The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-21
NOTES AND COMMENT.

There are always more divided opinions
on the subject Of good and bad plays than
anything else" said Forbes Robertson in a
recent interview. IF one keeps to the
standard works. praise in one quarter is
met with condemnation in another. If one
becomes modern and advanced, then a
storm, sometimes of abuse, sometimes not,
is raised about ones ears, and one grows
deaf with perplexity. For myself honestly
believe in all the plays 1 produce. Frequent
ly I'm mistaken; what actor or manager
is not? Views? / have no views, except
sincere ones. I'm perfectly Independent and
catholic in my tastes and selections of
school of the drama or dramatists--except
the school OF enterprise and good inten-
tions. My chief aim is to secure good plays
and properly produce them, no matter who
by or in what cast of thought the plot and
the argument may be set forth. Good, at
tractive plays / repeat are what | seek
what L want; and it's difficult matter to
obtain them. l only strive to do my best
according to my ideas. When a tragic
drama fails, then 1 turn to the lighter and
IL that does not attract, then l venture
upon something else. Mistakes are not de-
feat and defeat is not always due to mis-
takes. We live and learn. / don't care
do. / prefer that my actions should repre-
sent my intentions. L suppose every man
has trend of some Sort but it is not al
ways safe 10 assume that because q man
experiments he Is enslaved to one method
or fashion. 1t is in the true dramatic
art OF the stage and the drama of pas
sions that find my fullest feelings and ex-
pressions. I do my utmost not to hesitate
and L can only endeavor to feel the public
pulse and give it-as far as in me lies-that
In which it finds enjoyment and satisfac-
IN / ikp no ri nf iolr do
Well, one is more than likely to like that
with which he succeeds / regard the char
acter as one of Kiplings greatest creations
and I'm sure the American people will take
as kindly TO the play as have the English"
Clyde Fitch. the prolific young play
wright. who loves to picture society
types" in his plays of New York life, says
that the society play in America has adj
vanced wonderfully during the last ten
years This is what he had to say on the
subject to an interviewer the other day:
THE society comedy of ten or fifteen
years ago, such. for instance, as were
produced at the old Lyceum Theater. would
not do at all to-day Society has become
much more exacting as to the way IL is
represented on the stage. 1t does not like
to go to the theater TO see itself caricatured.
A number of prominent actors of So
clety, as well aS III IL. IL is not 50 many
years ago since Englishmen used to sneer
at American society actors and declare
that there was not one of them that looked
at home i'm dress suit. They do not say
things like that any more.
THE continuous Improvement in society
plays calls for better work from the dram
atist, the actor and the stage manager.
/ do not know whether some playwrights
who deal with society, and the actors and
stage managers who carry out the ideas
of these playwrights, have the opportunity
of going into society or not At all events,
il Is obvious that they do not go. Their
work shows Ii. 1t is suggestive of some
of the cheap novels written about society
| by men who were never, probably inside
the house of a woman who made any pre-
| tensions to be in society. Some of these
| drama lists and actors make men and
women in society as conventional as a
| crop report. Others make them look like
| damned fools-that is the only way to ex-
| press it,
THAT is why 1 like to conduct my own
| rehearsals. 1t is the only way L can get
things done exactly at first to break
| through the time-honored prerogatives of
stage managers. but things go now
| generally manage TO have my own way"
With two plays running in New York and
four in London within one season j. NJ.