New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-13

, Only last night / was talking to we'll
known dramatist about French plays, ana
he agreed that the French production and
the characterisucally French ingredients
Possessed little interest for the English
audience But on the other side WE have
been accustomed 20 the cosmopolitan dra-
matte menu, and our public are Interested
in dramas OF all sorts, no matter what
their origin. But even this assertion must
now be modified TO a degree, for the critl-
cal taste OF to-day demands very high
staNdard Of excellence, both in America
and England, and II any play is to sue
coed Il must be handled by the expert
and adapted TO the particular class 10
which Il is 10 appeal. This is subject
that has been awakened in the minds OF
the American managers, and they are be-
ginning 10 realize that, while there Is no
regular rule for IL, they have 10 devote
considerable study 20 each Individual
problem"
Asked 10 give his opinion OF the pro-
ductiye capacity Of the American dra-
| matte world Mr.. Fawcett was decidedly
! optimistic.
I'VE are a comparatively new nation,
he said. II believe we are Just starting
| 20 reveal the good that is In us and our
playwrights will do big things. During
tho past ten years the output Of great
dramatic works has grown year By year
| II has gone UP by leaps and bounds and
in far greater proportion than has been
evident IN any other great country, In
my opinion tho American dramatist does
not suffer from novel IDEAS. They are as
vet satisfied to do their work merely
! we'll, but they are usually lacking In the
+, big sense of proportion that comes only
10 the very highly skilled and highly de-
veloped dramatists. They seem TO make
two out of three acts really superb. but
tho third generally lacks development
and lsrgeness OF conception. Again
say. they lack sense OF proportion. But
as against that must say that the vital
| fly OF the drama to-day is In America, IL
! has been shown BY the vital ideas that
have come forth In recent years. do
not say that they have been treated in
the best artistic way. but they are there
and the full artistic treatment Is born
only OF experience. II must come, and
that before very long"
Mr.. Fawcett conceded 70 England the
recognition that she yet led the way In
two classes Of prodnctiveness--the high
| class comedy or the type OF play that
portrays the better class life in Eng
| land and the musical comedy These
plays" he said, ARE produced with
wonderful taste, and the producers are
| extraordinarily careful With every detail.
As a rule. they go far more deeply into
detail than the American producer. And,
above all, they are also very careful 10
give everything an artistic reserve which
the American managers think is not right
| for their own country. They seem 10 want
to make their productions little moro
blatant, moro patient, all tho time suffer
ing from the fear that II will not be
effective unless this Is done And the
only reasonable reason for this is to BIO
found in the fact that the American play
usually goes through the American con-
tinent and before a many-sided public,
whereas English productions are for
| London. and London alone sets the seal
OF success upon them or damns them out
of existence"
! It was on the subject OF audiences that
Mr. Fawcett dropped all reservation and
qualification, and handed out first class
| diploma OF merit to the English play
goers. The susceptible actor" he stated.
| will ind that the English audience is
terrihcally quick TO respond TO anything
across the footlights. more so than any
audiences In the Engish-speaking world,
They are q trained audience. For go
years they have had their schools OF
drama and their character performances.
| To-day they have their audience clubs,
and II forms a part and perhaps a basis
| OF English society 10 talk OF art OF all
kinds. and especially OF dramatic art,
and In London there Is centred. more or
less, the brains OF all literature and art.
Hence the 25-cent gallery is a dramatic
club; the CO. cent pit Is a club-not a new
tangled idea. but a heritage OF a century
or two. They enter the theatre with
minds trained from the audience point OF
view. and II does not matter where the
good that 10 given on the stage comes
from, they rise to II because they recog-
nixe IT, They have not the slightest In
suar prejudice against the art OF any
other nation on earth. and this has been
we'll shown by the fact that London has
discovered the best artists in tho world
more especially In the social world.
| ''LsA50r n the Mecca of nearly all tho
artists in tho world especially those OF
our country" said Mr.. Fawcett; and,
when asked why, he replied that, in the
| first place, the standard OF appreciation
was good. you get whatever you de-
serve" he concluded. London is free
! from absurd advertising and charlatan-
| ism. There In no use boosting the STUN
! err as they say. A great many people
can get away with It In other countries,
but not here. And this Is why a man
who Ia thoroughly In earnest and a stu
dent OF his art likes 20 place II where II
will so for what II Is worth"