The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-28

~ HE problem play has always been
rather more Of a problem in
America than in other countries,
and this is due, largely. 10 the
difference between audiences here and
elsewhere It is. perhaps, no reflection
on America to say that in Germany
France. England. and italy they take the
theater more seriously than We do, re-
garding its educational features as the
chief aim In this country we have
come more and more 20 think Of the the
alter as a place of amusement solely, and
theatergoing as d diversion OF distraction
from .the cares that infest the day" The
result is that as a people we do not care
very much for such plays as 'Adrienne
Lecouvreur.'' Camille" "Sapho. or
1.-THE Second Mrs. Tanqueray' plays
which made up the repertoire in which
Miss Olga Nethersole appeared at the
New National Theater las. week.
As people were are free to admit that
there may be lives such as that OF Fanny
de Grand Paula Tanqueray. or Marga-
have progressed TO that point that we do
not notice the sin that they sin by one
and one" until or unless it gets into the
newspapers Then. as is the case of the
actress Who has recently been mixed up
in murder trial in New York. we are
likely 20 make too much of them First
and last it should be recognized that the
heroines of these problem plays are 10
De regarded as abnormal; just as the
millionaire is abnormal or the profes-
sional housebreaker. But because they
are abnormal that is no reason why We
can afford TO ignore them. THE proper
study of mankind is man" and there is no
phase or condition of life from which
we cannot learn something that viii help
us 10 live our own lives better, more
usefully, or more deeently.
At passages in the plays of Dumas,
Pinero. or CLYDE Fitch that portray pas
sionate love, there is always a proportion
of an audience that jeeIs. as II these
phases We're the end and aim of the
problem play. SO Gar from this being the
case the problem plays-such as those
presented by Miss Nethersole, deserve to
be seriously considered, and the lesson
which they insist ON is the highest type
of morality. Always they show that
those that are good shall Boa happy
which, II ii does not always hold i'm real
life is. at least, g0od working hypothesis
on which life safely may be based.
Miss Olga Nethers0le has been identified
with the sort of plays which she present
ed az the National Theater last week for
some years partly. only. by choice She
feels rather deeply on the subject and be
Heves that only good can result from the
lessons these PLAYS teach. She is an
actress of fine intrinsic abilities which
have. perhaps. been accorded less recog-
milton than they deserve, because. of the
character of her plays and the sameness
OF her type of heroines. But whether as
Margaret Gautier, Fanny de Grand. Ad-
rienne Lecouyreur. or Paula Tanqueray.
Miss Nethersoie's representation has al
ways been satisfying. intelligent. and
artistic. There is that about her acting
which has always won sympathy for the
suffering woman she portrays. while. at
the same time, she has contrived always
to show that the sins for which her
herOines suffer are detestable.
But the repertoire in which Miss Meth
ersole is playing and which. with a few
changes now and then, has been mainly
the repertoire by which she is known TO
American audiences, cannot last much
longer The country at large and audi
ences everywhere have Outgrown these
PLAYS, most of which are very familiar
now through the wide growth OF local
stock companies
For woman of Miss MEMBERSHIPS abili-
ties, American audiences viii aIWavs have
welcome, the more so that she has al
ways been careful 10 bring with her q ca
pable supporting company and to present
her plays as adequately as possible in the
matter of scenery and accessories. But
what she needs now, if she is TO take a
fresh hold on the profitable field of Amer!-
can theatricals, is a new play, g strong.
emotional, vital play IN which her part
SHAH Doe something other than these weeu-
ing, wronged heroines which she has
played so long. Such plays are hard to
find, bat they are possible, and fl is sim
ceTely to be hoped that on her return to
this country next season Miss NethersOle
viii have something to offer AS worthy Of
her high powers.
Mr. Ezra Kendall, who at one time had
a fine reputation as clever and original
comedian, is doing himself no good by
presenting such plays as his Swell Ele-
CANT Jones'" which was his Offering al
the Columbia Theater all last week The
play IS absurd as a piece of dramatic con-
struction and. although there were some
very fair character types. they really did
not mean much. The whole fun of the
play depended on the monologue ability
of Mr. Kendall He is clever az t},is ,,.orl,
but the vaudeville managers-astute
caterers 10 the public taste-have long ago
discovered that twenty minutes of mono
iogue is about an that any audience is
willing 70 stand AS it is now. Mr.. Ken
d3lls play, obviously meant To be funny,
is deadly dun and il was an ordinary
sight 10 see many people in the audience
at the Columbia getting up and going out
they could not stand any more. If
Mir Kendall hopes 10 retain his hold on
the public a hold which he created leeit-
imately by years Of hard work. he
must set better PLAYS than this. 1t is
q far cry back 60 "A Pair of Kids" the
Jay that hrst made Mr KendalTs repu-
tation, bur even that was better than
the things he has been offering in re-
cent years.
The Thaw trial in New York served
once more to bring the stage and its peo-
pie into unenviahle notoriety, so that the
great majority CT people who know little
about the stage seem 20 have their pre-
vlous mlsconcepuons-that the stage is es-
sentally an immoral place-confirmed.
one Of the jurors in the Tbavg case. calls
attention 10 the fact that New York con-