New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-10
Granville Barker Tells Care About the Avanced Shakespeare
He Favors Not Only National Theatre, but an
Educational Theatre to Teach People What
They Should Want-Th Thinks the EngEshPu
lie Centuries Slow" While America
Is Open-Mnded and Open-Eyed.

an institution" continued land are
you ever going to get rid of him?"
my plain and unvarnished opinions of
him are as inscribed in the Blue Book"
stated Mr.. Barker solemnly but with
dancing eyes. 1--WE said and written so
much about him that I've almost ex-
hausted him a subject. AS for getting
rid OF him, | suppose that will come in
Gods good time. 1 hope So" ~
SHE DREW HIS FIRE.
do you consider that stage life tends
TO ALLEVIATE influences and lower the NOR
alsT' was my next query.
i just had a feeling in my very inner
most that this question would annoy Mr..
Barker and make him say to himself and
perhaps aloud: The American inter
viewer will out" wasn't wrong.
lie chortled.
That's ridiculous!' he exclaimed. Per
fectly ridiculousl Why shouldn't It be as
I easy to be happily married in theatrical
life as anywhere else? And as for ones
morals being sffected"- Here words
failed him.
VI course. the English stage is very
wei ordered and respectable, anyhow"
observed. thoroughly enjoying myself.
ITS too respectable, II anything" re-
torted the Producer. "There'd be better
acting if it wasn't, and why all this talk
about stage morals anyhow? People ara
the same everywhere. A man isn't neces-
sarIly good man just because he goes
hcme to tea every day, nor woman be-
cause she is a capable housewife. II
you'll excuse my saying so. this contin-
ual harping on what is moral and what
| isn't is the very lowest form OF Ameri.
can morality"
felt quite crushed. but plucked up
spirit TO say:
You seem to do about as much Of II
| here"
That's quite true" assented Mr.. Bar
ker.
Are you interested In the French
| stager' l questioned.
THE MAN AND WOMAN DRAMA.
Not at present. It's too essentially
Parisian nowadays. Just q man and a
woman drama, with always the same
! complications and results. But this at
| tempt OF the Japanese drama TO Euro
! peanize itself is distinctly interesting,
though rather to be deplored. You know
| that just now there is group OF Japa-
nese players doing The Dolls House at
the Kingsway Theatre"
Then he showed me some interesting
photographs of the production.
Are you coming over to America some
time soon?' i asked.
I've been there once, you know" he
answered. Il went over to the Million
aires Theatre, but it was too big.
could not do anything there. Yes; think
III come again before long. I'd like to
produce some Shakespeare"
| Il hope all this play producing doesn't
mean that you've given up play writing?"
Dear me, no." said Mr.. Barker. In an
| almost shocked tone. I'm hard at wCtk
ON play now, and l hope TO do many
others, but I'm also very keen OH produc-
ing"
You have many interests. haven't
your
Yes; I'm glad to say l have" and he
looked the personihcation OF youth. en-
ergy and intelligence as he spoke.
Then in came the stage manager or the
business manager or some other person.
age, and l could see that the Producer
was anxious to transfer his activities to
the working details Of his schemes, so 1
took rather hurried farewell and left
the idealst and thinker wrestling with
problems anent the stage or the box Of
fee.
Copyright. 1872 New-York Tribuns)