New-York tribune., 1911-03-12
THE PLAYC0ER
The New Theatre: Its Aims and
Its OversightS.

touching. indeed, that an eAo'' 'o
ant so literally supported by miliio"-
aires. further encouraged ny proiii'seN
subsidy. cheered by the sood VIII oi man!
,ersons who really care about the pest
,o.oreets of the acted drama in Amer
,ca and bv many others who think the!
care about tit is touching, lnueeu' ''i"'
so cbaste and laudable an endeaVor ioi
arts sake should be made WITHOUT on
Cts own part. any clear perception oi i's
own purpose and any real IDEA no" an
ultimate purpose may be fulhileo'
Much has been said about the unsui'a-
,ui,v of the present house. Two sea-
SONS have been required to prove 10 'he
novcrs that be what everybody else
could see. and did sec. as soon as the
rlace was opened to the public-the 'ile-
,,re is too large Mr. Granville Barker
,.v this before the theatre was opened
- he wisely returned 10 England with
out accepting an invitation TO remain
here and manage the huge establish
mont OF course. il was taken loi
eranted by the numerous that he dldn
know what he was talking about bu'
time and acting proved that he was
right. The house is unsuited for drama
because the greater portion OF the auoi-
ence is seated too far from the stage II
is ,npcssible 10 read the actors races
Asa large portion Of play is written on
The faces Of It's actors, prudence would
seem 10 demand that their faces be
easily read. But for most of the audi
ence facial expression is lost at The New
,rb.a+re For drama of the modern
school" and for the modern school OF
acting" this is a hopeless overload OF
difficulty
Much has been said about the acoustl-
cal defects Of the house. But the founo-
ers EXPRESS "the hope that the building
will eventually become the home for the
nroduction of such operas as require for
their most effective presentation
smaller auditorium than the Metropoh-
tan Opera House" That is matter
which the opera directors must settle Tor
themselves But, II the acoustlcal prop
critics of the auditorium are as poor as
Tho apologists have claimed, some ef-
fective reconstruction must be under
taken. The fact remains, however, that
actors who understand the ait of speak
ing on the stage are heard easily in this
house. while actors who do not under
stand this art are not easily heard or
understood. The poor speakers will
speak as poorly elsewhere.
In the official announcement OF the
carly abandonment Of the theatre IN
Central Park West there is a pathetic
disregard. as there has alwtJs been at
this establishment, of the relation or
this theatre TO the art Of acting.
great deal is heard about plays; almost
nothing about acting. From the begin
ming there has been no evidence that the
founders appreciated their opportunity
one is disposed TO say their duty-in
this respect for the duty is impera-
tive. even though the undertaking of the
founders is voluntary. No provision has
been made, so far as the public is aware,
for a school for recruits. Without such
a school as portion Of its foundation
The New Theatre must remain an In
complete institution. No matter how
jealous and skilful may be the atten-
ton given to the selection "of plays
chosen primarily for their artistic merit
the institution must remain sadly un-
finished and unbalanced If provision Is
lacking for the study Of the actors art
by duly qualified and ambitious pupils.
But the founders Of The New Theatre
appear to think II no part Of their priv
,lege and duty TO provide for the estab-
lishment and maintenance of such a
feeder for the American stage. Their
indifference 20 this need and cppor-
tunity is pathetic.
And their appreciation OF what q rep
ertory theatre is, and repertory COM
pany. is distressingly deficient. How
true this IS any one could see by re-
cent announcement preceding the re-
roval Of "Nobody's Daughter" to Days
Theatre. Pathetic. indeed. was the reve-
lation in that official statement "On
account OF the congested repertory,"
'Nobody's Daughter" was to be removed
from The New Theatre to Days. A
"congested repertory"! II ever the gods
laughed they must have laughed that
morning, unless they wept. A con
gested repertory" in a repertory theatrc!
"The claims Of box owners and sub
scribers" are not to be overlooked. And
they are not overlooked. But they are
a very present help for making trouble.
For they must. in any such undertaking.
throw difficulty in the path Of a man
agement with artistic aims" Box own
ers and subscribers are always demand
ing some new thing. They have a nat
ural human objection TO seeing repe-
titlons Of a play. and by the same play
,rs. At the opera house a work is fire.
ouentiy repeated with changes in the
cast. II is the patrons privilege, and
possibly his pleasure, to hear A sing
tonight the role that b sang a few
nights earlier. and that g will sing a
few nights later. But playhouse condi-
tions do not permit these shufiings OF
casts Not only do owners and sub
scribers insist upon frequent changes OF
Lill but they insist that the changes
shall be made on certain nights. And
for these changes The New Theatre has
shown itself grievously unprepared. To
effect them it has put on Mary Magde-
Iene" with Olga Nethersole. II has ad-
mitted "A Son OF the People" II has
thrust before its audiences travesty Of
"Vanity Fair" with Marie Tempest at
fernutinp 10 play Becky Sharp. II has