise its hands
jn holy horror because the naked truth stands re-
vealed not the thing Of beauty one hoped 70 see.
but 2 horrible distorted Hyde which reflects per
fecrlv the irnmUIsble course Of nature.
I don't mean TO preach, but believe Ibsen has
done more reform the world-that is, from the
staFe-than any man has ever done before, because
n ras shown the world what sordid. narrow
minded pinchbeck little world ii is He IS one or
TIE few who has dared to speak the truth, believ-
rg that in telling what is. il is. he will force
srcenrion. however reluctantly, 10 affairs as they
are. and thereby effect change He has written
such fearful truths accurately that the censor
n London would not permit public presentation
II 'Ghosts'-rhose who undertook TO give II had 10
make il an invitation affair-it was so oreadfully
accurate. Indeed when Nj. Fawcett undertook 10
give the play here, thousands who had never seen
il hundreds who had never read IT. and scores who
had barely heard Of il grew intensely excited and
protested stiI. when the play was produced it
Vae what is known theatricaIly as a hit
.NS-u that NAV which is the greatest success
Is a1vsvs the play which most accurately reflects
humanity as il is. That is one charming falling Of
rhe human race. Those who have seen Ghosts
have been properly horror strfcken-in fact that
wss usen's original purpose but the horror has
reen - life rather than al 1bsens drama
i has been healthy horror. II there is such
thing the kind Of horror which makes the thought
fal man OF woman hesitate and wonder whether
he has ever fully conprehended the weakness or
human nature And because Ibsen has dared 10 DO
q ttis he has been denounced bitterly-eVen nave
neen attacked personally By critics because nave
dared 70 associate myself with Ghosts IN an aF'is-
way.
There is something 70 me very ludicrous and at
the same time pathetic ali this II Is ludicrous
be-ause it shows what peculiar. hypocrtcaI mind
has been developed In man by that ciVlhzauoh
which demands that the most obvious facts OF NE
snail be carefully conceaied-patheuc because as
Bernard Shaw SAYS mans intelligence has been so
cYampee that il fiutters about Ike a wounded brd
W-hen wider scope of thought Is oennanoeo OF IL
What has Ibsen's influence on the nooern
drama been ?" Miss Shaw was asked
Like al great reforms" she replied. Ibsen mas
been soundly cursed for himself and for his pur-
roses long before immediate effect OF MS ~orA
ss been felt IN order 70 amount 70 anythlhs
Do must first make enemies isn't that line IN
vrane de Bergerac'2 The Jcpeses. the Plneros' tne
- uptnanns and Sudermanns. all or them nave
rived Ibsen in diluted doses. so that To-Day Ihey
are liberated even liked even hailed geniuses
while Ibsen responsible for IL all IS st1h uhhho"
10 the masses Possibly # any criticism may 0e
MADE OF Ibsen for his writing, it Is that he was 700
strong too suddenly. You know what hlea"-
he had written few milder plays before ne COM
Sietely threw aside the mask from all OF me- nc