The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-03

From the New York Post.
TT has long been matter of common
knowledge among all persons inter-
4 ested in the subject, that theatrical
business generally is in bad way
Whether or not a ''panic'' is imminent,
it is not at all necessary to decide. Sucn
an occurrence might not be without itS
alleviations for theatre goers, as 1t woaiu
put an end, temporarily at all events 10
much speculative production of an en-
tirely worthless kind, and help to put
the stage upon a sounder financial and
artistic foundation. a survival OF the
fittest might reasonably be expected But
whatever may happen, it will be well to
remember that the existing conditions IN
the theatre-commercia as well as artis-
t;c-are the result not so much of ex-
ternal and fortuitous influences, as of a
radically vicious system-a system tha1
has choked artistic and fostered specula-
tive competition-and that commerciai
crisis are likely to be recurrent, more Sc
we're and more mischievous, until that sys-
TEN is broken up.
That New York has, for the moment,
more theatres than are needed-nore the
atres, in fact, than there are plays TO put
into them-is an obvious fact. But that
is q. condition which will soon pass away.
Old theatres will disappear or be devoted
IN different uses, and equilibrium will be
restored The really significant fact in
the situation is the enormous develop
nlent of the cheaper and less intrinsicaily
worthy forms of entertainment at the
cost of the higher. There never was a
time when so much money was expended
by the public on theatre going as today.
But the masses are drifting more and
more toward the lightest forms OF en-
tertainment, to farces, to spectacle, TO
,nelodrama, to musical comedy, vaude-
vile. and especially to the moving pic
ture plays of various degrees. What is
the reason of this? There can be only
one. 1t must be that they find there
more satisfactory entertainment of its
particular kind than is to be found else
where. This is the root of the matter,
end it is the logical result of the syndl-
cate and long run systems which nave
kept the most capable writers out of the
dramatic field and stopped the production
e,f accomplished actors. 1t has now come
70 a pass where for superior plays and
! rlavers we are dependent almost wholly
Upon foreign sources
IT is the ideal theatre, of course-mean-
irg by that phrase any form of drama
that makes its appeal to truth, beauty OF
intelligenee-that has suffered and is suf-
iering the most The list of good plays
,f one kind and another, that nave failed
during the last 10 years, simply on ac-
count of incompetent performance, would
be a very long one. The old classics, both
| comic and tragic have been laid aside, not
tecause people will not go to see them for
they will and do whenever they get the
chance-witness the successes of julia
Marlowe and Edward Sothern-but simply
because it is almost impossible now t.
collect company to present them witt
Gecency. The same difficulty applies to
the representation of any modern drama
requiringe on the part of its interpreters
| special faculties of emotional eloquence
distinctive style, or psychologist insight
! Individual managers, it may be admitted
G, the best they can with the materia
at their disposition. They themselves are
| the victims OF the system which they
! created and which is now proving too
strcng for them. Being without play'
or players of the first class, they ar
perforce compelled TO make the best ol
what they have. But the best of secon.
1ete drama, and OF that there is stll
an abundance. viii not in the long run
hold its own against the lighter ane
cheaper shows which are good OF theil
Lind. There are many signs that thu
ipore serious theatre is falling into dis
| favor with the public on account Of it.
| frequent failure to live up to its preter
| sions.
That there are plays in this city toda,
,sbich are meritorious in their degree, ar
fairly well presented and provide goot
and wholesome entertainment need no
he denied. There are several which are c
extraordinary merit. But their proportio;
to the great bulk of theatricals is exceed
ingly small. and. were it not for the i'm
portations, even this would dwindle. Th
managerial problem is how to recove
lost ground: how to attract new dramat
lists or start the old writer's into new
grooves, and how to refill the deplete'
ranks of trained players. England 1
Showing them what the real stock com
pany can do in the way Of inspiring play