Arizona republican., 1911-03-26
ABOUT TIE THEATRE

Phoenix has had some good plays during the last two weeks. Minstrel shows. represented by Lew DOckstad- CT. drama by The Climax. and farce ly "The Girl from Rector's". Of its kind every play was representative and enjoyable. but not one of the three has escaped the seVerest cflti- eism For some DOckstader was too duU in the opening of the first act for some -'The Climax" was fake drama erected around a mere incl dent: for some The Girl from Rec tors was too nOnsensical The con- ssensus of opinion indorses all three. but there can be no doubt that there was more or less opening for crlu- cism in the three productions. al- though their real defects were not found by the theatregoers who con- Cemned The Girl from Rector's' be- cause it was ridiculous and unreal. The Climax because it offered lit- tie novelty or excitement Dockstad- er because the greater part of his first act was dull.
 The Girl from Rector's" was ad- vertised as a tfarce. and a farce il
 
 ~st comedy held the boards, and il is a matter for question whether a single sensible line was acclaimed by the actors during the entire ev- ening. This lack of depth and ser iousness would be ruinous in a more pretentions play. but in the Cir from Rector's" nothing else was to be expected, since it would not have been a farce had the situations been real. and its very frothiness was the essence of comedy. A comedy is not To be measured by the standard ap- piled to legitimate drama, and it is scarcely just to a dramatist to cOn- demn his farce because of it's light ness tragedy would be con. demned with equal justice because of its somber ending. and from the same exalted plane of criticism straight drama ought to be taken off the stage because it offers neither the dark color of the tragedy. nor the gay absurdity of the farce. These three styles of stage craft are as separate as the continents. and they must, or at least ought to be meas llred by the rules which make al- Iowance for the peculiarities of their composition. Looked at from this viewpoint The Girl from Rector's' was not only good. but very good. It created laughter, and was consist ently farcical. The play was humor- ous. but nothing more is to be said for it in the way of praise, fer aside from it's absurdity. which would be reason enough for the existence of a farce which was not morally of fenssve. there was an underlying strain of cynicism and immortality in the play that make it liable 10 con- demnation. The double life led by the girl. who alternated between the Bohemian existence of New YOrlSs fashionable underworld. made up of actors, artists, spendthrifts. and wo- men of questionable character. and the quiet and conventional home life Of a married woman was not only suggestive of depravity. but it pre- sented a scene which should not be allowed on the American stage. In spite of the expurgation to which the play was submitted after its first ore esentation in New York City. when the broad and suggestive situations caused it to be repressed. there is still too much abandon and immoral itv in the lines Such plays, create bad ideas. and bad ideas when they have found deep .lodgement Nin the minds of the young. bring on de- pravity. "The Girl from Rectors" was educational. however. to thf theatergoers Of the Salt River valley,