Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-25

pie do 60 to see the play and not the star
While the star Is advertised and becomes
popular through his art when presented,
II has yet to be proven that this popularity
Is strong enough to make a bad play sue
coed. The present season shows n number
OF instances in which stars have failed
because OF the poor play with which they
we're furnished. The star system IL not
peculiar TO America. In Europe O Rroat
actor Is sought Tor with quite as much
avidlty as I'm America and IL Is rarely
questioned what part he or she appears
I'm 80 long as the individuality Of the great
player Is there.
Nowhere in the world have I seen such
beautiful actresses" says DIT. Fulda. We
can see him the recipient Of many pleased
smiles and grathed acknowledgement from
these same women OF the stage, who I'M
doubleday deserve the compliment, seeing
that many of them we're selected primarily
for thir beauty, the art coming after. But
the doctor goes on: Nowhere have /
seen such artless dramatic staging ami
such an artless public" and this after the
most learned erudite and observing Of our
critics have complained again and again
that our managers devote too much ct
tention to the scenery and settings where
with they bedeck their stage to illuminate
the action Of the play. As to the artless
public, one must again exouerate Dr..
Fulda on the belief that his opportuni-
ties for observation were limited. The
only other possible hypothesis on which
this remark can be excused Is that It was
merely thrown in to round out the sen
tence. Americans make no claim to pro-
fundity in matters Of art. That is the
natural gift of the European with cen
turtles Of experience back OF him. 1t has
even been known that an American mil
Eonaire could be buncoed into the purchase
OF spurious old master or a counterfeit
relic, but DIR. Fulda will search Ions
and carefully before he will duplicate In
America the experience OF the directors
OF museums in Paris Rome and Berlin
.
The eminent German concludes his COM
ments on the stage by saying: 1.-THE men
who write for the American stage are
to be envied. They need not bother about
dramatic technique; it would be lost on
their patrons Their dramatls personat
can come and go how and when they like
Motive is not necessary. In the land OF
wonderful inventions stage machinery is
the most primitive; even the most ordinary
apparatus is missing" One wonders what
sort Of theater DR.. FuIda visited IN
order to gain the impression that he here
conveys. He certainly could not have been
spectator al a BelascO production He
certainly did not examine the fittings and
appointments OF Mansfield production
and surely can know nothing Of the cir
cumstances under which Mrs. Fiske puts
on play His remark smacks somewhat
OF inconsistency. too, for he first chides
us with lack Of art and then condemns
as for lack Of artihce. It is Just barely
possible that the doctor did witness some
hrst-class production in America and was
mislead by its art into the false conclu.
sion that he announces, for the reason
that the true mission of art Is to conceal
art and nowhere does this receive higher
eNemplihcatlon than in the American
theater. But" says DR.. Fulda. 'the
Americans have begun to talk of reform
and, who knows. the American stage NAV
not wish to play much longer the role OF
Cinderella" For this small hope let us
give appropriate thanks