The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-06-05
Foolish FrenChman.
How He Was Twice Deceived
Blu the Drama He Found in
London.

Not so very many years ago an en-
thusiastic French writer. just returned
from London. quite startled the boule-.
wards with the declaration that all the
bone and sinew OF the modern drama
was 10 be found in England. where 1t
was ensconced ready to spring into life
and mold the theatrical future OF the
world
The Parlslans talked 1t over for an
hour or two. returned to their compla-
cent contemplation Of their manicured
nails and straightway forgot that there
was on earth any place except Paris
all Of them save the writer who fur
nished the sensation. He remembered.
and re journeyed back 10 London only a
short time ago to verify his former sus-.
picions.
A Disappointed Critic.
But it evidently had not worked out
the way he expected, for now he is out
with a loud screed TO the effect that the
drama in London is headed straight for
the demnition bow-wows. Musical com
edy holds every theater I'm the city, and
there is no sign OF psychology anywhere.
Ragtime has run reason out Of the field.
and the future is as artificially black rs
the, mourning Of the fashionable widow
on the day Of the funeral.
OF course. il does not take any vast
discernment to perceive the Frenchman
was wrong both times He jumped into
a glittering generalization in the first
place. and then he did not know any
better than 10 jump into another in the
second place. In the nursery rhyme. 10
be sure. the man in our town scratched
his eyes out and got them back again
by one and the same process OF jumping
into the bramble bush. But one always
has to revise the nursery rhymes TO 1T
the conditions of real life.
What He First Found.
We doubt not that the Frenchman
FIRST hit England about the time that
Arthur Wing Pinero. after serving his
Journeymanship as a dramatist in the
school Of farce. startled London and
the rest Of the English-speaking stage
with his Second Mrs. Tanqueray."
That was about the time that he and
Henry Arthur Jones first learned that
a man canned Ibsen was writing plays
in Norway. and came to the conclusion
that they could travel in the Ibsen
rlumage the rest of their days.
Mr.. Jones was made real angry when
he found that the disguise would not
work for any length of time. He took
his chagrin out OF the British public
by means OF saucy letters. Then the
British public took theirs out of Henry
Arthur by staying away from his
shows. Whereupon the adroit Jones,
who knew a hawk from handsaw
when one was labeled with his majes-
TVS pounds. shinings. and pence,
cropped his Michael and His Lost
Angel and got back to the incense
quentialities OF THE Case Of Rebellious
Susan"
The Wise Pinero.
Pinero was wiser than his colleague.
and better dramatist iato the bargain.
He did not wait to be knocked on the
head, but he jumped. When THE No
tuIious Mrs. Ebbsmith" would not do.
he did not fay the public. but wrote
The Gay Lord Quex-" When Iris
went wrong. he tried Lefty, with pos
sibly better results.
Now the point OF this argument is
this: While the serious drama is the
backbone OF n nations theater, IL is
not the whole OF that theater Va
Iiety is more than the spice Of the
drama: il is pretty nearly the whole
thing Therefore, for the Frenchman
&c conclude. because he happened 70
strike London when the Ibsen influence
was at its height. that London had
lost all love of frivolity. was manifestly
rs erring as il was for him 10 con-
Guide, when encountering surfeit OF
musical comedy. that London had ut
terly forsaken the serious.
Where the Truth Lies.
The truth is that no foreign influence
such as Ibsen. can all at once change
the drama OF another land. It can give
that drama a new impetus and send II
kiting on after new things But an IN
fuence. in order TO have a lasting ef'
feet. has to become a vital Of the spirit
Of the people II has 20 make itself q
native and a familiar IN the home. T,
do that takes time.
II is only as one examines epochs that
he can see anv advance in the world
The same IS true Of the theater. Any
one who restricted his view to the
Washington theaters at the present mo-
ment would declare that the stock com
pany was the important thing Of the
hour. and that the travelling combina.
ton was a thing OF the past. His judg
ment would be absurd on the face Of II
Similarly one who judged theatrica
Boston By the past winter would say
positive call. and that Nance O'Neil
was the only real actress in the world
One Solid Fact.
il takes a keen eve TO fathom where
fad ends and a genuine tendency begins
when novelty ceases 20 be novel and Z
revival Of the old Will hit the theatrica
taste Of the moment. II Il did not TAX,
a keen eye. we all might become theat
Ticai mana gers and grow I'm wealth and
amuence by always selling 20 the pub
lie the sort Of entertainment that tn,
public would buy.
Let one fact sink home. Regardless,
OF what the pessimists may say. tn,
fheater is better today than II ever wa.
before the drama Is better. and the ac
tors are better. Development is law. anc
IL applies 10 the theater as 10 life 4
the drama as 20 every other form d
art.
RobeTtSon'S Success.