The Washington herald., 1907-01-27

THE sham. amateur theatrical sort
Of society shown in Clothes
offers very serious obstacles tC
any but the most experienced
to throw up in relief scenes of emotional
ism such as those clever young men,
Claiming Pollock and Avery Hopgood
sought 70 present in the play seen at
the National Theater last week. This is
true. because only a hand of the nices,
deftness can keep the relief from getting
TOO high. too detached. Sham society
has In il much Of unwilling farce or
travesty. and emotionaIism that is genu-
inc or put forth as genuine. contrasts SO
strongly with such a background that the
effect can hardly be agreeable or accept
able. 1t is apt to be aggravating, IN fact,
unless master hand of consummate
skill in dramatic craftsmanship shapes
and shades incident and character II is
wiser for the young playwright, who feels
impeIled 10 deal with this phase Of So
tletFr 20 CONNIE Aliti7tlL W 'olI'cuSr 1eliS-
fully using the soft pedal when the in
evitabIe necessity rises Of imparting the
touch Of emotion that gives strength and
zest 10 the lighter scenes. The funda-
mental mistake of the authors OF
Clothes" was in making it an emotional
play instead Of a frank comedy. If they
really wished TO point a moral, which
they probably did not, their purpose
could have been better served; and there
IS little question they would haYe made
a play more acceptable TO the discrimi-
mating as well as 10 the average theater-
goer who seeks only diversion. Miss
George has good emotional ability. not
yet finely developed il is true. but is
largely wasted in Il play of such arti-
fciality as Clothes"
NO DOUBT very large percentage Of the
thousands of people who saw David War
held IN The Music Master week before
last took the play very seriously. To
most Of them it was thing so fine and
appealing that they rather resented the
iact mat u was buriesqued last week on
the same stage. So it is probable the
number OF this class who went 20 see the
denying st was witnessed by large audi
cnces ~ the Belasc0. And. apparently. il
was enjoyed 1t could have been wit
messed without feelings of resentment.
probably with laughter, by most of those
who took the original quite seriously, for
It was "a bad hurlesque, so broad and far
removed from resemblance 10 The Music
Master thdi there wasn't the suggestion
OF oiIense IN H. There are people Of regu-
lar thedteTEoing habit who can't under
stand no" any one can take offense at a
o"iieaque OF serious play which APP
pe't'S 10 lhtm strongly. These people
nave Ie'IS i'Sl the Illusion or the thea
tei through excessive familiarity with IT,
"u' lieIe Is announcer class. ana II Is a
'"ib' one 10 "h'm the relatively few
HHe pays lAey permit themselves TO see
ID -" ""s S11'''' an" 'l'eE prefer not
'''l. oU' ''s9oeu' Inc lAeater peo-
pic themselves are. Wen aware oil thls'
anu J." l"e case OF Inc MUSIC Master.
.'-e ''i ivSi"eiS were ln ooubt now their
-.''- ms e'loI'S ""uid be received IN
" "S'l'l ''H 50 soon aIier the original
Sue" mere
w, r-...
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- '''s' anu i'o amer ''ili
- - "'''.u p'ouuee'
ana frr,1f,,t,.,. -. -
tl. -, ,',''A.' anu ueep'y as
a. -. = '-- la 'Iali mas uoNe
- Ol''iilel ne Duei'
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,,-o,,15 80 -, - - i,3,'''''''-ls IL
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y, - -. '''1i'' u, was
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- -. az ''.oie an ACTOR
~ '"Ae
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- TO- ''O''7 tue line mere
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- ,, many
o'- al s'"ee ana
.'7cI'eI ,ne freedom
i''i TINS p'opeA-
''-''' 40" vi inc
'''7' - '-'i''i'''S" ~ " sign OF true loier-
ahee' OF DIoadIhindedness' or indifference
TO religion IS question. Ia the case Of
the French many people will be inclined
to declare OffhaDd that il is a sign of
indifference Ia religion mr. Of ir-eIis-io,,
I2a that nc 81, ,,,,. +,,, 90 -. -.
D' 'i''t a. u may 'ite ldtt Remains Jlat
~ Gnu 'Vlie-l ll1ilu en-
-''SS Hiei'oH ul'li'd'iS's 10 "iIle ana
'eiicN actors 70 produce Strons and APP
IVaiiis pays ue"iihs Win SUBJECTS that
aIt IIdCuCUlll IdDuueU on our stage