The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-11-17
BY CLAIMING POLLOCK.
Author Of ..Ths secret Odchard."


be problem play. 1t must either pro-
pound or solve problem. and the great
er the problem presented for solution the
greater the play. Were this not true
drama would be nothing moro than the
primitive art Of storytelling, and the
theater only a place where grown-up
children could listen TO grown-up YER
sions of the romances they heard at par
entail knees. The theatrical Offering
which merely narrates a tale Of the love
OF some man for some woman, or the
business success OF some man, or the
sentimental adventures Of some woman,
makes scant return for the time required
by the telling. Life is real and life Is
earnest" and entertainment is not It's
goal. The theater-goer who devotes
three hours OF his time and attention to
the stage and then carries away nothing
has been very Ill repaid
1t IS an unfortunate fact that amusement
lovers in this country have come TO the
idea that the theater has no higher pro-
vince than 10 create laughter. The idea
that entertainment cannot exist without
giving cause for merriment. II applied 10
other arts than the dramatic art, would
ill our picture galleries with sketches
by Opper and assign to the Boston Sym
phony Orchestra a repertoire consisting
of such choice selections as Waltz Me
Around Again, WILLIE" and I'D Leave
MY Happy Home for YOU II is pitt
full histrionism which has no loftier pur-
pose than providing a substitute for the
spectacle of fat man slipping on a
banana peel.
sugar Coating "a Necessity.
1 do not mean to argue that the only
sort Of play sanctionable is the kind that
bores its audience unmitigatedly- \ med
feline go III tasting that nobody viii take
It defeats its own purpose. The problem
in a modern play should be-must be
sugar-coated. and pretty thickly sugar
coated at that, but It ought also to have
an effect upon the mental system which
will endure after the sweetness Of its
covering has faded from the intellectual
palate In writing The Secret Orchard
Il was my aim, as it must be the aim
OF every serious dramatist, 70 conceal the
pointing Of a moral beneath the adjoining
OF tale.
moments reflection viii convince any
thinking person that no enduring play
has ever been written without definite
argument underlined. Uncle Tom
Cabin" which created a powerful senti-
ment against slavery in this country;
1.-THE New Time" which did much TO
overthrow the sway OF religious dogma
In Germany: THE Night Refuge" which
made so powerful an impression that its
representation was forbidden in Russia
all these and hundreds more have ac-
i'm
opinion that could have been accomplish
ed in no other way Very frequently the
public which sits through the perform
ance " n drama, has not the slightest
idea that it is being taught and debated
with. bu, that form of art which con-
Ceuls art is always most truly potent.
II YOU will name any really great dra-
matte success of the past decade IN
America l shall be glad TO attempt prov
ing to you that it established some i'm
portant fact, convinced along some i'm
portant line, had some fine and noble
purpose. His House IN Order" demon
strated the wickedness of worshipinl
the dead at the expense Of the living
'"The HypOcrites'' preached the crime
of siavishly obeying social convention
The much maligned Mrs. Warren s
Profession demonstrated as no treatise
could have done the necessity % greater
truthfully that I have never attempted
a play in my life without beginning on
the foundation Of assertiveness-withOut
Intending to prove something. Clothes
gnvelghed against extravaganza in dress
1.-THE Bishops Carriage" dealt witt
the possibilities of regeneration for g
woman THE Little Grey Lady" was
n lecture on the preferability Of a fine
plain woman 70 a frivolous. pretty one
Problem of 1.-THE secret Orchard"
''The Secret Orchard" is my mos
notable work because It offers the great
est problem II it failed utterly, If the
piece we're condemned from every othel
viewpoint. it would still be my mos
notable work for this reason. dare say
this without fear OF being cOnceited be
cause / have only elaborated and en-
larged upon the preachment OF the nov
elist whose book of the same title sug
gested "'rbe Secret Orchard" In thi
drama we have two extremely stroni
and pertinent questions First there is
preachment against the unholy and un
righteous fallacy that the word sin ha
only one gender and that gender femi
nine The biggest thing in the play, how
over is the question: IF the man cal
am aware that this question Is as old a
the hills-that it was asked with wonder
ful force by Sydney Grundy in Sowing
the WInd"-but il Is a question that mus
always be new until II has been worke,
out in practice as satisfactorily as think
ing people have worked It out in theory
In "The Secret Orchard" the ma
who has sinned is shown in q fair wa!
20 being pardoned by and restored to tn
confidence Of his wife. 1t is my hop
that audiences will contrast this condi
ton with the tragedy OF the woman VIII
has sinned going out into the night pun
ished. repentant, but unforgiven. 1 hav
,Ditigated this tragedy and thrown a ra
Of hone on the situation by INTRODUCING
the character of a plain. earnest man
George Dodd, who does forgive the gir
and wants TO show her a way 10 regen
Grafton Ali my arguments in favor o
th's mans attitude, all the philOsoph
of the play. I have put into the mout
of Dodd NO one thing In the worl
is unforgivable." he Nays. It's impos
sible that we should suffer all our live
for a single mistake ! am not spOtles
myself. and 1 don't think any man ha
the right 10 ask what he can't give
am proud of George Dodd, proud o
his argument, and proud that he is a
American.
Believes in Being Consistent.
The dramatist who honestly confesse
10 writing with a purpose in these day
is likely 10 be accused Of taking himsel
too seriously. dTamatist cannot TAX
himself too seriously. friend of min
proposed to me that in adapting 9TH
Gacret Orchard / should follow tn