New-York tribune., 1909-11-28
THE PLAYG0ER
WEAK PLAYS FROM STRONG
NOVELS.
Dramatizers VS.. Dramatists.

Excellent interrogator. when you are con
siderinE the weather why not consider h.
weather merely. and leave the sun out
~ the question: II 'Olivcr Twist L. on
the stage shall the audience nnd II as easy
ss the playwright 10 forget Dickens and
ms novel? Hath hot a dramatizer hands.
organs, dimensions. senses, affections. pas
sions. even as q novelist hathe Possibf
l'ut too often there D. room Tor doubt.
Anyhow. some folk having authority about
the theatres seem bent ca trying 10 prove
that the nature Of man is divided into TWO
classes. human nature aud theatrical nat
ure. and that irs the latter to which the
stsge must hold up its famous mirror.
Asain there is room for doubt
Doubts. indeed. multiply as the theme Is
considered DO dTamaJizers ever read the
novels they dramatize2 DO the persons
who purchase the demonstrations? Does
one or do both understand the book and
the purpose OF the author? Possibly. some
times. But again doubts. II YOU take a
novel and squeeze out rs meaning. and
throw the meaning away. ana put on the
stage a few incidents captured from the
chapters. few characters altered 10 suit
the taste of the decreeing gods. and then
snatch q little dialogue from the pages. let
ting Il fan from whatever mouths may
speak from the principal salaries In the
cast. why, then you "dramatize' Jones'
book, or declare that your play is founded
upon it according TO the fashion Of the
hour. But why bother with Jones? Why
mention him OF his booko For no other
reason IN the world than that he and his
novel have already attained enviable pub
iicity. BY which, Of course. you hope TO
profit
There Is this difference between drama
uzers and dramatists. The former distorts
and weakens what he puts ius hand 10. but
the latter enriches and strengthens ii.
The veNed interrogator who asked. why
consider the book when the plays the
thing'?' thought he had The objector on
the hip. He sent his sharnest shaft with a
twang that split the air What about
Shakespeare he cried. expecting the OBJ
Jector 10 tumble IN the Just Shakespeare
borrowed from books. rom old tales. old
plays, histories" To be sure. and man
borrowed electricity from the universe: he
doesn't generate, create II, but in harness
ing H. employing il for the service II his
fenow humans. he proves himself the pos
SCISSOR Of a creative mini-au Inaccurate
term sanctioned by custom for lack of a
phrase more fitting. Man creates nothing.
De Is an adapter and a user, a DEVELOPER
HN
with borrowing. He repays with interest.
having developed what he borrowed and
adapted The dramatist does this not the
0ramstizer. Shakespeare Gid it Therein
lay his creative genius. Shakespeare did
not weaken another mans plot. purpose or
achieN ement: he enlarged, enriched. ere
ated wnst he did beca.n peculiarly his
own. When you see. or rhlnk Of Hamlet
Otheno, Lear. Macbeth, Iago. Shvlocly. Won
are not in the least concerned about the
original plays, histories. legends from
which Shakespeare dug L!s people nor
about the original" leopIe themselves
Shakespeane makes YOU forget these. You
mink only Of his work. But your drama
'zer or novels compels you 10 think OF the
work on which lac has founded his littIa
ihcee. four or five act piece. His .'dramati-
cation is smaller, feehler. than the thing
'dramatized'; he Is d borrower merely. Dot
user ana developer.
And SO the interrogator's SHAFT falls
snort OF its mark But as lie would drag
IN Shakespeare Jet hirl make tie most az
tlat oramstist who WAS not draluatizer.
and II Broadway will believe Il. was even
something OF a poet
hepiimus Dix found Niggleswicks fin-
mics useful for killing moths one has
no oesire 70 kil dramatizers. but If ,ba,,
would cease from laying violent hands
upon noveiists whose intentions ar.
quite as good as their own. and whose
works considerably better, there woul5 be
more peace In the land. II a dramatizar
must oramauze tand perhaps lie must
the passion seems incura5ieD if he must
borrow books name. and benefit bv the
Aulhofs tame' why mix up the contents
which rest between tie covers. ana ,,-b,.
q
pose or the book? But al that the drama
slzers seem 10 see is a story. or q ,,ar-
- one. which, by hooking and croolina
can be adapted 10 what are called ..tbs
exigencies OF the stage" a phrase which
seems 20 mean that Il YOUR talent Is IN
Terror 10 the authors II doesn't matter.
sou can peg away somehow.
There have been 'dramatizatious" This
season which must have made whatever
gods there are weep with pity for inflicted
painE- Nov. II instead Of calling yorr plav
a "dramatizauon" or a novel. you are CON
tent with the declaration that the play is
founded on" the novel. tie essential fact
Is not altered-you have gone 10 the novel
fOr your ideas. and you have made YOUR
adventure under the novelist's cloak. IL is
your task then to make the play better
ss q play than lis novel IS as a novel IL
you can ot Lils you can compel the novel
readers IN your audience 10 forget the
book, or remember IL only 10 praise your
play. And II you can make a great play
on the theme nobody viii quarrel with
,'ou on the ground OF unfaIthfulness to The
original. but n your play is only an ordl-
nary play. or Is mediocre. II Il Las no rea-
son for existence apart from the book. IL
II does not make the spectator forget the
book. OF convince him that N Is better
than the book. you have confessed your
self a borrower merely, or al most tIaf-
nclser in other mems goods. and the case
is not altered II your royalties are large.
do theatre audiences read books asks
the interrogatOr whose yeNaiiOu Of spirit
caused this mornings column. Who shah
snsWcr hilg This question In its press al
form Is unausWerable. and VAS prObaDl
meant 20 De- 80. Has a considerable pOl-
fiOH OF given audience read the novel
viii which the dramatizer is supposed 10
ue dealing2 Put the query in that form,
and ~ any considerable portion OF the
audience laughs in the wrong plaoes.
''dilates with the wrong emotion" when
the playwright hagrauuy contradicts his
HOve.ist-WeN. you cen draw youE Own
conclusions What the interrogator really
meant Was-if he will permit the iuteruuf-
tati0n: ard II he VIII not permit II the in
terpretation must bC made ans how, FOR
lack of evidence 20 The contrary what he
meant 10 ask Mas His. sslfas The theatre