The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-11-15
North Dakota Authors Book.

~ - - ~~S'
An able summary of contemporary
plays and dramatic tendencies is The
Drama To-Day by Charlton Andrews,
head Of the English department of the
Mayville Normal school,. The range
Of this volume is sufficiently wide as
to give a good idea Of the subjects dis
cussed; the authors one is discrimin-
ating enough to give his statements
some authority.
Recent American and European
plays are the particular field of the au-
thor's inquiry. His method consists
in briefly outlining and appraising the
various plays. His evident wide ac-
quaintance with dramatic literature
gives him a full armory Of allusion and
comparison.
With especial interest is noted the
fact that whereas Mr.. Andrews Is OBJ
viously alert for literary elements of
the plays discussed, he recognizes the
fact that if the drama of the future
Is to contain literary qualities these
must be consistent with dramatic ex-
igencies. Thus far he Is an uncom-
promising realist. Meanwhile this Elk
cellent protest against that realism
donably dull, faithfully close to life
and pitifully remote from art in. the
best senses Of the word, art
The realistic movement has ebbed
and ,hoFed and done it's work before,
and 1t will ebb again. Doubtless it Is
proper to show ones resentment
against an over-artificial theatre by
discarding every device and slicing life
down to the bone. But there Is such
a thing, to vary the metaphor, as
throwing out too much ballast and so
being swept away. What stage ecu
bism" or futurism may yet do to us Is
dreadful to reflect upon Why not
dramas that, while realistic, deal with
at least ordinarily sympathetic people
taking part in representative and in
teresting events? why not unconven-
tionality without dreary desolation?
Why not the principle of selection even
in naturalism?"
With excellent discrimination Mr..
Andrews goes among such. English
dramatists Of today as Galsworthy,
Shaw, Barker, Barrie, MarefieQd and
others, citing their respective merits
and demerits. OF Shaw some pointed
criticisms are made. For instance:
I'm order to divert the main course OF
dramatic writing, judging by Mr..
Shaw, one has but to inject into an art
generally supposed to be bound w
with emotion, an abrupt dose of par
adoxical thought" And again n is
glad to see quoted the letter from Toll
stoi to Shaw, wherein the great seri.
Jus ISOSSldli TOIuSSa W We clAIClI dlllCN
or impressed by Shaw's f1ippancy, ir-
reverence lack Of taste: las regards
our reflections on good and evil,
can only repeat what I have said about
your Man and Superman, namely, that
questions of God and good and evil are
too important to be spoken OF in a light
tone. 1t is for this reason that-as
will tell you frankly-the final words
Of your letter produced a very painful
impression Upon me-"
This judgment of Hauptmann Is also
salutary in a day given to exploiting
rim sociological dramas beyond theil
desserts: "Since the Sunken Bel
Hauptmann has produced little othel
than a series of horrible sociological
studies. And 1t is, Of course, a larg'
question whether the mere. scientist
when he thrusts himself out upon thu
stage Is not in the o gallery alto
igether." ~. ..u p
This judgment in a. more genera
sense the critic passes upon the mod
ern Continental s~tage-"In some cas'
this question of actually and of di
dacticism has not seriously. handi
capped these authors work as drama
In most cases, however, it has"
In Robert Herricl's new novel TIL
idealistic manager somewhat. disillu
stoned, observes that after all the pub
lie gets the plays 1t deserves. To Thu
point Mr.. Andrews comes In his fines
paragraph. He seems to believe tina
if the public had an ~efficient--if in
fornal--consumers' league, play
wriehts would fail to purvey dull, sor
did, sinful dramas; that real interes
AM charm might more a~bundantly en-
rich the stage. He roptin1istically OBJ
serves: NT1e drama in America seem
to, be coming into it's own as q dis
tinct art, unsurpassed by any other il
it's possibilities ethical and aesthetic.
His volume is serviceable in helpinl
to form a discriminating taste q
. B. Lippincott Co., PHILADELPHIA
.4s :. Humor on the Cobb.
1t may be that you are a devotee o
The Saturday Evening Post, which
\ according to a; Holy Roman Empir
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: cause it isn't it. but is The Thursda
Morning Toothpick. Provided you ar
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: Bill of Fare "an illustrated tabl
: d'hote menu in four courses. Vittles
; Music, Art and Sport @asF sfas
But one reading of a bill of far
j doesn't spoil it for future use, as yo
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table d'hote. And one, taste of hume
ON the Cobb means that you are goin
! EESA 6S Et "A IN I'M 90 EAG