The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-10-28


Socialist Stage Society. recently brought
into being in New York. has resolved 10
tackle. It's q big JOB and the socialists
win probably soon jump it. II they hap
pen to stick they viii make mighty little
Roadway. They aren't going at il in the
right way. TO begin with Their plan OF
campaign against theatrical commercial
ism Is tangled up with a propaganda of
socialism by means of plays intoxicating
their doctrines Ten to one the plays will
be anything but amusing or even inter
esting to the ordinary citizen. Only con-
Hrmed Socialists viii go 10 see them and
"a considerable PERCENTAGE of these VIII
forget 10 come back after the first act.
The authors who write, the managers
who produce and the great theater-going
public who pauonize OF refuse TO pa
tronize the confusing succession of un-
regenerate but moro or less entertaining
plays aimed at the almighty dollar viii
never discover there has been anything
doing IN the line of freeing the theatcr
from the CALLING and degrading bonds
OF commercialiSm.
Anyway the bonds OF commerciaHsm
stiil grid the theater rather loosely. They
haven't been "cinchcd' nearly 50 tight
as might be Take the illustration sup
piled by The Vanderbilt Cup seen here
the past week That play-not to be too
discriminating about observation-disclosures
perhaps as highly 'commerciaUzed" as
any ever presented here in "a first-cIass
theater. Yet how very far short Il fell
Oj what might easily have been done in
the way OF utilizing the advertising op-
Doriunitcs its lines and scenes and incl
dents afforded. II the matter Of Offering
morl or less subtle suggestions 10 the
audience rs 10 bcst brands OF rcd LIQUOR
To- mix with settler In order 20 produce
The most soothing highbaI effects. il is
true, as much was done as could well be
done without creating confusion IN tho
minds vi the audience and impairing the
value OF the advertising Six different
brands of booze is enough TO boost in any
one play-aJ Toast at one performance. BY
alternating nightly. however. the receipts
might be- run up on the week. if the
actors could be trusted rot TO mix the
brands, But the artists in The Wander
bllt Cup were wisely limited 10 handling
AighbaN Ingredient, although they were
also mtrusted with one brand OF fzz
water 10 boost. I'm the miscellaneous list
oi articles dcllcately urged on the uttcn-
u0n OF the audience only one kind OF
couiectionery found place 4 single make
ot automobile WAS all the management
undertook 10 boom frankly and conVinc-
iHgly. BHt one society" Journal was
permitted to Dc read on the stage. AT
least 50 That tno audience could see its
ute page distinctly. Whether this mod
auon was due TO consideration for the
auGienc'. Stipulations of advertising con
tracts OF lack OF keen commercial instinct
ea the part OF the management IS not
known.
TRis is plain. however. thar the adyer-
Using opportunities OF thc piece were far
from fully utilized. The wine agent
PUSHES on in the first act passioBatcly
rni'iag for just plain gasoline. for IN
stance. when he might as well have in
sisted that none but Stencheimers san
uow bfInG would do. Similarly Newt
lEmbles back from his rush to The VILLAGE
DECLARING 81 is just plain vase]inc he has
brought. instead OF working ia an oIoag-
nous puff for Grceze5oros uou-gummv
Nclvetctu brand. And what an oDpor-
iunity was allowed to Sip bv uUi7uproVed,
moreover. when Newt takes his lunch m
tho lobby OF the inhUSpitabIc won1;iU's
hotel The rankeSt amateur In the bloom
ng boomery business ought not TO have
1aiied 90 see what "a chance was here
presented FOR slipping in Clceta Bun and
Pi1tz's Pickle ads Nevis baudanua
should have EMBODIED package Of tho one
nd f.arA. he q
Agricultural Department certificate of
all-rightness in plain sight ou each
And. again. VIVA; chance fe; from
fsctory-to-icct proclamation went To
vast" in she casc OF the bcll-girl who
.quatted on The front" bench with her
sole. confronting che audience. reading q
s0py OF The onIy-admitted society journal
during most Of The scene in the woman's
hotcl A really keen publicity promoter
would never have failed to decorate each
Cd, those conspicuous soles with artistic
lettering pToCIaimiug thu Superiativo ex-
"elience OF the Calouss $3.50 shoe for la
dies and gents And think OF tho sad
reulissnesS that failed 10 plaster with
wcll-paid-tor New York. or Bar Harbor.
or Atlantic city hotel labels the sizes OF
De buigins trunks that Porter Kate toted
athleticaily through tho lobby But
what's the use of frightening The drcary
list OF wasted advertising opportunities
presented by The Vanderbilt Cup?" Per-
haps the boom-man cid the best he knew
bow al the start. and viii fiji IN as the
season grows older. And from all that
has been set forth il must be clear to
oveTy one that the theater isn't by any
means as thoroughly commercialized as
II might be. The Socialist Stage Society
should be patient. Tho worst is yet to
come and 1t is some distance down the
road.
Naturally. this phase OF theatrical COM
mercislism Won't condne itself to the
sporting drama Unless frowned down OF
Missed down by tinicky and impractical
sentimentalists. il viii spread through
cStrilva sanza, spectacle. farce. and COM
edy into the society and emotional drama. |
In time, no doubt. We shall witness
eommercialized Camille" IN which. when
The hectic heroine coughs. dear old Pru-
dence win caressingiy excmlm. Ma chare
ptite, This very DAY I shalt order for
you q dozeu-yes. a dozen-of Dr. Bun
yon's Etherealized Emulsion No . for
Coughs and Colds. II has cured others:
il will cure YOU. VOLTA And the dainty
leading lady of the coming society play
VIII cry, Dear NE, my head again. /
Suzette, fetch the flask OF Peterkin's
Pungent Eolatilette from the Tarts and
Crafts escretOire in my dressing room. I
And, Suzette. The box of Smuyler's
chocolate criSpettes, too. please. there's /
IS dear Why, there's simply no end 10
The possibilities Of the thing if the thea
ter-going public only won't get pernick-
ETY. and spoil Il all with auti-advertislRg
gemonetrauces