Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-02
GEORGE 3. HoWARD-HOTcHkIs
H.. Z
!. ss..s..s..s NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

ducing field of the modern stage has
not come
1t is a matter of sober history that
never before in the history of the stage
has so much money been lavished upon
the mounting and presentation of plays
as is spent at the present time, and
that, barring the barbaric splendors Of
the court of the old, luxury loving en-
perors, the stage today offers the
highest development of the art Of
spending money to entertain.
Which Is one Of the reasons that so
many managers have passed through
the portals Of the bankruptcy court,
and why so many others who have hit
the right side Of the proposition have
palaces and yachts.
Strangely enough, the forces that
have made for the establishment Of
solid standards in stage production are
in business the bitterest of enemies
Klaw & Erlinger represent one wing of
the movement, and their dearest foe,
David Belasco, represents the other.
Abe Erlanger and Marc Klaw have
spent in a single season more money
upon their productions than the most
liberal English manager has invested
In three. The merest glimpse of some
of their achievements in money spend
ing in making productions shows that
with them money and water have been
regarded as of about the same value at
certain times.
But, prodigal as Klaw & Erlinger
have been, they have gone no farther in
their line than their enemy. David
Belasco, has gone in his. Reality is a
passion with him. When he produced
"Du Barry" for his star, Mrs Carter,
he bought in France and at exorbi-
tant prices, much furniture that had
been used by the real Du Barry. When
he produced "The Darling of the Gods"
for Blanche Bates he invested a for
tune in real Japanese goods, and In
EThe Girl of the Golden West" every
piece of picturesque equipment Is
genuine and costly.
The day of the pasteboard and the
cotton is past. Where a manager once
cheerfully would offer a papier mache
automobile, he now is compelled by ris-
ing -tandards to come forward with the
real goods. Elsie De Wolfe took the
lead in this several seasons ago, when
she was starring in Clyde Fitch's ''The
Way of the World" In the same piece
she employed an elaborate and costly
tea service upon wheels. 1t was used
for only few minutes.
In the simpler things of the stage the
managers and producers have decided
tat nothing but the best will do. For
instance. in Way Down East" the
rural drama that has made several for
tunes for William A. Brady, Joseph
Grismer and Lottie Blair Parker,
dinner is eaten on the stage. In the old
days 1T would have been bluff meal
Under present conditions II is so real
that the members of the company COM
plain about being forced to eat real
turkey six nights a week and at two
matinees. In "a Partisan Romance"
Mr.. Mansfield, as Baron Chevrial, Of
fers his guests real food and real cham
payne in the famous supper scene
Real water. which was first employed
with success ina Dark Secret" many
years ago, is used In many plays today.
There are real Indians i'm William A.
Brady's production of THE Redskins"
At every point at which 1t is pos
sible to use the real instead of the make
believe the real is used. 1t costs great
deal of money but the public won't
have anything else. The managers
grin and hear the expense, hoping
against hope that the public taste will
change so that simpler and less ex-
pensiVe plays may be presented In a
simpler and less expensive fashion.