The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-05-08
Hard Luck DramatiSt
Observations on Japanese
Plays and Prize Plays and
Why There Are Not More
Good Plaus.

, caused the dpdneSe-RuSSlan war or
whether the war caused the books and
plays.
At present. we incline TO the former
opinion though we admit that lighting
over such a harmless specimen Of a
japanese play as Albert Roland Haven's
20 AilSu SAM seen last week at the
Now National Theater. would be both
an absurd and an undignifed proceed
ing.
Original truth always enters the world
through revelation, but the revelation
has TO come by means of some man.
So much does the world value original
truth that it calls the receiver and
voicer of its revelation a genius.
Gilbert and Belasco.
". 81 Gilbert. the man that made ia
nous Sir Arthur Sullivan. musical COM
POSER, was the genius who received the
revelation that there was money in
Japan Electrically exploited. The
Mikado, marvelOusly successful for 4
score OF years, bore ample testimony 10
the soundness of his revelation
But il is one thing to have an origi-
ma; revelation and another thing TO re-
peat it. Mr.. Gilbert's revelation vindi-
Gated itself, but attempts to duplicate
only momentarily successful. Who in
his senses would waste time on a Jap
anese opera today? The death knell has
sounded until another revelation shall
bring resurrection.
And as in light operas. so also in
plays. David BelascO, as stager ana
eXploiter OF the original genius of John
Luther Long. first called upon Japan
for a drama. after the Chinese field
has been plowed with only Indifferent
results with such products as The Ca
ara the Cherub'
The Belasco Experience.
Belasco's triumph was Madame But
terfiy," genuinely artistic and thor
oughly popular success. The inevitable
repeater came in The Darling of the
Gods" a winner on a freak basis, but
dramatically neither so artistic nor
popularity so successful lin proportioI.J
as Butterfly.
We are inclined to think that BelascO
has settled Japan. for the present, at
least, in "the higher walks Of tn,
Grama," as the chaps who write
lcarnedly for the magazines declare
Certainly Miss Griswold's vaudeville
sketch. His japanese Wife" scarcely
admits of classification as a real play,
even a little real play"
AS for 20 KiHu San," it is quite out
Of the question. We wish to declare
heartily our appreciation of George
Fawcett's motives in his prize play con-
tests. II is a good advertising scheme.
1t assures him of a paying week for Z
new play. It binds him TO nothing. He
has a chance of getting something real
II valuable. Lastly, and perhaps most
Hnsn
youthful dramatist with the tempting
. bait or a possible hearing.
The Woes of the Dramatist-
II is often asked why more good plays
are not written. Some blame the
managers for the conditions. Per
haps they are somewhat to blame. But
the fact remains that open competitions,
cuch as Mr.. Fawcett carries on, almost
never bring 10 light anything enduring
Is worth while Evidently, however
much the managers may be 70 blame,
1ney are not entirely TO blame.
One very substantial reason for the
paucity Of good plays is found in the
fact there is no form Of art so hard 20
master or so difficult TO serve as Play
writing. The rewards for success are
enormous. They should be, for the
the hilliest. and the steepest that NOR
Ia man Is called upon TO travel
To the novelist growing in artistic
grace, there are sops by the wayside
IN the form Of the short story, for
which publishers clamor with eagerness
For the dramatist there is nothing but
disceurs cement. suspicion, as If the am
bition TO write plays were inherently
criminal. and a continued series OF
prophecies Of direful failure.
The Fearsome Handicap.
Moreover. the growing dramatist meets
this extraordinary handicap: With abso-
lutely no opportunity 10 test his theories
OF construction and his sense Of drama
Tic effect IN actual experience before an
audience, the green playwright must at
tain approximately The same standard
reached By the dramatist who has de-
voted his lifetime 70 ths writing Of
plays. The first drama u the new man
must, in essentials. equal the last drama
OF the old man.
In no other field - sgElsr endeavor
is such an extraCr1l1zFy demand placed
upon the yOuugsteT. Taere are 10 ap-
prentices in dramatic arf sd nlBst 20
before the public masters ~ ttsir craft.
Thus a little reaclrg ~ rce situation
will make II plain tazt az zH g3figBs
man like Mr.. Havea-tof a1y nan with
sufficient strength II y11gDse ~ carry
a play through ~ "a fs-sn IL ambitious
as q prima facie facf-sCosid Dgt ~ fDC
severely blamed Il his Hrst Dlay ooeE
not prove itself q MONUMENT - ORA
matte ART
Hail, Oh Haven't
To point out the faults in . FIRST play
Ike 20 Kiku san" is q Kindness i
may save a repetition or them. To dis
courage the maker Of those faults would
be a great wrong. for a writer OF plays
might thereby be destroyed
Therefore. we humbly take of our
hat 10 Albert Roland Haven and present
10 him our distinguished consideration.
lie IS a lucky fellow. He has had a
play acted. II he Is as wise as he is
lucky, he now knows more about play
writing than he did a few weeks ago.
If he profit by his increased knowledge.
Ve look for a successor to 90 kiku
Ban" which shall excite our admiration
%by It's aetualities rather than by it's pos
sioilities.
Miss HasRell's Visit.