The Washington herald., 1914-04-26
Repiew of Past Week
X In New York TheaterS
BY JAMES $. METcALFE.

~ IN ME-
New York. April 25.-The theatrica
season has lost its spine. Its backbone
has turned TO pulp. AT this time of yea,
usually there are few managers lefi
with sufficient hope and courage to try
some kind OF ventures that may give
them a spring run in New York, a pos
sible holdover for the summer and a
certainty OF a road success for all OF
the next season. The theatrical yesI
just passing has been so barren of posi-
tive successes in New York and the
failure of other cities to patronize the
Indifferent things sent out from here
has put crimp In managerial ambition
for the time being.
To the impartial observer who looks
at the theatrical situation broadly. II
seems as though II was about time for
the New York managers and producers,
who practically supply the whole Amer
lean market for theatricals, to take what
is commonly called "a tumble" TO their
own limitations. With the exception of
Winthrop Ames and Col. Savage, thee
isn't ons of them that ever gets a view
outside of his own immediate environ
ment William A. Brady occasionally gets
a streak of inspiration, but for the most
part the New York manager Is so con-
tinuaIIy impressed by his own personal
importance, owing to the petty hattery
Of his understrappers and hangers-on'
that ne comes to think that his own
Judgment is infallible. That Judgment
is usually directed in the line OF least
resistance which in the theatrical ousi-
ness means adhering to precedent or
Initiating previous successes This ac-
counts largely for the prevalence OF tne
1irI-and-nusic show which has a sure
foundation in its appeal to the elemen,
tary liking Of the public for the sensual
ana carnal Getting score. horet'o.
stage director, A comedian, rev
r-,.cInsIs and a generous supply ~
cborus girls with a liberal expenditure
fo- scenery and costumes, is the easiest
managerial formula there is and the one
most easily followed.
what New York and therefore the resi-
Of the country needs and what "oulo
stop a lot of talk about the decadehee oi
the theatrical business, owing 10 the NOV
ing pictures and other causes Is a h.tIe
more education and general kno"leose
oroong New York managers or little
wore willingness on their part to listen
N nersons who know more and will natter
then less than their usual advisers out-
side of David Belasco and Willlam a.
BRADY. and perhaps Al. WOODS, there lsh
a manager in New York who Is well-to-
do as a result of managerial aolllty. CON
Aninq that term to the managing OF the-
aters and production of plays as ois-
tinsuished from the running OF booking
agencies and speculation in theatrical reai
estate Real managerial brains that can
deal with the art of the theater in any
thing like its best manifestations are
NOT prominent in the theatrical business
Of America today and this quite as much
as the influence OF the moving pictures
the automobile and other scapegoats Is
for whatever hard times n
fict this important business ana means
Of popular entertainment and instruction.
Political Play.
Doubtless the first argument against
this arrangement of managerial ability 10
be picked out by a disputant on tie other
side Of the question would be the play
caIled ..The Governors Boss" which is
lust concluding a fortnight's run at the
Garrick. There isn't q manager in New
York who would have produced this piece
II he had to risk a penny of his own
capital and IL is quite easy to quote tnls
as an example of managerial sagaclty.
The fact is that the Hon. James ;.
Rarcus. once a member Of the Indiana
legislature. produced entirely AT his own
expense the play which he had written.
That it is an absurdity and could not
have had a production by any manager in
rnent for or against managerial intelli-
pence. No one but an author with money
TO burn and a willingness to burn it would
ever have conceived the possibility OF
putting The Governors Boss" before the
public.
Mr. Rarcus is well known the country
,ver as having made much money out OF
he publication of the utterances OF Presi- /
lents of the United States under some
PARTICULARLY favorable arrangement with /
he United States government. That ar
angement caused considerable unfaVor-
.ble comment, but it has no bearing on
his case except in so far as 1t may ac-
,ount for the financial sinews which made
I possible for Mr. Barcus to bring his
,lays before the public. Nor is ii i'm
,ortant that he is said to have promoted
he play as an advertisement to increase
he sale of the same story in novelized
orm prepared for publication in the i'm
Mediate future.
1t Is to Laugh.
Perhaps Mr. Barcus is disappointed
hat his play has not received more pub
c notice than has been accorded to it
V the press The play certainly de-
erved it IL only as a warning to other
entlemen OF means who may be tempted
D produce plays at their own expense
or the salaries of a company and the
ire of a theater. We do not always get
he truth from the crucible of mana
erial opinion. but Mr.. Barcus would
ave done well II he had submitted his
lay to this test and been guided by the
esult.
There have been worse plays than THE
Governors Boss" and some of them
by purely commercial managers
-ith their eyes firmly set on the box
flee. There have not been many of
hem Most Of such playes have been pro-
uced under the same conditions as this
me- and with direful results to the {
nances of the author or those Of his {