New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-01-01
AGAIN THE TIRED BUSINESS MAN.

Or Holiness Katydid has again become audible.
the loquacous insect that Says undsputed
thing in such solemn way" Mr. Frederic
Thompson manager. announces that "the theatre
never has been and never. will be n temple OF
learning" True. But It has had seasons OF intel
lectual ministration. and they have been profitable
10 managers as well as beneficial to society. Mr..
Frederic Thompson furthermore signifies that hts
appeal IS made to that ancient and ne-honored
sufferer the tired business man whose troubles"
he wishes to lessen by making jokes for him.
That tired business man would not be nearly
tired II he would give somewhat less attention to
business and somewhat more attention to Hring.
The actually important work OF this world IS done
by few persons: the remainder is stamping
and snortng. about nothing. II the business
man is tired" he should swallow little vaertan
and go 10 bed. The theatre is intended for expo
sition OF the Art Of Acting. and that does not
consist in grinning through horse collar. Mr..
Frederic Thompson IS right when he says that TOO
many contemporary plays by clever literary
dramatists" rotten a the core" So they are:
some of them indeed are rotten long before the
core is reached. If Mr.. Frederic Thompson
relieve the stage of many of the plays OF Ibsen.
Maeterlinck. Sudermann. RapaEnetta D'Aununcio.
Pinero. etc, he viii confer great benefit the
community; for more rotten stun than is custom
arily furnished by those writer's has been
known since the days OF Rochester and Sedey.
MI Frederic Thompson also proclailns that the
dramatist IS merely the architect adding the as
surance that when his plans finished 1t re-
quires the master builder. In the person Of the
producer" That IS average sample OF the meek
modesty Of contemporary managers" Mt. Fred
eric Thompson, being Of course, "a master-bulld
err" "a producer that functionary at be-
comes the most important person associated with
theatre! Talk Of that kind is nonsense. The truth
IS that there are. present in this country, few
managers who have produced. could
duce anything. The producing usually done by
these master builders consists in arbitrary inter
ference with experienced, competent. and able
actors by persons who know nothing whatever
about acting and very little about anything. This
new theatrical Moses likewise declares that "a
plays sole mission is to entertain. and that,
failing I'm this. any artistic literary quality will
not sustain it" Did Mr.. Frederic Thompson ever
hear of a play called Hamlet "a play that has
existed over three hundred years. and, always and
everywhere drawn and impressed great audiences,
even when badly acted? And If so. does he consider
It cntcrfainiHq9 Neither the SOLE the first
mission of a play IS entertain. The first mis-
sion Of play is 10 seize and hold the attention Of
auditors. not by cutting capers or spouting slang
but by touching their hearts and impressing their
minds: and the ultimate purpose # a dramatic
representation is,-or certainly, should be-to re-
fine and ennoble its auditors. deghting their eyes
with beauty prompting them to noble aspiration,
and heping them live good lives. True actors
are neither doctors assigned to relieve tired busi
ness men," nor clowns, employed to cause vacant
laughter by tumbling tricks: actors dramatic
artists. and their vocation Is the ministry Of
beauty, the Interpretation Of human nature, which
helps mankind TO comprehend itself and TO shape
Alright it's conduct and destiny.