The San Francisco call., 1904-11-20

fessor explained further. And he told
me that most Of the scene in which
Herod appears was original, and that
he had been amused by my respected
literary confrere's. Mr.. Bailey Millards,
failure to distinguish the Gayley Saxon
from the Wakefield Saxon stanzas.
The part where Herod goes into He
rodiacs over the birth of the child, and
where he calls up the devils TO his help,
all that 1 interpolated," the author
added.
For dramatic contrast, too I took
the liberty Of alternating the kings and
shepherds - rich and poor as they
brought their gifts to the Christ-chiId
The old play is very sweet in that
scene. Mary says the child is cold, and
Joseph lays him among the beasts and
folds him in his arms to warm him.
Very pretty, very pretty. OF
course, none of these old plays is suf-
ficient in itself to hold a modern audi
ence. There are perhaps ten or twlve
incorporated in The Star of Bethle-
hem -
I asked then about the Boston per-
formance of the play Boston, it seems,
had taken it very seriously. Mr. Greet
and his players had produced the play
there first and IT had been very sue
cessful. Modestly Professor Gayley
showed me a few of the Boston wise
men on the subject. He liked. particu-
larly. / noted. the Boston transcripts
dictum. that was eulogistic in its usual
conservative fashion.
What is the kind of thing dramatic
that one may expect from the univer-
sities-this university" I hazarded
then.
What do we hope for in drama
here?" Professor Gayley repeated, stop
ping his walk and looking over at the
gray roofs that cover who knows what
OF youthful Shakespeares! "One
thing," the professor began-and
knew that il was the one thing in his
scheme of things-''is that some time
soon we may hold here a dramatic
competition every year. in which stu
dents, alumni and professors of the
university shall all take part. 1t shall
include every variety of legitimate
drama, and the prize shall be the
staging OF the play by the university.
Maybe then we should get once
in FIVE years, say, a great play. I'm
doubtedly the material is here, and 1
can think of 10 better plan TO arouse
it into activity"
DO you think the university en-
vironment, training, useful to the dra-
matist?"
Yes, to a certain extent" the pro-
fessor replied. ''Of course it includes
2 very necessary acquaintance with
the historic drama, and then there is
practical work of such sort as this
modernizing Marlowes Edward H.
and such like-which was the kind of
thing I set young TulIy and Elmer
Harris doing. You know them? I hope"
he went on, Ito see the tone of college
plays vastly lifted before very long.
Certainly they are better now than
hey used to be. We shall have to
write them up to the Greek Theater-
eh2''
DO you hope to make Ibsens or
Shaws here?" 1 asked.
Both" Professor Gayley promptly
replied. Rather, though, we would
turn out Shakespeares and Sheridans
I do not wholly admire the pessimistic,
realistic, 'dirtistic' drama. 1 don't think
we are all going to the 'demnition bow
vows recognize, of course, the bril-
lance and momentary persuasiveness
Of the plays, but they leave bad taste
in the mouth"
IF il happens to be truth and art"
of course. it is not the purpose of a
work of art to teach Professor Gayley
granted, but it must rest upon some
vital ethical underpinning, mustn't
it? The problem play is usually as one
sided as the sentimental drama Of the
old Homestead type. The world isn't
made up simply Of these problems.