The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-19
From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat

From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
 S VEN the greatest critics get mixed Gn) at times. Taine, condemning half - a century ago the lack of popu- lar interest In the Shakespearean drama, compared it unfavorably with that de- light which filled the audiences to which Shakespeare played at seeing nothing more than the reflection of sunlight on an old wall, Here Taine clearly overshot the mark. Shakespeare's audiences were delighted at rays of sunlight creeping such crude and primitive stage work was the best their age could offer them. Shakespeare could write plays which have never been equalled, but though he was also the master stage manager of his time, his materials for staging were so limited that, as stage manager, his fame cannot rank with that of the third or fourth raters of today. He did his best, and what was then the worlds best, but the best he could do, it seems, was to delight his audiences with such appeals to their sense of beauty as were at his hand wherewith to illustrate and embel- fish his plays. Taine's assurance that even these little stage effects delighted Shakespeare's audiences leads to won- der of how much greater must have been their delight at seeing even an approxi- nation of the glories of the best stagings of today. If by some magic a modern playwriter with modern materials could have arisen in London then, could the Globe theatre or the Blackfriars, with nothing but their reflected sunlight scenes. have held the crowd? Shakespeare's work, of course, would have lived, as it has, be- cause in it are the elements of immortal ity. But Shakespeare could not have made the money to buy New Place" at Stratford.
 In this lies all of the Merry Widows secret. She has circled the globe amid the plaudits of the million, and from the beginning in Vienna. whether travelling east or west from that city of delight. she has been puzzle for the critics. They wonder why she should be so uproarious- ly understood and appreciated while prom inent citizens nod in their boxes in the very face of Ibsen on the stage Mirabile dictu! Why, there is no puzzle at all about the widow. She is the dancing sun light on the wal, but she is not the only ray of sunlight falling there The Olym- pic stage has been radiant with sunlight for the last two weeks, and the people now, as in Shakespeare's time, have been delighted with 1t, their delight being great CT in St. Louis than it was in London three centuries ago in proportion as the sunlight has been greater here, and the other accessories of the play finer and more finished. Money has been lavishly spent to give the piece its gorgeous set tings, to costume the many figures nov ing fin and out of it's narrative. to pay the salaries of singers among whom there is not poor voice, and musicians who know how to get the best of tonal ef- fects out of orchestration. This leaves out of consideration the heavy royalties which must be paid to Lehar for a score which has in 1t more of symphonic qual- ity than any other light music to which it has been the privilege of St. Louis au- diences to listen. It's hints of symphonic beauty are brief, but they are not infre- auent, and for the rest it is only sum- light on the wall. But is not that enough? Taine. who ought to know, says that it Is.
 This sunlight on tl.e wall has made many things plain on tie stage which would