Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-23
SEXTETTE WITH MURRAY AND
MACK AT THE GRAND
BY w. HERBERT BLAKE


WOW over stage immortality it is not
observable that any of the parties to
the dispute-clerical or theatrical
have taken the trouble to define what,
in their respective opinions. this shock
ing immortality is. If they did so it
is probable the discussion would have
reverted to first principles long ago
and we should have found that the
morals of drama. like the morals of
actors. differ not at all in the agsre-
gate from those of drainspouts or ca
thedriaI spires on the one hand or OF
plumbers or church wardens on the
other.
There is this important difference,
however, between a practicable ethical
code for the drama and the obligation
of the decalogue in everyday life And
that difference is simly that a drama
is not everyday life, but the life of
every day summed up in a few hours
typical summary conVerging to one ire
mendous issue.
To Illustrate: No regular playgoer
will contend for a moment that DIR.
Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde" is, in its es-
sence, an immoral play Yet the prln-
cipal character not only is thief and
q murderer, but a faithless hypocrite.
The same test might be applied to
1.-The Bells or Richard III" There
is no apparent reason why the break
Ing OIL any commandment, IGllSi NUS
economic or social should not be the
theme of drama If the result offends
against good taste that is another
question. The issue here raised is
ethical.
Now it is probable that the managers
who have reaped a fortune from Varl-
Gus ebullitions of the SalOme craze
would readily attempt to demonstrate
that the gyrations of Herodias daugh-
ter were perfectly ethical 1t is less
a question of tainted cash than of
gilded morals. And it is equally GER
tain that a majority of ministers
chemically hostile to the stage would
undertake with alacrity the task OF
proving any modern dramatic produc-
ton inimical to the morals of the in
dividual and the community.
1t is a very pretty problem in po-
len1ics. but a bit beWildering to the
plain man who is seeking solution
Is there "A solution, aside from the
evasion of an autocratic censor, such
as is the stock jest of London wits?
Let us see. 1t is plain that one must
be dogmatic in this matter for the
ministers who denOunce orthodoxy IN
matters of faith are wont to lay down
the law in questions of practice.
Let us start with the proposition al
ready advanced, that the mere presen-
tation of immortality on the stage is no
more immoral than the toleratlon OF
immortality in the world by a benehcent
Creator. The truly moral play eN-
ternally will conform as closely as pos
sible to life and will never lose touch
with the indomitably aspiring soul OF
man in it's own living soul. The vitality
ethical play will be neither phoIo-
graph nor a bOdiless dream. 1t VIII
have the distinctive marks of both It
will be sinful as human life is sinful IL
will not be hopeless, for human life is
ablaze and agleam with hope. Tie
mirror which the modern Shakespeare
shall hold up to nature must be a
prism, rejecting the hues of heaven as
we'll as the soil Of earth.
The truth is the modern world has 50
accustomed itself TO blinking certain
social sins whose iniquities are every
where visible, has so stopped its ears to
the wailing of its own disnherited, that
it resents the mirror which reflects
merely it's own composite. THE play
was so uncomfora BILE signs Milady
as she whirls home from the matinee to
cool her perturbed emotions in the per-
fectly innocuous pages of the current
magazines. This production reflects
conditions which are deplOrable, but are
not precisely fitted for dramatic presen-
tation," reads the review in the drama
tic journal to which Milady subscrtbes
In all seriousness, it may be said that
the great social sinners of today no
longer stay away from church for fear
of pubic rebuke, Instead they shun
the theater for dread of an accusing
conscience.
Perhaps the best current instance in
point is that of Salvation Nell,' in
which Mrs. Fiske is now appearing.
This is the simple, unexaggerated story
Of the regeneration of a bully of the
sums through the love of a woman he
mistreated and abused, after her con-
version at Salvation Army street
meeting. It's depletion of the seamy
side of life is startingly realistic, as its
portrayal of the redemption of it's bru-
tai hero is of the essence of idealstic
romance. And both romanticist and
realist denounce the play, the first be-
cause it does not hide the evil in life
with sufficient discretion and the sec
ond because it solves the problem Of
that evil by a self-sacrifice and a re-
generation which are confessedly uto-
plan and as incredible as first love
itself.
The truly immoral play never will be
written, for the truly immoral play
would transcend the limits of possible
drama The apotheosis of immortality
is despair. and you cannot dramatize
sheer desperation. You can use it as
a climax as a retribution, or even as
a relief from the struggle of life, but
YOU cannot omit the struggle, and so
long as you tolerate battle with evil
YOU reject the fatalist's creed and con-
cede the possibility of victory. Man
is not so constituted as to be able to
write a play wholly bad because the
worst playwright is not wholly hope
less.