The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-09-28
tBy Hugh H. Huhn.)

(By Hugh H. Huhn.)
There is a marked tendency for an
improvement in the drama this sea-
son. OF course, the year is young yet,
80 far as the theater Is concerned, but
1t is sufficiently advanced to indicate
that there has been a decided change
in the public sentiment . This Is diff
ferent with the publications we find
on the news stands. All that we can
be charitably sure of is that there is
a mistake somewhere from which the
patrons of the story writer are the
final sufferers n that the moral de-
cay OF our fiction is not only unde-
niable. but Is. unfortunately. insisted
upon. made evident, typical. represent
tative by the misunderstanding Of
those who suppose that others, most
others, like faint.
years, or perhaps longer, has disabled
the drama and has prevented the the
alter from offering pleasures which
might be enjoyed with s%elf-respect.
But it Is Interestingly noticeable this
season that the theater has been
somewhat better advised. and at the
moment when the news stands are
beginning to topple on the edge Of the
pit the drama has begun to climb
out Of 1t.
Some Of the seasons plays are a bit
coarse. some of the REVEALS r in a
measure shameless, but it can not be
denied that there are really some
wholesome impulses to purge and live
be encouraged by all who know its
vast influence.
To the thoughtful person 1t is clear
~ apparent that the drama addresses
the weaker intelligences. and not al
ways the cultivated mind. except in
rare instances. 1t pleases, but does
not have the permanent effect that it
does have upon the class OF people
easily convinced.
Strong minds require something
more than a mere play to convince.
The drama has its effect upon such
minds. but 1t is not always lasting.
Apparently the news stand addresses
the weaker intelligences and the acted
ter. while the printed fiction has been
growing morally worse. until now
there is much less to choose between
them than there once
This nascent reform OF the stage
began when our playwrights turned
to real life with a tentative question
whethe rthere might not b some-
thing there that was worth the atten-
ton Of the drama. 1t began, as we
indicated. several years ago. to the
high disdain and the hysterical dis
pleasure Of critics who are Just now
beginning to realize the fact with all
Of the zest of discoveries in the work
Of Belasco, Eugene Walter. Augustus
Thomas and other successful play.
wrights.
It was Denman Thompson who put
the rustic Yankee on the stage. He
toow from the fields Of New England
the rough. crude son Of the soil and
made him a colossus Of the drama.
This was years ago /. and Denman
thompson is now a great grandfather,
but THE Old Homestead" still lasts
and still inspires the greatest inter-
est. This is because It is a whole
some picture Of nature true to life.
1t lives because it is real. 1t is a life
story that appeals to all alike. Other
plays Of a more or less ephemeral
character. like ragtime music. enjoys
popular today. but are forgotten to.
morrow. So 1t is with the plays OF
passion. the plays of sex problems. the
psychological dramas Of darkness
They enjoy their brief day on the
stage. and then are discarded. while
the real. the true, the natural in the
drama exist and will continue to ex.
list 81 long as the public continues t.
patronize the theater.
The work OF Augustus Thomas
who must be admitted as Americas
most successful dramatist. has Away.
been a path which might have beer
successfully followed. No breath o.
scandal ca nbe found in any Of hi,
NloSQ 4fNNn hA AroH <l.1I
"Edith's Burglar" when he was a re.
porter on the st. Louis POST Dispatch
he has pursued a clean and whole.
some policy. No one can think OF
the touching pathos. the sweet sim
plicity Of Alabama" without wishing
that more such plays might be writ.
ten. Again, he breathed the atmos.
phere Of the soil when he wrote
ARIZONA" and still again in I'm Mis-
souri," Only one play that he eve,
wrote may be charged up as a fail.
ure. and that was Colorado" Some.
how or other he missed fire in this
American play. and. like a sensible
man. admitted the failure and with
drew the play. Most Of the success
full dramatists Of today study their
types from nature.
he plays of the season have their
defects; we always say that and al
ways will. Nothing can be absolutely
perfect. and the faultless play will
probably never be written. The drama
in this respect may be said to still be
primitive. There are but few master.
pieces. but remembering what we
have suffered at the hands Of the
playwrights during the past five or
te nycars. the plays Of the season
may he said to be surprisingly good
and afford moments Of satisfying fell
icity.
The plays that are popular today.
and which cause the average play.
goer to bless God for the new dispen-
sation possess an atmosphere of quiet.
This %pervades them all. This Quiet
is n true touch. and 1t is so true
that 1t imrarts color-a color OF YER
acity to the whole which the spectator
has to look twice to find a reflected