New-York tribune., 1909-11-07
THE LONDON STAGE
The Shahespearian Theatre
Morality Plays.
London. october q.


The schemes for a monument and a
repertOry playhouse have been combined
and the literary and artistic classes have
united. without dissenting voice. in an
appeal for half a million sterling for a
memorial which will at once perpetuass
:he fame OF the greatest Enslishrnsn
and stimulate public interest IN good
drama. A representative and highly IN
tellectual audience az the Mansion
House has sanctioned the enterprise and
solicited the assistance OF local commit
tees throughout the kingdom. With
E73.300 in hand a popular subscription
is TO be attempted. with as many local
centres Of influence as possible. Critf-
cism has been forestaIIed BY The adoption
OF a comprehensive plan for a dignlhsi
building on a commanding site in ths
metropolis. and for well msnaged rep
ertory theatre with constant alteTns-
t'on OF plays.
The objects are summed up with ad-
nllrabIe Iucidity and force by the general
committee under these heads: TO keep
the plays Of Shakespeare IN the roper
tory for systematic production. 70 revive
whatever Is vital in English classical
diana; 20 prevent the 6isappearsncs ot
current plays OF great merit; 10 produce
new works and translations OF foreign
drama. ancient or modern. and 70 st.n-
u,ate the ar OF acting A theatre con-
dt:cted on these lines will be helpful %
dramatic art and intellectual Hfs
throughout the kingdom. and conss-
6uentIy the organizers Of the movements
are justified in asking the provincial
towns 20 join in what is In reality IA
tionai work.
The Illustrated handbook brings before
readers eyes the famous homes Of na-
tiOnaI drama which are supported bY
endowments. These are the Theatre
Francois. Paris. with an annual subsidy
Of $500 from the state. and a repertory
OF classical and modern plays; the Royal
Theatre. Copenhagen. for opera and
drama, with an annual dehcit exceeding .
5000 to be covered from the national
treasury; the Royal Playhouse, Berlin.
with a subsidy of f10O0O: the Theatre
des Celestins. Lyons. which with the
opera house costs the municipality sbour
1900 a year; the Czech Theatre.
Prague. and the Royal Playhouse. Dres-
den. with their subsidies; the Burg Thea
tire. Vienna. which receives $4,000 from
the civil list: and The New Theatre, New
York built by private muniffcence. with
profits reserved for endowment and pen
sion funds. With these and other prece-
dents for public maintenance Of strong
holds Of national drama. il ought not %
be difficult tc convince Englishmen that
beIated action in tho direction OF an en-
dOwed theatre is necessary; yet so wide
spread is the feeling that playhOuses can
safely be left % take care OF themselves
under active competition for public
favor that without the name Of shakes
pearc TO conjure with success would be
beyond the range OF probabilities. The
strongest argument for the new enter
prise is the guarantee that there shall be
at least one Shakespearian performances
every week. that the masters works
shall be frequently passed in review. and
the art of presenting them be thoroughly
studied. and that he Will have in his
own country "the constant and assidu-
Gus hOmags which he now receives only
in Germany That is the plea which
may induce the London County Council
to reserve one of the best metropolitan
sites for the memorial theatre. and may
also bring in subscriptions from every
town and village.
The promoters Of this great enterprise
have committed themselves 20 sort OF
/ national trust for the memorial theatre.
There will be a representative body Of
/ governors, with members appointed BY
I the Crown, the universities, the self gov
erning states of the empire. the Ameri-
can commonwealth. the great municipal
tiles and various learned and artistic So
cteties. So comprehensive a board ot
control will not be able 10 work out the
, complex problem Of mana ginG a roper
/ tory theatre with modern and classical
/ plays. That must be reserved for some
/ unknown organizer OF the future. WHO
will profit by the experiments conducted
/ at the Haymarket and the Duke ~
York's. as well as by the practical opera
tions of endowed theatres on the Cont
nent, and the New Theatre in New Yort.
[ There will be time enough for critics 20
/ cross those bridges when they come 70
/ them. What must be generally admitted
/ ir advance is that an enlightened scheule
has been proposed for delivering the
Shakespeare Memorial Theatre from the
uarrovness OF a purely London founda-
tion and converting il into the common
heritage Of the English speaking race.
I II success can be commanded by a thor
+ oughly digested and scientifically devised
plan. this national theatre is already be-
yOnd the risks of failure.
Audiences take care % modern moral
/ ity plays. Que following another in scorn-
! ful contempt Of the warming from critics
I that the work i didactic and that the
I dramatist has mistaken the stage for
/ pulpit. IL was so when Mr.. Jerome
Third Floor Back" was Condemned ey
critics as a boring play fifteen months
ago, and * was Immediately shown that
there was Il great public wh'Ch conslc
/ cred the piece helpful Teligicusly. and "
/ is likely 20 be so in the case ot "lne
Servant in the House" at the Adelpm'
cynical admirers OF problem plays, WIN
disag grceable and offensive situations
I we're prepared 10 endure as much DIS
I comfort as :hey did when aIr. Forces
l Robertson preached TO them az the ~