The Washington herald., 1909-01-24
The Function Of the Drama.

Whatever else Mr.. Eugene Walters
new play, The Easiest Way has done.
It has succeeded IN stirring up a wealth
Of controversial criticism among the writ
ers in New York. most OF whom seem 10
have followed the mental lead of that
veteran and much-respected critic, Mp.
William Winter, in the New York Tn
bune. M Winter comedies that the play
Is admirably staged. wonderfully acted.
and that II strikes the realistic note al
its best. but he does not ike the theme.
and in one part OF his long critique the
morning after the play was put on al
The StUyvesant Thester he said:
1T is not nor It cannot cone 70 good" To Iook
a sllh q spectacle Is not 70 Be benefited: = Is
only % be disgusted TIE mind Of the observer Is
flled with oa-hsCme images Of corrupt coDduct and
y dreDckcd with sense q degradation
In that sentence It might seem that Nj
Winter contradicts himself He claims
that the play cannot come 10 good be
cause II deals with truth in a realistic
way. and he deprecates using the stage
for any such purpose, while al the same
time he admits that the play fills the
mind OF the observer with 'loathsome
images Of corrupt conduct" and thus, 50
far, points out 10 The spectator what in
life II is desirable 10 avoid
IN another place IN the same criticism
he says: To declare. as incidentally is
done. that the female members OF the
dramatic profession who may happen 10
be pursued with evil intentions by
wealthy Hcentious men should repeI
such bIsckguards Is only 10 declare a
plautude:" as if all moral teaching were
not made Up Of platitudes. as If the
truth once uttered we're sufficient and
did not need constantly to be inculcated
and insisted upon
OF course. We all Know that girls,
whether members Of the dramatic pro-
fession OF not. should 'repeI all such
biackgUards' but however much Mr..
William Winter may have known 1t, the
average theater-gOer was not aware until
the production OF The Easiest Way Of
the extent 20 which cruel and unfair
weapons in the hands Of an INSCRIPTIONS
theatrical manager might be used TO as
sail the good intentions OF girls striving
honestly 10 make a living
The subject is unpleasant, We may
grant that. that il Is unnecessary is
where many people viii disagree with
8Ir Winter Is the stage, then, the
great popular educational force OF our
times, 20 be only q place for spectacIes
that shall amuse and entertain? Are We
10 have only pleasant plays" as If in
real life there We're no heartaches and
souows and immortality? What is the
great the standard test Of the purpose Of /
the stage2 That also is a pladtude but
It IS one Of those platitudes that will bear
iteration and reiteration until Il Is ham,
mered into the minds of men. Is It not |
10 hold. as Z were. the mirror up TO /
nature; 10 show virtue her own feature. |
sCoTn her own image, and the very. age
and body Of the time his form and pres
sure
Il that Is trUe-and who can doubt it'll
there Is a distinct place. a deserved use
for such PLAYS as The Easiest Way 1
Indeed, If such themes should be avoided /
how could our modern stage show the I
body Of the time his form @nd pressure2r /
ar Winter objects that the play deals /
with episodes in the life OF a courtesan.
We cannot imagine him Directing TO Doll
Tearsheet or Mrs. Quickly. II they re-
fected a phase Of life OF the period in
which they lived. why shall. not Laura
Murdoch and her career stand as typical
OF certain theatrical conditions OF To-
day?
we do not want to see" writes Mr..
Winter. Sin the theater the vileness that
should be stunned. We want 10 see the
beauty that should be emulated and
loved" And Yet if this criterion as to
the function Of the drama were closely
just think how many OF the
greatest plays in the English language
would be relegated once and for all TO
the library as unworthy Of public repre-
sentatiOn. It is too late in the day. we
think, for a belief that people can be
made good By being kept in ignorance Of
evil 1t IS only By fronting the thing
DTavely, showing il in ali its hideous
and pitiful aspects. that we hope to be
come properly armed ito fight for the
good Il