New-York tribune., 1909-11-10
ARCHER'S VIEWS
CRITIC ON THEATRES.
Tells of Shakespeare Memorial
and Repert0ry Houses.

William Archer. dramatic critic Of THE
London Nation" hnds life in ''joliy little
fat az No. West 4sth street mere agree
able than living al a hotel IA lower Fifth
svenue He is keeping bachelors hall with
:. S. Mcclure. the publisher. while MIS-.
Mcclure is away. Yesterday hs consented
20 talk on the proposed Shakespeare Ma
tlonal Theatre in London and the future OF
tie repertory theatre.
AR. Archer came over 10 attend the open
ing OF The New Ths1;rs But since he is
retained 10y The New Thaatre management
10 read plays on the other side he d'd not
care 10 express himself o. Saturday nights
dress rehearsal OF Antony and Cleo
petra." He praised the ideals % the insti-
tuition and declared confidence in It's sue
cess Tire new playhouse. he said. was
sv0erior in architectural beauty and dig
nity 10 any theatre in the English speak
ing wor,d ana was surpassed By none in
Europe.
The Shakespeare National Theatre" he
said. lis the outgsowth Of two movements
-one 10 establish a memorial 10 shake
speare and one 10 establish a national the
atre. The promoters OF the two move
ments have combined, and $4,000 has been
subscribed. one man. whose name has
been kept secret, gave f7o,00e. We hope
TO raise fJe00o1, one half of which will be
devoted 10 the building and site and the
other half 10 the endowment fund. We
expect to raise at least half OF the money
in small popular subscriptions. The rest
we should like 10 receive from one or
few individuals.
We are having considerable difficulty i'm
securing a site We have applied 10 the
London County Council. but II has no
legal power TO grant any site on other
than strict business terms. However. it
has every disposition 20 meet US so far as
IL can.
Contrary 10 a general impression over
here, we do not solicit contributions from
tEe goyernm ent. neither will the theatre
be operated by the government. Members
OF the board of governors. however, will be
appointed by the Crown, while others will
be nominated by oxford. Cambridge and
other universities. by the municipalities
OF the great provincial cities and SO forth.
Nothing has yet been done, Of course.
about the players, but they will be selected
from the best actors available. OF course.
tco. there will be a dramatic school con-
nected with the theatre. Very likely we
may affiliate with the Academy of Drama
appointment OF the director is also far in
the future. Should he be an actor he would
have 10 give up acting.
The theatre will afford wider oppor-
iuRity for playwrights. most Of whom have
been under the necessity OF writing plays
for stars. We shall OF course present plays
with star parts. but cur general policy,
like that Of your New Theatre. will be not
iC star any particular player. The English
stage has often suffered because OF the
starring policy. For year Julius Caesar
could not be produced because no actor
manager would consent TO present play
with three stars in it. Sir Herbert Beer
helm Tree was the FIRST 70 break through
this narrow minded policy"
In speaking OF the future Of the Repertory
Theatre in London. Mr.. Archer said:
Il do not believe in the stock company
idea, with two performances a day and q
new play every week; that is too hard on
the actors and too hard on the public But
! do believe in the repertory theatre
Charles Frohman is und -rtaking a re-
pertory enterprise at the Dukes or York s
Theatre There is room fer both this sort
Of thing and the actor-manager. Neither
plan has all the advantages over the other.
Mr. Archer will remain in this country
until November 90 Tue latter part OF the
week he will so 10 Boston. then he viii gU
70 Maine for a few days, returning here to
sail for England.