The Washington times., 1903-06-21

VI " AnSS out Il woman Win deEener-
ating present, who keeps on going
down, may possibly be unobjectionabIe.
There are sermons on the Seventh Com
mandment which it is good to hear
Most Of them, however, would better be
Unpreached.
OF these eleven plays. including the
two grand operas. every one of them
treated Of an episode. or episodes, either
primarily or secondariIy. in some wo-
man S life which could not be mentioned
in polite society. and hardly in any So
ciety. In one way or another Illicit love
was the prominent theme in the play
In only one OF them was there a refor-
nation OF the offending individual. and
sadly enough. from y dramatic stand
point that particular play was the poor
est in the lot. while from a moral stand
point nine-tenths of the play was alb
solutely beastly.
Interesting, But Evil.
OF the eleven Objectionable plays.
however. only two-Iess than 20 per cent
were stupid and uninteresting! OF
these eleven. only one was badly acted.
The best actress and best company I'M
dertook the worst and most shocking
playa play with tremendous lesson
in it. too, and yet one that no one could
witness without disgust and displeasure.
One play which sparkled with wit and
which was brilliantly presented by
very capable company. was headed by
youthful. beautiful. undoubted star. The
nj haI ha x-hp
looked at it beneath the surface. While
ii was being presented you were inter-
ested and vastly amused. but when you
thought of 1t seriously you were sur
prised and Mortified at what you had
laughed at.
Such a play is the most insidious in
its effect. The plain blunt presentation
OF viciousness repels and disgusts. The
other sort is dangerous.
Bad Stories for Opera.
Two Of the eleven, as 1 said, we're
grand operas. 1t seems impossible to
find decency and purity in the plot Of
the ordinary-or even the extraOrdi-
nary-grand opera. We do not expect
much from the French or Italian
schools. but even the German allows no
one to Guido him IN indecency. Music
with operate form is not usually
welded TO purity, sweetness, and light.
The theme sung is usually, in one eorm
or another, Illicit love, A naked, hid
eous truth that, AS all these operas,
however are sung in foreign languages
and you could not understand them if
they were sung in English-the effect is
not so bad, especially if you do not re-
sort to the boring libretto. The stories,
however, could not be worse.
In every one of the eleven plays there
were liars, scoundrels, adventuresses-
who did not all come to grief; on the
contrary!-and Divorces were as uu-
merous as they are in high society.
recall reading the description Of an
audience at one of the subscription
nights of the grand opera. in which.
with bitter sarcasm, words 10 this effect
were used: Divorces famed in two
continents stared at each other from
le boxes and stalls"
Taking all the above into account af-
ter a careful consideration Of the eleven
and striving not to be prudish. affirm
that the effect OF them, generally speak
ing. was bad. They left a nasty taste
in the mouth, such as I never exper-
fenced in any church even after the
weakest and most Indifferent sermon.
"Mary of Magdala"
These two lists account for nineteen
plays. Two are left, for 1 hardly know
how TO class them. One was a drama Of
a foreign land. mounted with such per-
lection OF skill and played with such
perfection Of art that It stands alone
other times, other customs; other peo-
pie. other habits-perhaps we should
not judge this marvellous play too Sc
verely.. in accordance with our prssen.
canOns. The story was I'm the main up
lifting. the end all to be desired. In
spite If some things az which TO cavil,
it was a play to be seen and remem-
bered
The last OF the two was Mary Of
Magdala." I mention the name because
IT has been much discussed, and be-
cause it stands outside the usual run Of
plays. Various opinions have been held
about this drama.
Let me say that I see nothing OBJ
JectiOnable in making play about such
a character and in the way it has been
done. I think it is a vastly more
reverent production than Ben Hur. d"
for instance, and I think IL is a play
that many people could see with profit
not everyone. though. Il was acted in
4 way that was beyond criticism. and It
was staged beautifully.
Bssmirched by But Two Blots.
There were but two blots upon its per-
lection. These were serious. One was a
natural and inevitable one. the other was
not
AS 10 the first objection, no one who
considers the character OF Judas is able.
with the light Of the present. TO under
stand his betrayal OF his Master. Every
one who discusses IL seeks to find other
cause than that the Bible proclaims. In
modern eyes mere covetousness IS not
sufficient adequately 10 account for his
tremendous treachery. because we know
better than the arch-traitor-after a
separation OF nearly 2.0cO years from the
actors IN the drama-who It was he
betrayed. Thirty pieces OF silver might