Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-13
G. B. SHAW TILTS
AT BRITISH CENSOR
Especial Cable to The Herald

topeciai cable TO Inc hsiaAu'
LONDON, June 12.-The decision Of
the censor in prohibiting the perform
ance of Bernard Shaw's play "The
Showing Up of Blanco Posnet" has
produced the last degree of exaspera-
tion in theatrical and literary circles,
which had looked forward with great
interest to the new production. 1t is
presumed that "Blanco Posnet" was to
some extent sucn a discussion of re-
ligion as was the Shaw play Getting
Married" on marriage. The censor's
action is the more anomalous as he has
recently seen fit, after prohibiting the
performance of Saint-Saens' opera,
Samson ct Dalila," for many years on
the ground of it's biblical associations,
to remove the ban; and the work is
being given frequtntly during the
present season at CoVent Garden.
The new prohibition will certainly
strengthen the hands of those who
have been agitating for the removal of
the censorship. Following is a list of
plays recently passed and rejected by
the censor:
Plays Forbidden
"Monna Wanna" (MaeterlincE).
"Maternite" (Brieux).
Les Trois Files de M. Dupont"
(Brieux).
MRS. Warren's Profession" (Bernard
Shaw.
Waste" Granville Barker).
Ghosts Obsen),
bethlehem" (Housman).
"The Breaking Point" (GarnetD.
Samson ct Dalila' (till this season).
"The Mikado" (for some months).
The burlesque of IAN Englishmans
Home" by the Follies.
Plays Licensed
'The Giddy Goat"
"The Cuckoo"
"The Spring Cricken."
1.-The Conquerors."
1.-The Girl from Maxfm's."
az Education du Prince"
'Divorcons."
lie Marquis de Priola."
Dear Old Charlie"
1.-The Devil"
Shaw Bobs Up SereneIy
Bernard Shaw has issued statement
with regard to the action of the censor,
in which he says:
1.-The decision whether a play is NOR
ally fit to be performed or not srests
with the king absolutely, and 1 am not
in the kings confidence. To write
splay too vile for public performance,
even at the very indulgent standard
applied to our London theaters, is as
grave an offense as man can COM
nit short of downright felony; in fact
it is much worse than most felonies.
To announce it for production at
theater of high reputation is almost as
bad. I presume the king would not
hold up Mr.. Tree and myself before
Europe and America as guilty of this
disgraceful conduct unless he had the
most entire confidence in his own
judgment or that of his advisers.
1.-THE injury-not to mention the in
sult-to us is very considerable; but
the disgrace will depend on the extent
to which the public shares the kings
faith in this matter. 1t would be af-
fectation for me to pretend to share it.
I shall allow the play to be performed
in America and throughout Europe. /
shall publish it, 1 should not do that
If I shared the kings opinion of 1t.
have far more at stake than any one
else concerned, for l should be ruined
if lost the confidence of the public
in my honor and conscience as a play
wright, as have no following among
vicious or thoughtless people. But l
naturally regret that Mr.. Tree should
find that he has only exposed himself
to what is virtually a rebuke for mis-
conduct from the very quarter in
which he might have expected the most
enlightened support.
"Merry Widow" Safe!
'gThe. effect on the future of the
theater will be seen later on. Young
men are at the moment writing plays
for the repertory theaters of Mr..
Frohman and Herbert Trench. They
cannot afford, as 1 accidentally can, to
lose the price of months of arduous la
Dor and be blacklisted by managers as
dangerous. This reminder to them that
there is safety in The Merry Widow
and the utmost danger in plays of the
kind l write will inevitably act as
lesson to them which will seem graft
flying and hopeful only to those who
not only enjoy The Merry Widow'-I
enjoy it myself greatly, for the matter
of that-but who think that 1t pre-