The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-02-23
Belasco on TheateTS.
The Dramatist Says There Is No For
native Influence in the Drama
of Today

of Today.
David Belasco has been interviewed
on the modern drama. a subject upon
which he has always something and
generally something interesting
say. This time the kernel in the nut
l. this:
There is no formative influence IN
the theater today"
By this is not meant that theaters
Dc not influence the people today,
though they do not to any very great
extent, but that no strong formative
influence Is al work in the theaters
themselves. Time was, says Mr.
Belaseo, that a New Yorker could say
of an evening, "Let us go TO Wal
laek's"-or Days, or some other the
ater. as the ease might be feeling
certain that he would find at what
ever theater he might select a par
ticular kind of entertainment. good
of Its kind. Nowadays this Is impos-
sible.
This statement Is quite true The
resident or visitor IN New York to-
cay, when he thinks Of going TO the
theater, has to get q newspaper and
look through the theater announce
rents He then selects the play
which seems 10 him most likely to hit
his taste. and goes 10 see it; and he
cannot be sure, from either the name
Of the play or thu of the star. or the
general character of the house. that
he VIII be getting the kind Of enter
iainment he wants. 1.-The Girl and
the Jrdge," which looked like a m-
sicc' extravaganza in the advertise
ment, was peculiarly weepy society
drama; "The Prince of Pilsen" might
have been a bowling mclodrama, but
wasn't: and who could tell from THE
Medal and the Maid" ''The Pit" or
candida" what particular kind of
entertainment would be found in the
plays unGer those titles7
As for the goodness, either artistic
or moral, of any play at any theater.
robody knows anything about that
unless he has carefully followed the
press notices of current plays, and
been to many Of them Himself. BY
that means, or by asking well-in-
formed friends. he may take his
sweetheart, wife, or daughter to the
play with reasonable certainty that
the LADY will not be either bored or
shocked.
II may be that this state Of things
Las something to do with the bad the
atrical season which all theatricai
people, high and low, are bewailing.
No person continues to buy conPec-
tionery, pies, canned goods, clothing,
or furniture at great outlay, when
there can be no certainty Of getting
articles Of the kind and quality de-
sired. Especially is this true regard
ing Injuries, and the theater Is one of
the most costly, though one of the
most enjoyable, Of Injuries Only
confirmed tEeater fiends, who are few
III the land, or people with money in
lplenty, out for a good time, will buy
tickets for a play without caring
what it Is, and the theater cannot sup
port itself on that patronage, espe-
cially with The prices Of tickets
higher Than they have been at any
time in the history Of the stage.
IN short. this whole matter depends
on sound business principles. There
was a time N Washington, not too
far back for young people TO remem-
Der. when entertainment at moderate
prices could be had at several Wash
ington theatcrs every week, and each
theater had its own class Of attrac-
lions. For many years the National
Tbeater booked nothing of a tragic
sort. Comedians Of genius, good
stock companies, or good light opera,
could be found there at almost any