Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-10

cay. Aoo,etc'
N optimistic view of the stage was
n presented recently by Otis SKIN
"A ner in an address before a con-
vention of Universalist clergymen in
New Hampshire. The status of the
theater apparently continues to be such
a debatable question that the opinions
of one of the most prominent in the
profession will prove interesting. Dur
ing the course of his lecture Mr. Skin
ner said:
"That the drama makes for greater
culture and more interesting views OF
life in the community is unquestioned
that it's purpose is moral is estab-
Iished by the tenacity of its existence.
No part of our social fabric could be
maintained in increasing Importance
If its purpose were unmcral. Like the
life of the exiled duke and his fol-
lowers in AS You Like It, it presents
sermons in stones, books in the rum
ming brooks and good in everything
"All true art IS educating and up
lifting. If it's character is clean 1t
makes for good if its character is un-
clean 1t makes but brief appeal 1t
dies of inanition and neglect The pub
lie does not need 10 be shamed into
non-attendance upon a meretrlclous
play; it stays away because exhibit
lions of perverted morals are not toll
Grated in this country.
But the destiny Of the theater
should not be confounded with that OF
the school room, except that kind OF
school room that stands for the en-
largement of our emotional, ethical and
recreative faculties The moment the
play becomes didactic and strives to
instruct, it's potency ceases. That IN
struction underlies it's exposition is un-
questioned. Instruction lies in every
art; the instruction and education that
come through our appreciative. SYM
pathetic selves.
"A moralist is seldom playwright.
He is not objective; he is subjective,
We cannot lose ourselves in the char
acters he creates. for we feel him at
our elbows the while.
Here is wherein Shakespeare un-
derstood the technique of the drama. !
We are given moral truths, but in dra-
matte situations. The pill Is sugared.
The plays the thing; the moral fol-
lows.
.I am told that Longfellow once said
to Mary Anderson that to keep the
Imagination and beauty sense alive one
should each day read a beautiful poem,
see a beautiful picture and listen to
beautiful piece of music. Had he said
that to one not a member of the the
atrical craft he might have added to
his list the occasional witnessing of &
beautiful play.
'AlI these things-the poem. the pic
tuer, musical composition, play-are
not in the Puritanical view of life edu-
cational; there is no desiccated utilitar-
ianism about them.
"The trend of our theater has been
toward gentler methods.
'I doubt if the large lunged efforts Of
Edwin Forrest, though they could be
set forth with all of Forests unde- ,
niable genius, would be received favor
ably today. Had Edwin Forrest lived |
in our own twentieth century he would
have been a genius still, but a different
kind of one.
1.-The works of Shakespeare have lived
upon the stage because of their Won |
derful dramatic power. Think of Ham |
let! The scenes with the ghost that
bring us at once into a thrilling sense Of
mysticism; the amusing interview with
Polonius; the suspensive play scene; |
the conversation with the grave dig |
gers; and the absorbing, turbulent
finale with it's duel and the deaths of
the guilty ones.
"How strongly the laughable compli
cations of The Merry Wives of Wind
sor,' Midsummer Nights Dream,
Twelfth Night take hold on our lighter
fancy!
Macbeth may give us az glimpse of
Scotch history, but its great power lies |
in the fascination of the portrayal of
strife, ambition, murderous design, soul |
torture and superstition in characters
that are practically wholly fictional.
From the presentation of all the
great plays of the poet we come away |
with the sense of having looked into
the experience. the loves, the strlfes,
the hatreds of living men and women.
I'VE are not all in the mental attitude
of the old lady who said she always
liked Shakespeare's plays because they
were so full of quotations.
plays are sometimes written as a |
plea for some particular hobby or re-
form. and in most instances fail be-
cause Elusive and recreative possibil- !
tiles are ignored, and sheer sermonizing
pushed to the front.
plays on temperance, prison and
political reform, slavery have turned
out i'll successes because of this.
"In the dramas of the new school of