The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-19
A TALK ON THE TnEATER
LAST LECTURE OF A SERIES BY
HENRY AUSTIN CLAP.
Another Large Audience Interested at
the Benjamin Harrison school
The Stage of To-Day.

1.-The American Theater' was the subject
of the last of the series of lectures by
Henry Austin Clapp. of Boston, delivered
at the Benjamin Harrison School yesterday
afternoon before a large audience. The talk
was given in the same clear and convincing
manner and with the forcible and enter
tanning style that has characterized all Of
Mr.. Clapp's lectures. In beginning his dis
cussion the speaker mentioned the impor-
lance of the theater. saying that it sup
piled amusement for the world. He told
of the rapid growth of the institution, ex-
planning that at the opening of the nine
teenth century there were scarcely any
playhouses.
noteworthy feature in the history of
the theater is that In former times the
audience went to it, while now the reverse
is true. meaning the advent of travelling
companies. Mr.. Clapp said that the vigor-
Gus attack of the religious element In the
early days upon the theater had no doubt
ruined the morals of the playhouse, al
though the persons who opposed it were
sincere. The opposition now has largely
been abandoned, Mr.. Clapp said. strong
point brought out was that the human
dramatic instinct is natural and cannot and
should not be eradicated, but regulated
with reason. The evil that does exist in
the life of the world behind the footlights
should be controlled by good men and
women refusing to patronize illegitimate
performances.
The intellectual side of the theater was
dwelt upon at length, and the speaker ex-
planned that he had been severely criticised
| by the press for his views, besides being
| called a 'snob' and other equally objec-
tionable names. He related the conditions
| of the amusement houses at the present
| time. At first, and even now, largely in
| foreign countries the theater is kept up by
| the elite and cultured, while now Ii is the
| multitude or middle respectable class" to
| whom the theatrical manager looks for
business. In Boston there are nine the
aters playing to 7200 people week. I'M
| like the literary field, which draws through
| numerous avenues for business, the theater
| can secure its patronage from but one
| source. and is entirely dependent upon the
people.
Mr.. Clapp did not approve of the orna-
| mental stage, saying II was the acting, not
| the setting, that was important He de-
| plored the absence or present day authors
| whose works would be permanent, and said
/ that the English had ceased to contribute
! anything lasting to the literary world. We
| have no real intellectual life, he declared.
| OF the actors the speaker was more opti-
| mistic, and praised the school of which
| Jefferson and Sothern are examples. Mr..
| Clapp spoke briefly OF the moral danger of
| the theater, but had little to say of the
| variety" or vaudeville side, alludlng iron
| ically and sarcastically TO this form OF
| amusement.
In closing, the dream OF Mr.. Clapp was
| theater which would not depend upon the
| box office, but would be free, and in time
upiift the American stage to a high and in
1 tellectual standard.