Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-01-04
pLAYWRlCH7'S view OF Us
Henry Arthur Jones Talks of
London's Stage and Ours.
II an Author Has One success in Three
Plays He's Doing Well Be.nsco
the Greatest Producer lie
Has Ever Met.

me IN" present visit to New York
or Henry Arthur Jones, the English
playwright. who arrived on the Olym-
pic mas rest and recreation for it's
primary object. It may be that Mr..
Jones has something new in the play
line to produce. says the Sew York
sun. Mr.. Jones would not say quite
az much yesterday but he came near
IT. Anyhow Mr.. Jones Is very glad
TO get here He said as much when
found at the Marie Antoinette. whore
lie is stopping.
He had just come In fror, a tirn in
the brisk air. had Mr.. Jones. and he
was enthusiastic over getting into
bracing atmosphere after a Siege OF
London winter.
II have been working card all tho
autumn on a new play said Mr.. Jones
There is nothing to say about IT,
Nothing is settled. might stay over
here few weeks nave encountered
such excellent frosty weather that the
prospect would appeal 70 me. never
feel tired over here. ana It IL great
change after tho humidity OF London.
Then. YOU see. there has been too
much stir outside tho theatre in Lon
don and in England generally. There
has been too much doing in politics.
and too much OF industrial strife. 50
that people have not much room for
serious thought about the drama.
They just want recreation when they
go to the play. am glad to be back
in New York. Really, though. it
seems only q week or two since I was
here
"On the whole, don't think the
theatrical season nas been very good
in London. There have been no very
marked successes. OF course with 20
or 30 theatres managers must keep
on putting on plays until something
like success comes. For. after all.
play producing Is like card game
we have in England which we call
demon patience which comes out
right about once in "a times. on the
average
The SUCCESS Of Il play is not a1toset thor
dependent upon the work OF the author
itself. II may be the theatre or the sea-
son or some taste or caprice Of the pub
lie for the moment. It may he question
Of getting the right actors for certain
parts. The author of n PLAY IL not Judged
by his manuscript: that II 10 say upon
The construction Of the play, and il is
quite right tina; this should he so: not
by the work in hi. study. hu, by the
particular Interpretation which is given
his play. Sometimes this interpreta ion
Is just and right sometimes II is wrong.
think that in Ensland and America
both for the immediate popular success
Of & play more depends upon the actor
than on the author. But for perma
ralne and interest the play depends en-
, tirely upon the authors.
! For instance. my play Michael and
Hi. LOST Angel was tho worst failure
ever had az a play. but everybody who
has read the book says it is my best
work. / didn't happen to pitch it right
or so that !, would fall on good ground
1t Went about 10 nights in London and
1.-THE same in New York. But one Of these
days. when car get a suitable theatre.
and when the conditio are right, shall
give ii again.
: In England. just as the present mo-
rnent there i. no definite drift either in
public taste or in the work OF dramatic
authors. The wind !. blowing from no
definite direction. Once In a while there
Is little puff, but there is nothing lik.
! a steady breeze. The ocietv drama Il,
not so popular Just now. the public be-.
ing apparently tired or exact Representa-.
lions OF society 'ifc upon the stage
! Bnnty Pulls the Strings is perhaps the
biggest success over there FOR tre mo-
fient. As for the romantic drama. I'M.
cape and sword and costume play.
though for n time it was euccessf,,l. II
was never. except in the romanti. move
ment OF Victor Hugo and Dumas moro
really considerable thing. Ever uow
and then somebody has got ,rerner.
do"s popular success in a capc and
sword piece, but II hasn't mean, any
vital drama
| For the last six wears / nav. hoo,
coming over hero pretty CONSTANTS s,id
| Mr., Jones in answer 10 superstition
| While can come over in n shin ,,l,. ~,
olympic, which II much like coming over
! in the Ritz Hotel. and whileI am ,rea,c1
so well as | am In New orl;. I snail con.
tihue to come. An ocean voyage is A
! great rest
more ana more il seems to me tha, N
America You are getting n vigorous.
modern. realistic drama The acting ,oo
II II - perhaps not so finished ne English
acting has more visor think. and ccr-
'a'nly actors and uciles.e@ work harder
- ~"'N 'Hdf OR f.NEllSN actors.
was very much disappointed lint The
concert did not go in London II ought
| 10 nave done so. 1t Is n most lellgh.fu!
comeov. and every Englt.hman vino saw
u over here. mysolf Included, had pre-.
dlcted enormous success for t. | don't
KNOW when | ever enjoyed myself more
! than when hearing Leo Ditrirhstein la.t
/ ear At the Belasco. | consider his PER-
iormance Of his role IN that comedy
worthy to he put reside Jcffcrson's Rip
an" some ~ the best imper.onat.on. ~
Slr Charles W'yndhan. The piece was
paved by aood actors and actresses in
LONDON but they hn Int tn. right per.
| soha'it'es for She parts | think that Ia
the secret OF its comparative failure ove-
| t,iere.
ron see the critics and The public can
only sc what Is actual givcr them
'heE Judge, and rightly judge "A perform
ahce az II is. What else could thev dc ,
Every performance OF IA certain p,av ia
on'v one out OF possibly ! no varying Der
formhnces OF 1t, and when you do get Z,
great success II Is not only hecausc tho
author mas given the actors and Actresses
the right material to work upon but be.
cause they nave brought the right person
alities and methods To deal with It; and
| II Is no good for an author to say OF n
performance that Is rot q success. That
Is not what | intended because the pub.
! lie can Immediately reion, We'll why
cldn YOU show us what YOU did intend ~
| In this instance the nlhlic a re rich, Tbay.