The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-29
of the
Stars and Stage
Continued From Preceding Page.

plays, said: "My God, mol I'd as soon
read the Biblel''
First of all well made play, then
poetry. The two things so seldom go
together that this aversion is well
founded. But it is pity when the
plays of Shakespeare suffer from the
sins of other poets, or from careless or
iuadeouate performances. When ade-
quately produced and played there ls
no better entertainment in the tbeater
very little so good.
Meanwhile, it may interest your In
tiated readers to know that IN these
days, although great deal of money
is made with Shakespeare plays, IT
is difficult to produce and play them
adequately and make a great profit. A
number of them must be played, heavy
productions carried, large and com
petent company provided, great
stretch Of territory covered in season;
the standard of production must be
kept up TO a high plane by constant re-
plenisbment Of wardrobe, properties and
scenery. 1t is we'll that the actor who
ventures on such an enterprise shall
have more than his enthusiasm and his
delight in his work to pay bills with,
and that such an enterprise can be
made constantly profitable for mum
Der of successive seasons gives the lie
to the statement that Shakespeare does
not pay. 1t does pay under certain
conditions, but the actor returns TO
the public a greater proportion of hls
profits than in other ventures In the
theater, though he does so gladly.
In conclusion, allow me TO say that
the productions of Shakespeare have
been undertaken by actors as dlstin-
guished from managers-by actor man"
agers-for the love Of the thing In the
first instance; but that love. if strong
enough, has carried them TO sue
cessful Issue very often. And with
all proper modesty may | say that the
occasional excursions into the realm of
poetic drama are mostly undertaken by
actors for the love of the thing?
AS business proposition 1t IS inter
esting TO observe that Mr.. John Craig
at the Castle Square theater in Boston
plays several Shakespeare plays to great
houses during his season at popular
prices. two performances a day. NO
theater can pretend for one moment
to be national theater which shall not
produce Shakespeare plays constantly,
apart from all consideration of profit
For the ordinary manager, this is
difficult. for he would be at the mercy
of his leading actors who should become
distinguished in the parts. But that
need not be so with properly conduct
ed national theater where respectable
performances would be sufficient for
the purpose, which purpose should be
to keep before the people constantly the
best examples Of standard drama, and
gradually add plays of the best class.
One or two fine plays each year added
TO constantly increasing list of the
plays of Shakespeare and of tho other
standard authors-Sheridan Goldsmith.
etc.-would provide a repertoire of last
ing entertainment and instruction, of
value alike TO actors. authors and the
public at large These plays should
be the cornerstone, the backbone of
such an institution. Indeed for q the
ater TO call itself national theater un.
der any other conditions seems quite
unreasonable