New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-19
LONDON NOTES.
W. Rorrie's Talk about Current
n-,no-ModeI Musical Comedy.

London. March 9.
-.,s,,r has been telling story about
ny ---..o-,s secret drawer which was
Joro - A. Cladstone's designations from
tleu -. NJ Rarrie's friends have SIM
ne -. stout his drawer crammed Win
lsf - -.bich the theatre managers VIII not
u@s -5.,.,,,gb he pretends 10 take them seFl-
rs@-' ,t,serf as his most important Works
oOs. -. refer 10 the contents Of this ora"er
hs -, v-ss the CHEZ guest OF the Playgoers
w" SUNDAY night but he made whole
C'ID - thoughtful speech on the drama.
so--.s :. ,,es0r as the playwright 81 sweetness
-. ne rejected the current Idea thai ssIl-
$40 -. -. necessarily involved treatment or
o." -. subjects. and the assumption thaI
unp''' .,,is no rather embarrassing II he Old
=, nav 10 passion. and that woman
pO :. he very charming II she retained
.sos+- lie cid not attempt TO stand
iI- -. as 10 lean backward Re candldly
- that there was hardly any SUBJECT
$50 .o- treatment on the stage and that
=. M reason Why the more ignoble and
W "a. % man should be excluded. although
-,,,v sepended on the methods OF pres
Having cleared his mind OF can't he
Dosition to make an effective. II IN
-, rlea for clean and wholesome
~ barrie differentiated serious from
u. -. and rredicted that when the really
~ -. for whom the world was waiting
- ,-7os- he would make Il plain that
-. 80 mt perhaps quite so bad as they
- ., 81. when represented IN so-called seri-
-, a-sr,a. In this respect the most unahecJeo
- -,osos. among English authors and play
--irs+s concurred in the judgment o. the chair
- A. vyaudev. that what was currently &c
.o-s,,.s es serious play writing confined Itself
,r,,-operlv 10 the discussion Of what couio
cecil, he considered the more noble and e4e-
waiting aspect Of man.
tn. real reformers OF the London stage are
"a. r1svvrirhts who demonstrate IN practical
--,v ,ntelBgible TO the box Office that clean and
.,,,,,esrsrl drama els the theatre for long and
nroatable runs and that there is large and
srnreclative public Tor il Mr.. Barrie himself
has been one OF the most active and successful
If these reforme-s for there have been no more
IRRITABLE plays in London during recent years
thar Qualify Street" The Admirable erich
.,r" and Little Mary" Mr.. Davies. IN Cousin
Kate: Mrs -Ryley, IN mice and Men. Captain
Marshall IN The Second IN Command" and
oshs- plsyurights have reinforced the moral
that pure and decent drama draws highly re-
ununeratve business. The prolonged successes
Of the newer dramatists have overshadowed the
temporary triumphs Of the old school play
uTights who have carried out the theory that
play cannot be serious, thoughtful and ear
nest unless II is more or less dirty. This is
great gain for public morals as well as Tor dra-
matte art So long there Is an increasing
public here for clean drama-and London in
vurably sets the style for the provincial towns
there is no cause Tor pessinism respecting
the hopeless degeneracy OF the Etage. With
the Immense number Of playhouses IN the
metropolis, there is necessarily a surplus OF
insne farce theatrical melodrsma and thought
less musical comedy and there must always be
inadequate supply OF good plays: but the
standards have been raised during recent years.
There has been e marked Improvement n the
quality OF comedy. certainly; and especially IN
thar most useful and artistic class, the comedy
OF manners; and farce which was once a vehf-
Gle Tor coarseness. vulgarity and horseplay has
been transformed and localized IN such works
as the Duke OF Killicrankie" The stage needs
more thought and Imagination. better crafts
mansaip and higher dramatic qualities than are
nov exhibited n the plays Of the day. but Il is
cleaner and fresher than Il vas. and the trend
upward
q
ceoulous optimist II also find siens OF I'm
provement IN musical comedy. II IS the most
femunerative form OF public recreation in Ion
oon1 and Il must have some artistic merits. or
would not flourish as Il does The best ex-
empie now o. exhibition is The Ciaealee." a.
Daly's Theatre. AR Halves Craven's two STAGE
pictures, a tea plantation in CeyIon and a -al-
ace beside blue lake. with a vista OF gray
vols a.
va gifis and natives, and the general staae SET
ing with rickshavs. palanouins and other
oIlehtal accessories, are most pleasing. There
Is much 10 charm both eve and oa- -rt, -.
.eal dance by Miss Topsy S,nden and the
Ama-ath Sisters is as beau-if,r IS ,be
oeFu antics" Of Nr. Iolil Randi ana A.
Nsroe are grotesque and two morn cor,icsl
nguies than Dir. Hunuey Wright ana Mss
SIacie Leigh, IN their ulischievous dance caD
hardly be imagined. The music ~ ~ 49,,
Nonckton has better quality than is ordinarily,
lOa N the scores OF this class Of entertainment
me cnoruses a. the opening Of the FIRST act are
We written, there is fairly operate finale
'ne1e Is charming quartet. and there are many
ilsfohes and songs with distinct musical values
me Cingalee' is a bright and Joyous medley
y muse dancing, sentiment and comic shirt
N Il Is without cosrseDess or bunooney. Il
- SERIOUSNESS OF treatment and consistencv
y l.O~ out Il provides merry entertainment for
.-.s'0es anxious to be taken out OF the work
- NOFio Tor an evening and to be refreshed
-, ~ " o. color. grace OF movement and a
feVel Of high spirits. '--
- --.es wright who IS the chief oo-
-'sN q Jays is one OF the 60. -.
me stage and as a verbose T7sto1 - - y
mas been trained in London for -. -. 40
ne mas me best part to which be 10. On
ca MS versatile powers His ,r,~,.---e a-@i'.-
most delightful one and with erSl.- =
ne ratues on his mixed metaphor 49,. GO
'os ana homogeneous reflections on a.. 80
trasts OF life and Manners a. a., - me con