The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-03
AN ENTR'ACTE.

"'What Is it?"
The endowment of a national theater- -"
For proRt?"
no. for the public. The worst thing
that has happened TO the drama is the
deterioration Of public taste"
You're chatting again
About the national theater? Yes.
that's joke that has long since become
common property. About the public?
No; the same is true in the book world
only worse. Literature has diminished in
proportion as the output Of books has
increased.
Then you're a pessimist?"
Not ut all on the subject of the the
alter"
But you say real drama has receded in
proportion 10 the number of theaters."
Pardon me. / said no such thing. We
have many more conspicuous actors to-
day doing legitimate, ambitious things
than there were fifty years ago. though
the increase in theaters has been out of
all proportions to this increase"
But are ours as good actors as lived
decades ago?"
How does any one know? Judge by the
plays they acted, the actors Of former
generations were no better, If as good, as
those of to-day"
by the way what has become Of the
national theater?'
It's portable. How can a theater be
national and be rooted in New York?
one might as well call the Boston Orches-
ira the national orchestra. An artist like
Mansfield or Mrs Fiske is a dramatic
evangelist. Call it euDidiJy or canniness
They are doing the work they are giving
a wide circumference Of population a
chance TO see the best type Of drama
Fancy the plight if Bernhardt, Mans
field, Irving or Salvini had been securely
Gagged in one city all their career. And If
we wished 10 see lofty expressions Of
dramatic art all the rest Of the world
would have to go to their remote theater
The tours Of these people have had an
incalculable effect on taste quite aside
from the pleasure they have given, and
the inspiration they have been to untold
thousands, 20 whom they have come in
the remote corners Of the country. a
national theater. embracing the services
Of such artists would isolate all our mill
lions of people. except the geographically
accidental few or the financially fortunate
fewer, who could afford the pilgrimage
10 the thespic temple
"Beerb0hm Tree has not left his Lon
don theaJer IN I'VE years
He could not better show his friend
Illness for America"
Anyhow. you'll acknowledge a national
theater would have advantages
For instance2"
Developing actors. variety Of roper
t0ire. opportunity for American authors.
An actor told me the other day that
he Is carefully rehearsed In thirty roles.
He is a lad OF twenty-five. and has been
on the stage only one season.
Impossible, Where can he get this
training
In Mansheld's company. He has his
own little role in each Of the ten produc-
tons Of this players repertoire and he
also has two UnderstUdies in each play.
You'll agree be has good preceptor."
From your point of view I should
think an ambitious cub would pay for the
privilege OF such opportunities.
so you're answered.
Not about The opportunity for the
American playwrights.'
'L0ngfellOW wrote q play. If you want
to know what kind. get a volume Of his
poems. H0wells. mountain as a novel
list. produces only dramatic mice. Thomas
Bailey Aldrich has tried often and with
better results than any other fine literary
scholar, but save as from stage de
pending on the Ike OF his plays. Marion
Crawford retreated in disorder after his
first dramatic excursion"
Didn't jefferson always play Ameri-
can plays2 There was Rip Van Wrinkle
Mansneld never gives the American
author chance"
How glibIy irresponsible YOU are
Mansield's very first production after
bis Union Square hit as the Baron
Cheyrial IN "a Partisan Romance. WAS
Or JekyH and Mr.. Hyde. by T. Russell
Sullivan, Of Boston, who wrote also
Nero. MansfeId's second plav was
Prince Karl, by Archibald Clavering
Gunter. LOrimer Stodard. Of Long Island
wrote The Emperor Napoleon. il C.
Clarke did The First Violin Charles
Henry Metzler. American by adCDuon.
wrote 'Rodion, the Student; emma
Sheridan, of New York. dramatized Ten
Thousand Year a Harvard boy. How
ard Thayer Kingsbury furnished the
translation Of 'Cyrano de Bergerac.'
which Mansfield used, Nine. Sophie de
Meissner who translated Ivan the Ter
rible is the daughter OF the late Ad
miral Radford. of our navy; Mary stone
Of New York, dramatized A Social High
wayman.' in which Mansfield started the
Hollands, and our actor. American by
adoption. wrote Monsieur and Don
Juan "
Il should like TO hear Mansfeld's views
on art"
He probably wouldn't tell you them"
why nOt7"
He acts his point Of view. The actors
performance of a character should be his
essay on that character. Besides. they
would probably not be interesting"
DO you suppose an actor feels all the
emotion he puts in a TOle2"
Come. Put out that cigarette Then.
if YOU still feel as if you wanted TO
know, write the query editor of your
paper
tThe bell rings and they join the throng
moving back TO their seats