New-York tribune., 1911-01-01
THE PLAYGOER
Staging Modern Plays in New
York.

Iondoners some truths about America
Truths have trick of finding their way
home, and there are many patriots VINO
love them not 1t is a part Of the cant
OF the time to say that all civilized hu-
mans are seekers after truth. But the
facts show there is nothing that eager
millions of men will so readily avoid as
truth that disappoints them. Any truth
that is impudent enough to oppose ma
1ority's favorite prejudice finds this
cold world Happily for Mr.. Huntley, the
general memory even for truths Is OF
the briefest and when the popular come
dian comes sailing up the bay again the
ship news men may forget that ne mas
wantonly and wickedly neglected an op-
portunity for buttering all theatre man
ayers of this land and has forsworn his
plain duty to fatter all things and per-
sons herea bouts. Here is a paragraph
clipped from the winged words which
this frank comedian permitted TO fly to
the ears Of a London reporter:
There & q lot of confidence about Ameri-
can productions When you've made a fail-
ure you should burn your scenery ana gtt
American theatres they do things with =
doubtful hand" They use up their old stun
till the mere sight Of II makes you seaSick
The mantel shelf belonged to laSt Wtth >
fiasco and the conservatory IS the old hor-
ror that did duty in the farce that cast a
new gloom on BrC&dWay. second new
piece is i'm preparation before the nTSt mas
found its feet The words and the stoiy
ere different but the conservatory ana me
mantel shelf appear 10 be Immortal 4 M nls
half-and-half method OF doing things anects
the actors and the audience catches 1t in
turn. How different herei London is the
drawing room of the world. Wren Georse
Edwardes produces piece the mere new
ness and completeness Of everything act
like n charm on everybody concerned. why
do so many American plays ran in Lon
don? Because American managers seem 10
think that London is q zone night stand
and that they can look in on the way TO
Chicago. The Amercsn people know 81
this. and their respect for LONDON Is I'M
mense.
A mere chronicler Of public moods and
whims may have some doubt about the
immensity Of the American peoples re-
spect for London. But let it be assumed
that Mr.. Huntley means that there is
among discriminating playgoers IN
America a large respect for the London
method of presenting plays in first class
theatres, so far as that method is known
in the United States, and that the Lon
don method and its results are superior
to the Broadway method and its results.
Mr.. Huntley, though not fiattering, is
right, second hand scenery or not. But
the kindhearted may tremble for the
comedian who says that so many Amer
ican managers seem to think London is
a one night stand, and that they can
look in on the way to Chicago" For did
not seemingly official paragraphs disclose
the intention Of Mr.. Huntleys manager
to thrust Mr.. Huntley and his company
from Brooklyn to London, only TO pull
them out again for the purpose Of send
ing them 10 Chicago?
The other night "frst class" man
ager in first class" New York theatre
staged "a library in one Of his plays.
Twas in chateau in France, and the
library was bOOkless. And in this
library" the great scene" or, at any
rate. one of the great" scenes of the
play. had to unfold itself. There was a
private and most secret interview. Be
hold ii, then, in this boOkless library,
which formed part Of the main hall of
the chateau. and in which the main stair
case terminated-the centre place of the
dwelling, open TO all comers, within and
from without. A likely spot for a secret,
most confidential interview! Yet in that
accessible and fairly pOpulous thorough
fare the producer" staged the private
conversation. More, still more. He
placed the telephone at the foot of the
stairs and compelled his star TO below
into the instrument a confidential and
compromising message which could be
heard on every floor Of the mansion. 1t
was this same producer" who, a few
weeks later, became responsible for the
sickly scrolled. pea green interior of
ducal residence (again in France), ,xuch
as never could be seen outside the night
mares OF a scene painter and who every
few months, places before these patient
eyes groups Of French aristocrats, or
bourgeoisie who are as lifelike as wax
figures moved by clockwork.
But It was not these dizzy flights OF
unrestrained genius that Mr. Huntley
had especially in mind, ! take it. He
was driving at the general incomplete
ness of the productions presented" to
our lenient public He did not even
quote the excuse which usually leaps to
the lips Of our managers: "A New York
production is built for the road; Lon
don production is put on for the run"
1t is not much Of an excuse when you
examine ii. 1t holds only water enough
for a slight sprinkle But there is no
eluding the truth that in fitness Of cast
and dressing. IN appropriate beauty OF
scenery. I'm abundance and suita bility of
properties, I'm all that makes for the
"atmOsphere" Of the play, in the degree
and quality OF taste which rules the pro-
dUction, the advantage is with London,
not New York.
Mr.. Belasco will be mentioned at once
as the exception to the American rule
The exception, however, not an excep-
ton. Hereabout. Mr. Belasco is re-
garded as a marvel. The marvel is that
New York has not half a dozen stage
managers as clever as he, as apprecia-
tive Of detail and effect, men with such
taste and such eyes for color. form and
texture. The point IS that Mr.. Belasco
understands his business. which is more
than can be said OF certain other gentle
men who manage stages in these parts
'PomaEder Walk" at Wsllaeks,
achieved instant popularity because the
play is charming, the acting delightful
the effect Of scenery, properties, cos