The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-01-17
THEATRICAL CENSORSHIP IN RICHMOND
How Will You Manage It in Town of One-night Stands
Plenty of Good Things Are Brought to Rich
mond, but Aren't Patronzed
BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.
this world.
Theatrical censorship in Richmond,
Indiana, for one.
1t was reported in yesterdays news
columns that the Ministerial Associa-
ton occupied large share OF the
time at the gathering today" in "a
discussion of the shows staged here
especially at the Gennett theater." and
ending with the unanimous verdict
that something must be done to clean
up the show houses"
This column has no disposition to
make light of a body of esteemed and
representative citizens as is the Min
isterial Association. but it cannot re-
frain from making an inquiry
How did the competent parts Of
this organization know anything about
the character of the shows" which
have been staged here, especially at
the Gennett?"
Surely not by personal observation.
And if so could it be that the moral
underlying the presentation of those
ancient and honorable classics Uncle
Toms Cabin" and "Peck's Bad Boy"
had not been driven home with suffi.
cient force?
And if this is the case is it not be-
cause of the reprehensible practice Of
our local theatrical boss in not bring
ing the first companies to this town
but availing himself of those visiting
Podunkville and Grass Green Center,
lee music. the hugeness and ferocity
of it's dogs and jokes carried over
from the stone age to make an effect
rather than throwing the moral in the
spotlight and letting it soak in over
the footlights?
Theatrical censorship in any phase
is ridiculous because it cannot be
made other than a farce.
The dramatic censor in England is a
joke. Although a dismal one. He threw
out an Ibsen play as Immoral" and
yet permitted Sarah Bernhardt to
writhe through a sensual Sardouism
weeks at a time.
Once in a while cities in this coun-
try will throw spasm of virtue-like
Pittsburg which wouldn't permit the
hero in 1.-The City" to say DAMN"
and sent whole Gordon of police to
fall on him and hustle him to the bas-
tile if this gentlemanly word was al
lowed to percolate over the heads of
the orchestra
This in Pittsburg!
at is to laugh"
And at the same time. in the same
town there were burlesque and vaude-
vile shows running on full time in
which undraped ladies were giddily
standing on their heads. kicking the
gearing out of the roof and getting
off" obscene and vulgar jokes.
The work of "The Drama League"
was referred to at the meeting yester-
day.
The Drama League, however. is not
an organization for slipping a moral
uplift" on the theater
It's purpose-an admirable one-is
to, if possible, raise the standard" of
artistic taste as manifested in dramat-
ic art.
This is quite another thing.
There is too much talk about "the
of the stage. Not one per-
son in ten thousand is in the least de-
gree affected by what those who know
nothing or little about the theater
call it's "immorality.'
A ballet is termed, by the unsophis-
ticated. Immoral"
When the truth is that ballet dane
ing in it's purest form, and by it's
"purest" is meant it's attainment to ar
tistic terpsichorean perfection, is one
Of the most exquisite manifestations of
artistic expression.
We do not see it, save in an occa-
sional individual exhibition in this
country. Every considerable Euro
pean town has it's ballet, however. 1t
is an institution on the continent 1t
was seen in Richmond last year in
the performance of THE Russian I'M
perial Ballet"-a beautiful perform
ance.
To sit in judgment on the theater
argues opportunities for comparison.
Where are they in Richmond?
This is town of "one-night stands"
If something the Ministerial Associa-
ton regards, or has been told, is rep
visits Richmond, how are
they going to keep people away by is
suing an edict, based on observation
and experie ce, to that effect?
They haven't any right to pass an
opinion unless they have personal
knowledge.
And on what would they base that
opinion if they had the opportunity to
orm one?
With all due regard to these excel
ent gentlemen, barring Mr.. Haywood,
/ newcomer, are they sufficiently the
sophisticated to pass dis
Interested and impartial Judgment
.-hos- ba Sha l<e.=x,exz=s>