The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-05-21
PLAY OF TODAY
AS IT REALLY IS
A Member Of the Chautauqua Circle Gives
His Views Of the Modern Drama, and
Incidentally Points out Objectionable
and Meritorious Features.
PLAY IS BENEFICIAL"
By Otto Mobile

lie people OIL Cno OnltoQ OtdIoS,
it is said, spend more money annu-
ally for amusement than any other
nation in the world; and they spend
more money for play going, than
any other amusement.
American industries and enter
prises have progressed and devel-
oped more rapidly and extensively
than the most optimistic dreams of
our fOrefathers. The manufacture
ing of automobiles, electrical devices,
etc., have ceased to be enterprises
and are now staple and solid indus
tries, amidst the swift progress made
by these. the American theatre has
kept pace-yea, lead them all and is
now an institution in itself, making
millions of dollars for itself yearly,
and affording pleasure and amuse-
ment to millions of people. When
l say theatre l include everything
from Motion-pictures to Grand
Opera.
What difference time makes in
the fashions and frivolties of lis. A
century and half ago men were clad
in doublet and silken hose, with lace
ruff1es at the throat and wrist; and
the women were submerged in bill
lows of silks, satins aud woolens;
their face only, appearing nodestly
above all. and the theatre, was
there theatre in those days?-if
there was, it was looked down upon
by the majority. Today men are
dressed in modest garb while women
are more scantily clad, exposing
natures own,- although it is an ar
tifcial nature at times,-the people
buy seats weeks ahead of popular
show, and gone are the Puritanical
ideas of the show being breeding
place of evil.
The show-houses are classed to
meet the requirements of the people.
the price of admission ranging from
five cents to fifty dollars.
Evolution of the Play
And what of the evolution of the
play? The plays from the pen of
the immortal Shakespeare are the
same as when first produced but the
is greatly changed.
They were first played in natures
theatre, on the green sward, meath
the spreading boughs of trees.
When introduced into the United
States they were played on the At
lantic Coast and gradually appear
ing in towns and cities to the west,
in everything from the best theatres
of the time to empty lofts of barns
Il say empty with meaning for
more often than not the audience
was in the singular). Now the y are
played in the best houses IN the land
and command staple prices, with the
exception, of course, of the societys
who put them on in the open as orig
inally produced. Truly Shake
speare's plays are of the tramp va
riety,-and crust today, a loaf to-
and never changing their
garb, but with us always.
The melo-drama has changed, but
only in the words and scene, al
though we still have with us the
old western melodrama, which at
one time commanded the price of
fifty cents to two dollars, but which
now open their doors to the popular
prices of ten, twenty, thirty"
These plays, while amusing in their
to some, are very real
to others as will be noted In the fol-
lowing memoir of the writer:
An Experience
A friend and myself had arrived
late at this particular show, much to
the openly expressed annoyance of
an old lady accompanied by her
grandson. The following act was
a scene transported from tie wild
and woolly." The william" had
done an unusually dirty trick and had
been caught at it by the "heros who
was his brother, and the heroine"
and sweetheart of the hero" was
begging her lover to shoot the vii
liam" with the revolver of huge di-
that the hero had
pointed directly at his brothers
head. The hero" realized he was
between two duties and hesitated TO
fire. Finally dropping his head and
arm outstretched simultaneously he
thickly muttered, L can't, l can't"
whereat the william" with diabol-
ical laugh, mounted his trusty steed
and rode Gathering away in the dis