The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-10-15
ON DRtMtTIC CRITICISM.
IIarder knorGs for the Actors In the Old
DAYS man Now.

/ In answer 10 the charge that dramatic
criticism IL apt TO he too harsh and die
taiorial Sir Herbert Tree declares that the
theatre gets N much easier In this regard
than II used 90 and says thar II actors still
get hard knocks AZ times they ought to
bear them for the sAke Of 80 welcome a
change
A hundred years ago the dramatic
critic could critici-e with a vengeance.
comments the London STANDARD And
one shuddsrs to think 81 what would
happen II his methods were revived to-
day
Turning 10 old newspapers Of the wear
1910 we find him declaring that the audi
ence at Covent Garden was being treated
10 had plots and worse jokes 4 cor
respondent was allowed TO express an
ardent desire that a town would not
have its feelings outraged by 80 frequent
a repetition Of good characters vilely
PLAYED this referred to shAke-pes rian
performances nor its common sense
outraged by the introduction OF costume
and scenery grossly misapplied The
indignant theatreeoer had seen Bsnsdiek
in Much Ado About Nothing arrayed In
the fun dress uniform Of British infantry
oflcer
The prominent feature Of Mr. Fawcett's
imperSonation Of Kent in King Lear Is
aid 10y the critic 10 be impudent vuI-
gArity
A new opera AZ the Iyceum IL bluntly
described a. being a. arrant n piece 81
dulne-s a. ever sent one to sleep. Con.
corning an author manageT At the same
house We read that of all the wretched
dramatistS Of the day he was IN one re-
-psci the most formidable. and that was In
hi capacity Of manager
The management Of Covent Garden
was taken 10 task with equal Acerbity
Everybody. according to the critic. was
struck with the glarIng want Of good fe-
male performers The manager. and u
wa- Kemble was accused Of permitting
tragedy tn be whinsd and whimpered by
a succession ~ a. pretty faced maudlin
rerforncr- az were IN he found In the
upper class Of any boarding school.
The piece The Bridal hing. by Rsyn-
oli- had been Missed ~ was said. by
-tIccf~siye audiences. and yet the play
bills boasted 81 it, brilliant success
The critic could only hope that at the
uaAt Performance" the audience would
show the author that he could no longer
be- s,uI'id with success. and the manag ger
thar he could not tell untruths With I'M
punify
n need scarcely he said that no in
icllig"ni person would like To see such
amenities Of criticism revived. In the
first place effective c~nsure can best be
applied without the aid u a bludgeon
and n the wrefchednn-- ~ n play or tho
Incompetence ~ a performer has IN be
opposed. the shortcomings ~ the one or
tho other should be- condemned without
personal yifuperation
But these are elementary canonS 20
criticism. A. the same time " must be
distinctly underrtOOd that a dramatic
critic has dtty ~ perform The more
thoroughly he does Il the better for the
stage. FOR IN" public aud for every one
concerned
II - certainly not 10 the permanent
interest ~ tlte drama that the applause
gwen either nv tho audience or IN the
press should be eHtrayaRantly In excess
~ the meVtts ~ the play or the player
~ N" present day, both In respect to
literature and the drama and me arts
might perhaps be added the real danger
- not that merit should be Nv @rloOke1 .
bu. that me1iocrirv shOud be boomei /
and sdvsTfIsed into q distinction which ]
u does not Deserve A