The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-17

spelling impossible grammar, infinite IN
congruity OF situation. endless wordplay,
grotesquery OF action and character.
heightened by pictures equally funny,
these are the things that make us laugh |
We are quick 70 catch the point Of a
cartoon. to enjoy the exaggeration Of
caricature. but 10 smile at the mock
serious, to be amused by satire, is a re-
flnement as yet beyond us"
This arraignment OF the much Wanted
American sense Of humor bears out to a
further point the claim often made in
these columns that the English are
wrongfully accused Of possessing little
or none Of that quality. No greater
error was ever made by our SNUG self
sufficient selves Happily we believe that
1t does not extend TO a certain class Of
intelligent and cultivated individuals.
The stage furnishes the best available
object lesson in the matter. The delicate
satire Of tlR English comedy does not
appeal TO the average theater-goer. He
has still TO grow taste for such caviar.
He signalizes this condition by stopping
away from The Mollusc" and Pencil
ope". II is not native loyalty alone that
NhuStS Euule 10y 10 uIdN nubb duuleHNCS
and Sir Charles Wyndham 70 look out
over empty benches. because John Drew,
native born and bred. has the same fate
as his English colleague.
The class Of comedians who rely upon
the authors subtleties 70 make points
OF comedy are I'm reality actors They are
mirroring nature. not tTavestying her.
Let the buffoon smear his face with paint
IAN inch thick" and bound about on
pair OF misft legs. and he need not utter
a single word TO make the playhouse
fairly echo with mirth.
The Englishman, the German and the
Frenchman will hold his sides with glee
at some brilliant sally of wit. The aver
age American receives It in silence. A
diagram must be furnished with satire
and then half the time our audiences
cannot comprehend it.
Mention could be made Of dozens OF
brilliant English and French comedies
which have failed 10 make a dollar on
this side Of tho Atlantic. though they
made fortunes for their authors on the
other.
We cannot. in the face Of this condi-
ton, set ourselves UP as superior to the
Older civilizations from which We have
sprung. Il has all come about through
our absorption in the money-getting de-
tails Of lfe-an absorption that has come
to be the leading national trait. People
who do not read cannot be expected to
recognize literature when they meet il.
People whose IDEAS OF fun were gained
through the medium of the slap-stick
are perfectly helpless in the face OF an
eplgTam.
And the worst OF It is they don't seem
TO want to learn.
Arnold Daily is out with the complaint
that Americans are more interested IN
baseball than in the drama: that they do
not take the stage as seriously as they
do the great national game. Since base
ball and theatricals overlap in the public
attention but little. the theater season
being practically over before baseball be-
gins. we cannot find matter for con-
troversy In this statement OF Mr. DAILY.
Perhaps there are certain kinds Of act
ing and certain kinds Of plays to which
good healthy baseball game is far
preferable. If Mr.. Days remark rankles
VI the breast Of any Of our actors. they
may yet become ball-players. but we adj
wise every shoemaker TO stick TO his last
as well say that baseball and politics
are rivals in the public attention.
While specialists are encouraged and
are positive necessities in all activities
we do not think 1t possible for the n,,bIic
TO be divided into amusement-saaling
specialists. one SCI to be only tbeater-
goers, another set TO attend nothinp, but
3 baseball games, and so on. II we had
no baseball games. where would the no6-
Jaded dramatic critic find relaxation? If
me theaters gave way 70 baseball on
the other hand. the sporting editor would
never be able to get away from the
shop talk Of his profession.
Inc illness Of Eva Tanguay did not pre-
vent the 'FOllies Of 1909" from drawine,
good audiences, but. OF course. the nat
ronage dropped a little when the news
was published that the popular COM
edienne was unable to appear during
the washington engagement. Miss Tan
guay's voice was almost entirely rona
on Monday night and while she wanted
10 go on 70 play her part. the manage
meR concluded that a complete rest
would DO her good. as the throat troubIa
is recurrent. she having had a pre,,ious
attack OF the same malady earlier in tho
season. She expects to reappear with
the show shortly. Many Washington
people were disappointed. and exnressa !
their regret at not being able to see Miss
Tanguay.
The multiplicity Of lives commonly ar-
corded to the feline species seems also
10 pertain to other things. The Floro-
dora seXtet idea entered early into the
mind Of the musical comedy producer.
and II has remained there ever since. No
matter what other concomitants NAV be
relied upon-eXtravagant scenic investI-
ture, burlesque, topical allusion, or a
speciality star-this bevy Of firtatious
perambulators must enter. IN some form.
at some stage Of the game The num-
Der Of the participants may vary. the
words and tune Of the song NAV change.
but the idea Of this original success still
fingers. Another feature which has been
treated seemingly. with the elixir of
perpetual youth is the song emanating
from supposed relative OF some dis
unguished opera star; perhaps "Carus. -
perhaps "Tetrazzini;" but. whatever the
name, the idea Of the thing can easily
be traced TO its fountain head. Even the
producers Of an entertainment so pre-
tentious Of novelty as THE Midnight
Sons could not forego the temptation
70 take a chance with an idea so pro-
life Of success in the past, so they were
bofb na1na hI,f Yorocont