Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-28

UA III "a unique ana notaDie stuuS y
American dramatists. as these
have contributed toward th'
building of a drama distinS-
tively American The work is stamped by
breadth and soundness Of view. by fine
critical Judgment, by completeness OF con
crete illustrative fact and by sinSularis
attractive manner. The volume consti-
tutes compendium of the American
drama Everything that has been done
nIong this line is gathered here and as
signed to its place Of contributory in
fuence. Believing the drama to be .
moIding agent, IA social force. the author
holds that to fulfill its mission. soil and
climate, the character. history and prom
lse of the people must go into its MAX
Ing. So out OF our national characters
tics he draws the essentials If the Ameri-
tan play. Among the great number 81
American play-wrlterS asSen"led III THESE
pages. few are chosen as conscious agents
in this evolution Of "A national drama. III
special studies of Keen assortment, cei
tain dramatic writer's ar, placed in theii
exact relation 20 the American stage
Bronson Howard. James itFne, bavhi
Relasco. William Gillette. Augustus
Thomas and clyde Fitch the chtet 81
these The form OF the American drama
running history of the New Theater'
The meaning and place of the KALEIDOSCOPE
dramatic revolt and the legitimate nse
of foreign influences in our drama are
among the substantial topics discussed
by this easy and authoritative writer
THAT'S; n Play In Four Acts. BY Paul
Wilstach illustrated. Indanapo-
lis: The BobbS Merrill Company.
Taking the That's of .Anatole France
as a foundation, Mr. Wilstach builds upon
this PLAY OF dramatic power The story
is familiar-tiIat Of a MdSdaien saved
rom s.n by holy man OF the desert The
acts here oppose one another as nisht IS
set of against day. sorrow against JOY,
holiness against s.n. The S..ence OF the
desert. then the noise OF peopled streets
there the hut Of the hermit, here the pal
acc Of the wording; ascetic anchortte
against indulgent neutrality-suspicious., the
monk of the desert, and IaaiS, the cour-
tesan of .sleNandT.t. In these sharp alter
nations. the play moves in swift stress
through the conversion of Tina : to the
fall OF DAME and on to his reconNersioa.
Ii is the uudylng story OF the struggle OF
the spirit, in thrall 10 the flesh. But 1t
- going on today. here, as certainly as IL
did in Alexandria two thousand wears
ago The Pc ut in mind IS, that the ar
lists demand for long perspective IS
paid for ny the immediate loss to his
drama of any ethical appeal The play
becomes pageant, impressive, poetic,
sensu0uSly beautiful. but not personally
dynamic As something 10 look at 1t is
rich, oriental aud splendidly emotional.
MONA; Drama. BY Brian Hooker
New York: Dodd. Mead * Co.
Since the ma jority Of them do it, there
must 30 some substantial reason why the
writer inspired 10 create drama re-
treats into antiquity Tor matter fitted to
his mood. y mere person, with notions
about the drama as Il living force. Won
derS why the playmaker cannot come APP
pTsciahly close in both theme and treat
tneut 4 couple OF years ago. the Metro
pclitau opera Company opened a COMPETE
tion, with substantial prize pending, for
tie best grand opera offered to it, This
was 10 be written in English by an
American. y hopeful and patriotic offer
Tie prize fell to two men, for the music
and poem, respectively; serious-minded
and cultured men. presumably young. GER
taiuly set up in the midst of modern
life. Mona" is the libretto of this prize
opera. The drama II, in every respect
admirably constructed. Its literary
beauty is of an eptionaliy high order.
The query is: Why did this young
writer. In the midst OF an opulent modern
life. choose nineteen hundred -y ear-od
theme in the full hope. il is safe to as
sumo, of making il ftn instrument of both
esthetic and ethical power? Britain I'M
der the Romans gives circumstance to
this moss-hung, dTuidical matter. Mona.
head of the BritonS TO drive out the
Roman legions. Her iover-proved to be
a Rcman and thought to be u traitor
completes the tragic cast. by turning
Mona from lord OF battles 10 an in
furiated and hysterical woman, who does
foul murder on the spot. Now what Is
The inwardness OF either drama opera
that calls for this weller OF blood? DO
distance and savage custom alone domi-
nate these arts Does opera. iii order to
be grand" require the seniority of cen
turtles filled with the believing echoes OF
murdered folks IN their dying ggoans?
0ae wonders, ard doubts
THE FOLLOWING OF TIT. STAR; n
Romance. By Florence L. Barclay.
author OF THE Rosary. etc. New
York. G.. +. Putnam Sons.
vagarious last will and testament
roots the matter The woman in the
case tends it and digs about il and wa
tiers il 10 fruition. The way of il is that
the bequest OF old Falcon Rivers vests in
the heroine only upon her marriage in
side the tweIvemcnth OF its publication.
Party Of the second part unnamed. From
this complex energies the novel writer )
beloved plot OF tie marriage OF business
expediency turned, after yicissitudes
many and deep into state of marital
ideaIism The good art OF this author
lifts the familiar movement into a Drac-
ing air OF fresh incident and interesting
personally. young missionary on brief
leave from Africa breaches Christmas
sermon on giftS-cold, frankincense ana
myrrn. This sermon pitches the Key OF
subsequent happenings I'm attune with
religious sentiments and visions one
feels at church during much or the
growth of this romance The ardent
Young missiJnary's high sense OF HE
dominates the whole. even when he.
under the some what sophistic reasoning
Of the young woman. bee ONES the means
OF fastening the legacy Of Falcon Rivers.
He so the story goes is 10 return TO
Africa Immediately after the marriage.
his pockets swollen with benefactions 10
he emptied into schools and churches
and homes for the heather: she 10 remain
in England making schools and hospitals
and refugees for the heather at home: he
booked to die according Ia physicians
in a couple OF years, or so; she therefore
70 possess her dover without incum-
brance OF course, any body can see how
the matter is gOins 10 end. \ man,
vomau the bond ali set with nothing I,
do but to I'LL it with the right feeling
Separation, their good friend. does tn
work. The hero does not die. And s.
ARNOLD BENNETT
A0vaHsS Su<S DnroS0aha1