New-York tribune., 1905-11-28
AS TO THESE STAGE MORALS.

vorce is not fit for stage presentment Divorce
might occur an incident to dramatic porTayai'
but never as the central subject of play lhe
Theatre is not the place to discuss "quesuons-
The moral influence of the Theatre is incidental
Miss Nethersoe has expressed herself as amazed
and shocked at the action of certain Ieoies Oh
Montreal in withdrawing their patronage from a
cfa ritahle performance Of The Labyrinth be-
cause of its immortality: and in declaring that II
is "a great moral play" the actress also states
her conviction that the mantle OF charity shou'o
s'haye covered anything sinful the good women
thought they saw How nice At times the aiu-
tude of this performer prompts belief that she de-
Iiheratelv desires identify herself. exclusively
with characters of degenerate drama and plays OF
morbid delirium. The best piece in which she mas
Of late wears appeared is ''T'he Termagant." Her
repertory includes Camille, Sapho, P1nero
"Fronisete" Carmen" and "Tanqueray"; and
these things, we are told. exert moral innu-
ence What good have they done? Whose morals
have been protected renovated by them: VINO
finds the contemplation and portrayal OF thesS
subjects beneficial? What is the reason Tor all TINS
theatrical anxiety about the morals OF other peo-
pie? And why fry to turn the Theatre ih'o
clinical lecture for the discussion Oh olsease
animal propensity, and crime? The truth Is 'ha'
neither Miss Nethersoe nor her managerial associ-
a+es care one straw about lessons. or lnorI
effect That Is humbug- The play deals Win
sexual sin and there is more OF less OF esuemPI
tn Justify It. Mr.. Hervieu. its author and MISS
rle+hersole its producer, well aware that such
p1av will excite condemnation, particularly in
this country ana in this city, where Miss Nether-
soIe's "Sapho'' once suppressed tunhaPphy'
only for short tne), by the police, III the interest,"
of pubIIc decency. Explicit and vigorous condenl-
nation means discussion; and discussion means
tox-oflce patronage and large receipts, and hGS
IS what these people regard. and all they want II
would bs pleasant to pass over these supJecls ia
silerce. hut in a time when Mrs. Warrens Pro-
fession" Man and Superman" and other noxious
subjects are dumped upon our stage. it Is duty
to utter condemnation, even though a part OF lIe
COMM unity is mpelled to attend these exhbiuohs
for the very reason of their inproprety, and even
though the protesters are left TO cry alone ike
pelican that is in the wilderness and. verify ike
an owl that is in the desert
But the great moral work. will go on. Tne
time has when votaries of the Theatre sought
IT as the temple of a noble, ideal arr, ana WIN
some reasonable expectation Of being refreshed by
its pictures cheered by its influence, and inspired
by its imaginative and intellectual force But
those were the Dark Ages and the Old Fogey Days
Persons who have ever thought the stage to be an
Intellectual institution We're mistaken. The chler
end OF is either to grin or else 20 muse on tie
sexual nisdesds of his And the Theatre Is
the place IN which he can and should. indulge In
these relsxstons. ''On with the dance; let JOY De
unconfnedv' What does lovely woman (our
mothers sweetdearts wives and daughters) need
so much as enlightenment in regard to all supJeclS
which a few years ago, could not have been men
toned in decent society, but which now must oe
discussed not only the Theatre and in the Press,
but in the paror and Joyful appetizerD at the
breakfast table? We progressing! Do not
head US off! Here we comei Our deliverance Is at
hand! Matters that even the beasts or the heId
treat with a decent reserve the right SUBJECTS
for dramatic exploitation. Let there be hght-that
we may see, and study and admire Mrs FoupnarS 3
famous interview with Mr.. Joseph, and pity the
sad Might and naive embarrassment of Miss Ano-
nyn1a when her twenty-frst paramour protests
against her earlier score. And there Is our oear
old friend the Partisan courtesan ''Carnllle ana
that most qualified of wives, Mrs. TanQueray'-
r,,a+rir,onialIv elected because she had kept
house, with most of the male cronies of her nus
band; the progressive Mrs. Ebbsmth; the fragrant
Shakespearian Measure for Measure; and that
other sweetIy saubrious concoction at which the
sainted Bard of Avon took a hack, "Pericles
Prince Of Tyre with its real" and true pct
ures of life in brotheL Where shall we ma sucn
inspiring examples of humanity sympathy
y-riIity" Originality not TO mention popuiar-
ity, fas evinced by the gross receipts) as IN
"Ouex" Iris" Ghosts 'Magda," etc. The
stage does not need spiritual beauty and inspiring
example: its need IS the display or Nine Ffu-
dence sUiIling champagne out of a finger bowl ana
of 7isannonted Ohough experienced1 love, suck
ing cough mixture and expiring in a white muslin
11ndershirt To this galaxy of charming ngureS
Miss Nethersoe, with lofty ideal of wonanhood'
has contributed an image Of a doting mother, worn
t,, tbe trial of caring for idolized child, In the
death grip of diphtheria. protesting but yielding
10 the passionate pleadings OF her divorced husbald
only afterward lose herself in frenZled specu-
Iation as to whether her crime consisted IN marry
ing her second husband or revertng 10 her hrst
Now if somebody will only produce TITUS An
dronic,,s' the charm may be considered wound
One serious word sh( old be said There Is no
..o,,estion'' I'm all these matters. Right is right.
and wrong is wrong. And everybody old enough
TO read the Ten Commandments knows the dif-
! ference Nor does anybody need any stage e&-
nosftion of vicious demrnas The device OF calling
these things questions is only gloss to cover
tbe discussion of improper subjects and excuse or
! nalIjate wrong. The fire hose is the remedy
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r A