Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-25
TR|LBY'S Revival
IS DUE TO MERIT
WILTON LACKAYE DISCUSSES
ITS SUCCESS
Asserts That Du Maurier Insinuated
Into Popular Favor by Writing
Intensely Interesting and
Human Story

| here at a special matinee this week In
his famous Characterization of Sven
gall, declares that the revival of "Trll-
by is a criticism of the present play
wright, and in most cases a criticism to
his disadvantage. Replying to a
question whether he did not think there
Is more cleverness, or at least more
superficial cleverness in the plays Of
today, Mr.. Lackaye said:
"The revival is criticism of the
present playwright"
ITO his advantage or disadvantage"
he was asked.
I'm most cases to his disadvantage,
should say" replied Mr.. Lackaye.
But don't you think there is more
cleverness, or at least more superficial
cleverness, in the plays of today?"
'Yes, that is true; but that's just the
trouble-it's wholly superficial clever
ness. The modern so-called society
play is all prattle and no story. It's
built on air''-(no, he didn't say hot
air)-"and decorated with smart say
ings. It's clever, yes; but what is it
all about?
Teacup and Saucer Plays
II believe that people are sick and
tired of the teacuy and saucer play
that tinkles with epigrams. Even the
epigram loses its sparkle in time.
"A good play, an enduring play, must
have something more than epigrams.
1t must have something happen. When
something does happen, we are apt to
call it melodrama; but. call it what
you please, the play in which some
thing happens is the play the public
wants.
"Theater-goers have been fed OH
sugar and wattr so long that they want
something more substantial. Play
wrights are beginning to recognize this.
"See what happens at performance
Of 'Trilby.' The most marked enthus-
iasm follows the closing scene of the
third act. And what is the scene but
frank melodrama? The audience
doesn't stop to ask what it is. 1t
doesn't care. 1t accepts it without
question.
"TriIby's" Survival
This is one reason why 'Trilby' has
survived these ten years. 1t tells
something. 1t has story. was sur
prised in reading the novel again to
find it as fascinating as it was ten
years ago. Du Maurier not only wrote
am intensely interesting and human
story, with marvelously drawn charac-
ters, but his discursive passages are
real gems of essays. It's easy to
understand why 'Trilby' was more
than one of the six best-selling books"
While Mr. Lackaye looks forward
with confidence to the day of more solid
dramatic food, he has little faith in the
originality of the chefs.
"The playwright" said he, "sits on
the fence and watches the procession
&C by. If something that strikes his
fancy comes along he pounces upon 1t,
dresses it up in other clothing and
puts it on parade.
1.-THE manager, too, is on the lookout
to commercialize any idea that is MAX
ing money for some other fellow Thus
it is that a successful old Kentucky
is sure to be followed by New Vir-
ginia and Middle-aged Massachus-
etts. The IDEAS the thing.
Short on Ideas
'The trouble with the play market
today is that it's short on ideas. Most
of our playwrights have written them
selves out. We all have at least one
play in us-one story-but not all of
us can write it. Some playwrights
make no pretense of being original.
Charge Paul Potter with originality
and he will Indignantly deny it. I
complimented him once on scene that
seemed to be strikingly original.
"'Not at all, my boy he said, I
copped that from old Epidetus.'
"'Who the deuce was Epidetus?'
asked.
lone of the minor Greek poets he
whispered.
Its always 'Epidetus,' only every
play-writer is not as honest as Potter.
The only thing an author can do when
he uses an old idea is to get on the
safe side Of the criticism by disarming
his public beforehand. Potter did this
cleverly in Trilby.'
"As originally written the episode in
which Little Billee's mother comes to
Trilby and pleads with her not to
marry the boy would have been the
cue for the critics and public to cry:
It's Camille" over again, with a
mother in place of father Potter
foresaw this and what did he do? He
disarmed the critics and the public by
dragging in the skeleton. by telling
them that Triby has cried over Camille
at the Odeon, and by having Taffy say
when Trilby promises she will give up
her lover that Billee must marry her
that while that sort of sacrifice is all
well enough in play, in real life
man who gives his word must keep
it. Here is where the playwright gives
x,a,, tba lo,,oI, and soxy IL