Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1908-12-17
INDELICATE ILLUSIONS THAT
NEED PRUNING

There is a pleasure in a hearty
laugh that no one should check
There is a pleasure in rhythmic music
that no one would deny There is a
pleasure in bright coIors and bright
settings that appeals to all But
when all these pleasures are added
10 the absorbing interest that lies
in a cIeverly constructed plot of a
play with situations that are con-
tinnously amusing, there is no need
that a marring element should be
introduced in the shape of indicate
illusions, references that are but
thinly yelled, if yelled at all, in their
suggestiveness, merely that a minor
element of patronage should be ca
tered TO and unclean appetites graf
flied.
That is the feeling that one has in
remembering the performance at the
theatre on Tuesday night The must
cal comedy was cleverly constructed.
The story of the play was all that
could be desired so far as laughter
provoking qualities are concerned.
The situations were full of humor and
the actors were quite capable of de-
Veloping all the fun that was posi-
bic in them for the audience. But
scattered here and there throughout
the play were broad illusions that
,.-c-. ,,,,,,o1oseo-,- 4b,+ x,,o~o obiao
tionable to those who are not at all
prudish. that tended toward vulgarity.
and that marred. rather than bright
ened, the play. In not a single in
stance were such side comments that
grated on the refinement of the au-
dience necessary. They could have
been eliminated without in the least
affecting the story. the humor OF the
situations developed during the
performance, or the cleverness of
the actors They were simply OBJ
jectionable excrescences, intended, ii
would seem, to pander to lascivious
tastes in an indirect way. To the
gentleman who was accompanied by
a lady, be it wife, sweetheart OF
daughter, such references were more
than unpleasant-they We're embar-
RAISING and blot on the entire
performance.
It is a pity that there is so much
OF this sort Of thing on the stage
Too many evenings of what might be
extremely pleasant amusement are
marrcd in just this way. Is it be-
cause the playwrights, the managers
and the actors believe that a great
mass of the public want salacious
suggestions in the dialogues pre-
scented to them? If so we believe
they are all mistaken. By far the
greater proportion of theatre goers
are men and women Of moral senti-
ments, men and women who do not
desire unsavory references to things
that are not commonly discussed in
the home or social circles, men and
women OF clean lives and clean
thoughts. 1t is only minority, and
q very small minority at that, who
20 to the play house looking for, ex-
pecting. and wanting, remarks or ac-
lions that are of color" The soon
er those entrusted with the destinies
OF the stage realize this the better
for the stage as a business and as a
profession.
The Circus Girl" could well be
pruned of half dozen or more re-
marks that lower the whole tone
of the play and that leave an I'M
pleasant memory behind them. And
as with it so with many other plays
A censor could well emasculate them
TO that extent and leave them pureT
and none the less bright and enter
tanning.