The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-31

"A black spangled gown whispered a theatregoer not long since, after seeing one of the hits" of the season. and d picture hat, boudoir hung with rose pink curtains, down pillows on which to weep effective repentance and fossy French Madeline last touch of a picture of luxurious woe is hard to put in the other side of the scale-and decide off hand that the straight and narrow path is the best road to keep to-.
 On the face of it this reply, if it had been made openly, would have been taken as frivolous and impertinent-yet you have gone to the theatre for the past few years-who have frequented the moving picture shows and all that, can you deny that there is a grain of truth hidden in the nippant words?
 The theatrical season is waning now, and they tell us that there has never been in the history of the drama a year of such unprecedented failure.
 Managers declare that it is the fault of the public.
 Statisticians have tried to explain why the coffers of the play houses are not filled now as they were formerly.
 Playwrights are declaring that they are writing stronger and better plays than ever before
 eS, stronger Tn one sense, 10 De sure
 We concede that
 And move on. loath to finger at this point, to the subject of our dissertation as to What Is the Wages of Sin as de- picted in the modern play.
 The star" swms out on the stage wringing her hands-eXquisitely mani cured, which by the way. are usually il- luminated by diamonds of the first water.
 Inc 1o xxFbo ebe xrir, a real tear, with real lace handkerchief and sobs over the hardness of her fate, when we get side tracked from the main issue and begin to speculate on what very fortunate person she is to find her lines cast in such sybaritie environments.
 Of course she must weep a bit, else what excuse would she have for sinking down, clad in a shimmering eob-webby negligce straight form, the Rue de la Paix, among satin covered pillows?
 She begins to explain that she has sold all for LOVE" and in return got onry THIS meaning the pink messaine lined jewel case setting for her beauty.
 It's very difficult to hold on to the thread of a story set so alluringly ike this, but as the play proceeds we see the Wages of Sin, being collected in long trained gowns and diaphanous scarfs-n ostrich plumed chapeaux, each of which Is worth a Queens ransom. and then we hear the leading lady talking about "taxis" and wines. the first names of which we mention in whisper, because we are so overawed by the piece and then she slams high heeled slippers. with jeweed buckles about promiscuously and finally killed herself in payment of it all, in a creation that must make a sensation if her spirit is permitted to be garbed by if as it wings it's way to the realms of light to be kicked, as the author gives ns to understand it will be, back into outer darkness however not before it has ere ated a discord among the angels.
 Where. oh. where, is the Author, Man ager, Star Playwright, who has the cour age to stand up boldly and say that this sort of play teaches a lesson?
 It doesn't.
 The galleries ard balconies are .ll of half baked girls and women who never grow up. who go away from the play. their eyes blinded by the glamouG of the unreal life that has been presented.
 Stripped of her gorgeous setting. play ing the part without the accessories of jewels or silks. shown up in the garis light of day. unsoftened by the haunting strains of music. calculated to make us forget our catechism, what would we find in such a play?
 we'd see it as it is-the garbage barrel unguilded and unadorned by pale pink satin ribbons.
 If would interest us just about as much as the heroine of the "heart drama" would in real life"
 Wed throw it into her face that ''the wages of sin are death and degradation.' that the price she pays is one so big that jewels and laces and diamonds, even if she got them, would serve only to set her