The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-08
FIGURES AND FACES IN
THE PASSING SHOWS

piayl"ts, or by that word 'skits.' They
are short plays, yet the short play of
a standard dramatist Is usually as weird
as the first short story Of beginner in
inagazjns contribution. Vaudeville IL
America has been the only place In
which the short play ever found shelter
hence plays Of brevity have been
changed from PLAYS OF character and
situation into plays Of per .onality. The
actor has been invariably 'ntted' and IL
his humorous abilities can he adjusted
to his situations and lines or his lsoh-
rymai abilities the end Is served.
IN my opinion Il is a play like Fear
or Tho Black Mask or a play like The
Cat and the Chcruh or The Goal to
maine a pair Of current instances. which
makes a distinct addition to drama in
English. Here arc perfect one actera.
and Il IL the plays. moro than the per-
sonalitics in them. which have made
the appeal in every in stance.
81. Is a surprising thing that the
English speaking peoples. who have
made their short stories strands of lit
crary Jewels and who boast OF the
world, master drama in their own
tongue. know SO little of tho real utility
of tho ono act play, OF its possibilities.
and oven of its meaning. There is go
ing to be more and more room for the
one act play IN this rapid and warful
world. It Is destined TO stand in as inn
! po~tant a place as the short story. for
It serves q similar purpose
The Princess Players outside New
York" comments Mr.. Rlinn upon ;hc
! recent tIanscontinental venture Of his
company. were q variable factor.
b = T., t.. c,
Francisco. which took ne to its arms.
San Francisco has often hccn called
The Paris ~ America and it is Ger
tainly more cosmopolitan IN its tastes
/ than any city on this continent The
san Franciscan's boast: Al in Tn.
afternoon YOU can End man from
every capital Of the world In tho bar Of
the s, Francis is more or less true
san Francisco is hard on the heels ~
New York in all artistic matters. and
1t knows not from week Ia week. bu,
, from day ia day. New Works. move
doinsS and latcs; shifts ~ opinion. san
/ Francisco has opinions 81 its own. don't
/ forget. II it likes Il ll;cs. and II II is
J bored it - frankly bored, and the
anath ma or the battery Of any other
/ place on the globe is non-innuentid..
! Chicago Wa. for rs nothing but POI
/ litiCal persecution We ran afoul o! 4
wave of change at election time and We
got splaShed.
Elsewhere throughout the United
States 7 found receptive minds and
I eager audiences w played in no,
, many cities, but as conditions Of finance
and business permitted. they'lk ant
came to see one act plays which -,
Elected strength and art rather thar
crude sensation. Raw horrors are not
wanted In clean. optimistic America
which demands PLAYS of optimism
rather than plays Of decadence and de.
press ION
Mr.. Binns interesting observa zion.
as TO the conduct of the Princess Thea
tire DO not in the least affect the opinion
of the writer that the presen; pro
gramme is colorless contrast Ia al
that wa interesting in previous sea
sons and rtsin to be uninterestin.
to the theatres clientele. II Mr.. Him
really has the whole repertoire Of tn,
] theatre 4 cote at his disposal he ha,
better draw on it as soon as possible.