New-York tribune., 1910-10-09
A CLEVER SATIRE
Percy Mackaye Discusses His.
Latest Play. "Anti-Matrimony."

Percy Maclxase. author Of the clever SATIRE
Anti -AIafr-rnorv" in which Miss Henrietta
f--osr,1an is giving such an art1stic perloliii-
.,,se AZ the C5arrick Theatre, said the other
,3s,- when asked for an interview. that ne
,,rcferred 20 hear Colonel Roosevelt speak
Al Carnegie Hall. So the writer walked
with him from the Garrick Theatre, through
18Th street to Broadway and up 10 e'th
strcci Then MI. Macl1aye turned west"aro
and walked nearly over TO Ninth avenue oe-
Fo,,e 10 was asked where Roosevelt was TO
speak.
WHY. at Carnegie Hall. How stupid of
o'- Mr. NIacxave. OF course. knows his
Nov York. for he was born here
-ri,o author listened 10 Colonel Roosevelt
,.,,o,t t,,e -,oliticai doinEs at Saratoga ana
10 .,,r,la,,ded vigorously. He is a great au-
,nir-er Of the ex-President- Then, IN COM
,,snv witt, the writer. he walked down TO the
Harvard club. all the while answering ques-
lions about his play.
-rbo ,,.rite,, had seen Mr. Mackaye on the
,rcninr night Of -Anti-Aiatrinony' at the
,sarrirl hut the author didn't know IL
Neither did The writer, for that matter al
least he wasn't certain Mr. Mackaye SAT
in tho orchestra stalls well back toward the
roar Of tire house. He was a striking hg-
,,re His features are as clean cut as a
CT
o= in the middle WAS brushed back over a
hross forehead Ibis eve WAS keen and
alert FEe listened carefully TO every word
as II WAS s-,clSerl in the play He watched
c,-,-v expression on the faces of the actors
And he studied the audience to see how II
took every hir Of the comedy. Every lire
-, his face showed the artist that he -
Every expression showed the refinement
that is in him. His play was a success,
Ind he knew 81 But he was very modest
about il.
Blrt enough Of first night Let us resume
,,,,- ,,o,verzation. MIR. Maclxaye was asked
u-hst his motive was In writing the pay
The author looked through his spectacles
with wide opened dark eyes INTO the ie7Ah'H
of his imagination
Thai is q little difficult to say, he re-
rljed. He was gathering his thoughts,
u nrrore the play I'm an effort fowaru
bringing the artist and the public together
7 want to see the artist as good an arist
as the genius who retires within himself
and saws. The public is an ass want
30 sec him have an interest in the world
so 10 his mart an affairs. 7 like TO think
OF him as a man like my friend, Johh
w Alexander. an artist Of the highest type
and at the same time a man who gives OIL
himself in civic affairs And ] want the
Of him as a genius who knows his art ana
,,o+,,ins- else h,1t as 4 man with true hu-
,-sn interests taking part in the doings OF
his city and nation.
II do not want the public 10 think that
my play is a satire on the masters IL is
not II is q satire on some Of those VINO
90 and say things in the masters names
like 10 think that Ibsen would enjoy sit
ling in the audience 20 hear what some OF
his followers say in his name. II is a sood
thing for US TO see how We are understooo
and misunderstood-
..your MAY has been criticised, the
writer 1-entured because IL changes from
comedy 10 farce and 10 burlesque
That is perfectly true. and it is as in
tended" said the playwright. 1.-The play
4 not conventional, and ] see no reason
1Hl7v il should be treated i'm conventional
manner. 7 did not interd that II should be
rieeonholed. according 80 the regular clas-
,ifcations- And know of no reason why
ylre PLAYWRIGHT should not use the means
hest adapted 20 his particular demands"
1T is not quite evident just 10 what de
nomination your New England clergyman
belongs Did you intend TO draw him In
that fashion,
yes. in fact thought first Of making
him lust d missionary city worker. Some
not have him dress in clerical garb? i
don't want that ] replied 7 wish him 10
he in every way non-sectarian. undenonina-
.tonelr He IS a broad minded man. He
shows that in the first act, when he agrees
that marriage is makeshift, but II Is the
hest device known TO take the place of free
love and we must make the best or II until
We hzye something better"
M Mackaye was told that the Sunday
papers had receired a. note for publication
ssyine that "Anti-AIatnmony' went COM
pJetely over the heads OF the critics, but
that. nevertheless the play was a great
SUCCESS. He regretted that very much He
said.
Il think the critics understood any play
ruhst thev said about certain passages be
sng TOO isilzy was true. 7 intended TO
change these rartx, but. ewing to the short
r.eriod Of time between the arrival of MISS
Cs-oemsu and her company from the West
and the opeuing might in New York was
ssrsbre 70 do So shall change them. how
ever"
v7,e, asked how he happened 10 be 50
.,~4,,nsre Is TO secure Miss Crosnlan 10
,r,lzy the leadtne-pert sn "Anti-Mstr1mony.
he said:
was, indeed fortunate. Miss Crosnlsn
x-ves e. perfect representation She is the
ff<<r CoDe6,erre IN America. t<an you
think os any one who IS better7 sent her
my play 70 resd and she took 81; that is
ell"
Mr. Mackaye was tn q hurry. He was
of 10 Cornish. y. II, where so many ar
lists gather lie had 20 finish another play.
Mr ALackaye only comes 10 New YORK
when he has 60.
Percy Mackaye was born In this city on
March 1s, 1875. He derived his interest
In the theatre from his father, James Steele
Mackaye, who was an actor, playwright
and q founder and director of the old 1y-
.cetm and the Madison Square theatres. His
fathers best remembered plays are prob
ably Hazel Rirlze- and paul kauvar."
Percy Mackaye as boy was In constant
oornpanionship Of his father, especially dur
sug the production OF paul Kauvar" at the
OLD STANDARD Theatre. He was also init
ated behind the scenes by his older brother.
William Payson Mackaye, actor and
artist OF great promise, who died near the
beginning OF his career. in 1928 Percy
inEackaye made his first contribution TO po-
'efic drama by writing a series Of choral
songs for his fathers musical drama, 60
1urnbus" which WAS 20 have been produced
sn the flI fated Spectatorium. at the Worlds s
Fair, in Chicago. In 1886, during his Junior
wear at Harvard, he wrote 'Ssppho." a poet