The sun., 1905-09-10
THESO.CALLED DRAMAOF TALK
INCREASING y4L{'E or L!7ERtHi
ELEMENT on THE ST.iGE.

Augustus Thonias's DE LanceS" anu
BERNARD Staw's "Nian and SupsrIlan
Are Carried by Their Dialogue
IN Other plays Of the Opening season.
Augustus Thomas and Bernard Shaw
arc very different paywrights and that Is
one reason why it is worth noting that
their plays, DE Lancey,' produced last
Monday at the Empire, and Man and
Superman, produced on Tuesday at the
Hudson, hare one very striking feature
In common. Both pieces are almost
without the element Of dramatic plot,
situation and climax-the hallmarks Of
the well made play" OF the Scribe tradition
which have 30 long been regarded a. the
essence Of theatric effectiveness. Neither
Ia particularly strong in the delineation OF
life and character, which Is the essence OF
the literary drama Of Dumas fils, Ibsen,
Sudcrmann. Hauptmann, Pinero, Jones
and the rest. They both depend for their
success and that promises to be abundant
and prolonged-almost wholly upon the
effect Of dialogue.
For generation the motto OF the
journeyman dramatist has been: plays
are not written, but built" The constant
cry Of the producing manager is cut the
caokle!' Both sayings are very apt, as
rules OF thumb go-and rules Of thumb
60 far. But according to a certain mystic
philosopher the chief function OF rules
is to be broken. Neither the American nor
the English play could be acclaimed by the
most sanguine as masterpiece, but taken
together they may mark an epoch which
others, less extreme have created.
Tho dstr,lst of dialogue and this means,
In the toughest and most general sense Of
The term. the distrust Of the literary clement
in the drama a very real basis in mod
ern practical conditions.
The theatcr of to-day is strllcturally a
different thing from the theater that gave
form. ard character to the majestic Eliza
hethan tradition, even the tradition Of
Wycher,ey and Congreve. The elder stage
was a platform in the center Of an amphi-
theater: and though it was abundantly
furnished at need with what We now call
properties and set pieces, anything like
detailed pictorial realism was impossible.
The actors stood forth in intimate contact
with the audience, and depended for their
and tho mimique with which they illus
trated them. The drama was literary and
toetic in it's methods because it could not
be anything else.
The modern stage, to gain It's own pecu-
liar effects. has been set back behind the
amphitheater and framed like a picture
by the proscenium arch. Thus removed.
the theatrio effect OF what the actors say
has become secondary. In a recent
interview Sir Charles Wyndham pointedly
explained why actor and manager dis
trust the spoken word. An audience sees
far moro than it hears, he said; so 'that
now, as In the infancy OF the drama, the
chief resource OF the actor is pantomime.
He made game. very politely, Of the i'm
portance his authors attached to a correct
reading of their lines. The same course
Of reasoning explains also the prominence
In our drama of those geometric arrange
ments OF story which we call @situations"
and the effectiveness OF staccato @climaxes"
both OF which were little cultivated by
the masters OF the elder stage. They are
obvious to the dullest and most indolent
eye.
When Sir Charles implied, however.
modern drama-a bushel that hides its
proper light-he went further than his
facts carry him. Now as always the
finest. the most varied and stimulating,
the most permanent, effects depend upon
the literary element. Ibsen master Of the
modern dramatic form as he Is, would be a
negligible quantity without his dialogue,
40 trcnchant and illuminating in spite
Of its austere simplicity. What would
Suderman mn be without his eloquenco, Haupt-
mann without his poetry, Pinero, Jones,
Barrie and their fellows without the flexible
aptneas, the lifelike effervesoence and
animation Of what their characters utter?
Ono and oil, it is true, these command the
full gamut Of modern dramatic art; but
those who think the public Incapable of
catching and Gelighting in brilliant con-
independent Of plot, situation
and tho rest will do we'll to hear de Iancey'
and Man and Superman."
Illustrating rs they do the rehabilita-
ton Of the literary element, they illus
trate quite as elsarly the difference in char.
a cter Of the American and tho ENGLISH
drama. In his own way Mr.. Thomas Ia
no less witty, no less fresh in his structures
upon life, than MIR. Shaw But his tests
depend for their effect upon the commonest
and most readily recognized phases Of
human experience.
De Ldncey, victim OF an unfortunate mar
riage, and OF divorce that has its miti-
eating circumstances, Is reminded Of the
flight Of time. Wonderful" he exclaims.
show quick the years 60 when you are
divorced" Aided by Mr.. John Drew's
admirable comedy method and masculine
sense of humor. the line convulsed the
audience. Suffering from broken collar
bono, Dc Lancey's physician has sent for
, drink Of whisky. When 1t arrives the
patient is chivalrously trying to conceal
his injury; but his interlocutor's suspicious
ire aroused. why do your friends bring |
you the whisky?" De Lancey is asked.
Because they are my friends the inn |
comedian answers; and tho |
audience, always thirsty in imagination.
greets the line with a roar.
Food and drink, love, marriage, divorce.
poverty and relatives-these are the TOPICS !
which Mr.. Thomas freshly illumines with
he glances Of his verbal play; and his atti-
;uds, with an occasional and sporadic ex-
'eption, is that Of his fellow playwrights.
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