The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-27

"Ehe Girl WIN inc WAouPlHB
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chase's Denman Thompson in
"JoShua WhitcOml.s
The Academy-ward and VOlzes in
"The Promosers."
The CasinO-ConfinuOus Vaudeville.
The GayeIy-BurIesque.
The Observation-Disclosures.
There never was a perfect play. II
the test of logic Is applied TO each and
every incident separately. some viii be
found wanting This mode OF criticism
would even develop many faults IN the
works Of the masters. In Macbeth"
s.Iulius Caesar" THE Merchant OF
Venice" Faust" THE Robbers The
Servant in the House" THE Great. d.
vide'' or 'sThs Witching Hour" we might
md enough TO damn each and ALI of them,
II such a mode OF procedure were ac-
knowIedged TO be the basis OF intelligent
criticism. Happily, It is noti for If it
were the stage would be entirely dest-
tute Of material. AS a. matter Of fact.
these things are plays" and 1t is well
understood that the creators OF works
intended for stage purposes is entitled to
license approximating that of the poet
not only as regards his symbolism, but as
regards the action also There should
undoubtedly be a reflection Of nature. but
there is bound TO be certain effects com
parable TO the prismatic effects observable
in fine mirror The image may be per-
feet in outline, but there are colors TO be
discerned 10 the glass which do not exist
in the thing depicted.
If the incidents are interesting, the
interest sustained, the characters vivid,
the lines bright and the atmosphere clear
" defined, play should be considered
up TO the ordinary. and If the acting is
high class there seems no reason why
the production should not be absolutely
successful. particularly If 1t possesses
that indefnable quality which gives a
hold on the popular fancy. Unless the
sequence Of events is outrageously iIlogi-1
cal no just reason is apparent why it
should be condemned.
a Son of the People" has one or two
incidents which might be designated as
illogical. notably the heroine's forgetting
at one time the existence of a secret pas
sage and remembering il at another. AS
10 the herO's declination TO avail himself
OF this means Of escape, that is entirely
apart from logical consideration. The
Tabid republicanism of the time prompted
men to think and act in manner not COM
patible with normal periods. They con
ceived the age to be heroic, and endeavor-
ed TO reflect in their own personalities the
spirit of the age. unless in truth, such
commentators as Carlyle and Hugo are
nightly mistaken Whether this play is
an original work by the Dane TO whom it
is credited, whether the incidents were
borrowed from writer's gone before or
whether it is a combination of his own
genius. with lights reflected from others
who have dealt with the same time and
episodes. the fact remains that the drama
as now presented is absorbingly interest
ing, a fact upon which the metropolitan
critics agree TO a man, one going so far
as 10 say that 1t IS the only play thus far
presented at the New Theater which has
shown enough sustained interest to hold
the entire audience TO the close of the
performance
In New York the ending was the more
logical one of allowing the hero to go to
his death. AS played here, he was saved
in melodramlc but inartistic fashion.
The charge of immortality brought
against certain portions Of "A Son OF the
People" by United States Senator and
the subsequent detail OF a squad of police
men to the Belaseo Theater for the pur-
pose of censoring the play added trifie
10 the gayety Of the past week No
doubt there was available no one else to
act in that capacity, but the intrusting
OF such an important decision TO a hastily |
selected committee from the police de-
partment would seem to be imposing too
much confidence in the discretion and
artistic discrimination of those whose
calling and experience has not fitted them
for the task.
The play censorship in England is exer-
clsed by those of extensive training in |
the world of literature, the drama, and |
art. Such a censorship, if welded in the |
spirit Of Its conception might be a great |
benefit to a country. English plays and |
musical comedies do not depend chiefly /
upon immortality for their appeal. Even
their problem plays expOund their sub /
Jeets with delicacy and fineness. No such |
brutal frankness as displayed in ''The /
Easiest Way" for instance, would be /
considered suitable for a first-class Lon
don theater Plays like The Hypo- /
critics. or Lefty" while dealing with
questionable subjects. were not wfufully
indicate nor lacking IN the polite Ian
gauge Of the drawing room. To the Brit
on, the stage is always drawing-room.
and anything savoring of the public
house or the barracks is frowned upon.
Word has gone from the Shubert head
quarters that the much-abused pass privi-
lege has been materially curtaiIed. An
Shubert theaters, whether in New York
OF elsewhere, are to observe strictly the
new rules All persons who have en-
1oyed a place on the free list will be
included in the embargo.
So rar as this includes persons who
have nothing to give in return for free
passes, this is a just and greatly needed
reform The theatrical business suffers
from ''graftersu 20 an extent that would
be appalling to the uninitiated, and the
proposition to make these pay for such
entertainment as they may elect to take
is sound ana viii receive the support OF
ali fair-minded individuals.
The story which Jimmy" Powers told
years ago is applicable TO the case.
It appears that g man who was an ae-
quaintance Of the comedian came up and
slapped him on the back, and said:
Il hear that's a Eood show of 7,o,tvS /