The Washington times., 1909-02-28
Engagements Just Closed
Present Contrast in Old
and New.
WALTER EXPONENT
OF LATER SCHOOL
paid In Full Marks Wide Di-
vergence of Methods From
Classic Models.
By ALLEN D. ALBERT. Jr.

An interesting contrast in tragedy was
offered by two of our theaters this past
week. Shakespeare, Journalism, tradl-
ton, dourished at the National Eugene
Walter, coloQuialism, modeTnity, -four
iShed at the Columbia. The one en-
phasized the greatness OF poetry. the
other the greatness of dramatic as dis
tinguished from literary art.
The later art is clearly the better
This is only a working out on the stage
OF the influences which have supplanted
the French painter David with the
American Whistler. the formal opera of
Tlotow with -'CavaleTia Rusticana'' and
Tristan" the oratory of Burke with
that of Lincoln. In every art the Ten
dency is away from the arbitrary as
sumptions of classic drapery. Or classic
gesture, or classic illusions and toward
The garb, the bearing, the illustrations
or nature
Why should it not be so? What viz
tue for the art of acting is there in
Full thirty times hath Phoebus' cart
gone round2' Why give the pre-emi-
nence to any author because he writes
heroics? In other words. why under
rate Shakespeare as a, poet in order to
oVerrate him as a dra matlSt2
Inc most exaggerated criticism Of the
autnor Of Macbeth and Richard III
- Llldt VI luOullDIs VINO saw. or IlOuEnI
ne saw, in a series Of plays which de-
feat their own ends as drama. the very
genius OF dramatic construction As a
matter of fact the tragedies which Mr.
Manteu acted from this author are a
series Of talking pictures. so amplified
and developed by the actor as to pro-
duce result not compTehended neces-
Sarlly in the text And this extra re-
suit is of the very essence Of the drama
continuity OF action, unity, rather di-
NerSlty OF scene, ana the elimination OF
NeEDlage which tof whatever value as
poetry Is demerit as drama.
Why Not paid In FulI?"
But all this may be regarded as the
OTy- The test OF the pudding is not in
chewing the rag. Paid In Full' is the
test f-this week past There can be no
question that the audiences which nut
themselves within the scope of its in
nuence were decidedly more touched.
were more lastingly impressed, were
brought to focus the lessons Of the pIav
on their own lives in far greater degree.
than those who sought out Shakes
peare- This is only the plain truth. II
can be verified every time. the two
styles OF the drama are gauged against
each other. But the mere indication of
Il in the columns of this uewsna per
tast Tuesday brought upon this news
paper something OF snow storm or
5asnIng inquiries 70 know II the type
Paid In FulT' did not crowd the Co
hmDla throughout its engag cement here
even so. The Inauguration may be in
part the cause. But il is not the whole
cause. Because this modern tide-wav,,
CT social disaster has played 10 capacity
only IN the One-niEht stands and long
engagements The cities IN between
such as Washington. Baltimore. Cleve-
land, and BufalO-have' not patronized
II extensively. Why2
Many explanations are offered hur
few are chosen Some say American
men and women do not like the pros
pect OF seeing another American try
70 barter his wife away. Some say the
play draws in the One-night stands on
us reputation, and In the longer en-
gagements because Il: gets lis second
wind; and II IS 10 be noted that Mon
day nights in the intermediate cities
are generally well paTOnized. But these
are partial answers, ali Of them.
The larger reason is that the natural
inclination Of the heart-not the mind
maybe, but the hearts toward the
gnnlight. Walking the streets, ChoOs-
ing friends. looking at pictures, per
Haps even listening 70 music. human
nature intuit!vely seeks out the light
Tragedy exists in spite Of this tendency
Il exists because IL deals with life, be
cause il exhibits life under stress
which most Of Us come TO know only
through such representation. because I'm
some Of the arts-5nusic IN particular
~ shadows. But nature does not reach
toward Il, notwithstanding. The bush
near the great tree does not lean over
l1to the shade. II inclines outward 10
the sunshine. This tendency must be
overcome by plays like Paid In Full"
and they have not time 20 do so in
single week
Sunshine for Inauguration
A great deal Of sunshine and some
tinseI glittered at the Belasco IN Mar
CeIle" The rare pleasure OF hearing
light opera with a prima donna who
can sing, Miss Cunning is supposed
10 reach r alt. WhoJp Ia, That need
not keep anyone away. The rest Of her
singing IS music. not circus. and she
makes music like a true artist
Inauguration week brings the far
famed Merry Widow the Cohan min
strels for "A return engagement, and
DeWoIf Hopper, IN The Pied Piper
The first has been the greatest Sic
cess IN the field Of light opera since
now singing II. New York alone paid
= 90 TO hear it. In Washington %
VIII stay two weeks instead OF one
What B. the answer We Will try 10
tell IN these columns Of Tuesday
The Ministries have Raymond Hitch
cock, making the hit OF his life in black
face. and the MINISTRIES were a wonder
fully pulling inauguration attraction
without him Strong, Burnside and Klein
are the authors Of THE Pied Piper. We
DO not know this trio, but we know the
Piper, past and present, and we have
hopes Of his pipes.