The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-13

From the Louisville CourierJournal.
TIME Eugene Brieux play, Damaged
Goods" really treatise upon
l. transmissable disease, is to
be presented in New York under the
auspices of medical journal Follow
ling the announcement there is warm
discussion of the question of whether
such play ought to be permitted as
"a public entertainment. 1t was sup
pressed in France, and doubtless would
be suppressed in England. How about
America? is asked
The sincerity of the medical journal
which proposes to stand sponsor for
the play, and to furnish the money, can
hardly be questioned. The two ques-
tions that are open are whether the
stage should become, even temporarily
a clinic-the audience making up the
patients. those in danger of becoming
natients. and those who may be profit
ably warned of the dangers that exist
Eugene Brieux is not immoral lie
is no more to than Ibsen in GHOSTS
His theme is one that possesses "hu-
man interest" in the better sense OF
the term His purpose is that OF the
students of eugenics who are insisting,
rightly enough that the moral ar
cument against "immoralfty" should be
abolished in favor of a frank and en-
Tightening discussion of the tragical
results of unclean living-results that
are by no means confined to the guilty
or even to their children, but radiated
lin every direction through a defense
less society made UP for the most part
of persons who live moral lives.
The Obvious objection to the stage as
a clinic Is that very large majority
of theatregoers go, as sheridan feared,
to be amused or at any rate to be
merely entertained. The play that is a
medical lecture or moral lecture is
exploited in advance by the hired press
agents of the author. as being sensa-
tional The result is that the crowd 1t
attracts is composed chiefly of persons
who would be as glad to see The Girl
With the Whooping Cough" musical
comedy discussion of the Brieux theme,
which was suppressed few years ago.
as Damaged Goods" There was no in
terest in Mrs. Warren's Profession"
after 1t became known that it was not
nearly so Sensational as. the press
agents had described it as being.
Tickets were bought for $40 when prep
arations were being made to shock New
York with. 1t, and a publicity bureau
was writing about its sensational
nature But seats at from 25 cents to
"A. o1,o
ter became known. Its failure TO at
tract large audiences indicated that If
lit was not very bad play from the
point of view of propriety 1t was not
very good one as entertainment.
I"Ghosts," heralded as presentation
|of the truths which Brieux proposes
to drive home in Damaged Goods was
not Sensational and was not so adj
vertised. 1t was not popular, although
undeniably well-written play, suf-
ficiently dramatic The critics who re-
viewed it quarred about whether 1t
treated of transmissable disease or the
evil effects of lying. Ibsen, appealed
to for explanations of his plays and his
purpose. said more than once that he
was merely a Snowman not a teacher.
1t is not apparent, at any rate, that the
presentation Of Ghosts had any
marked effect as a treatise
That less prudery, and more frank
ness, In the interest of race improve.
ment would be of good effect must be
admitted. But it does not seem at
all certain that medical lectures from
the stage will ever be popular, or prof
liable to audiences. If Damaged
Goods" sets out for a run" after hav-
ing received the advertising incident
TO Its presentation, with medical
paper as its sponsor. the probability is
that the run will not be long one.