The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-28

the weary or weak minds of the
average theatre audiences, or are
they quite capable of becoming
accustomed to a better variety Of
theatrical offering and gradually
learning to refuse the sops thrown
them on the pretext of lulling the
nerves of the tired business man?
Two are required to clinch the ordi-
nary bargain. but 1t takes four to de-
termine tn, success of "a play: play
wright, producer. actors and audience.
As many plays fail and as many poor
plays have some sort of run II Is
interesting to know where to place
the responsible ty. Are the authors
Offering the wrong plays to the man
ayers or the managers to the public:
is IL the Door Interpretation Of the
actors or finally the public's lack Of
appreciation of the good and its de-
mand for an inferior brand that Is 10
blame?
BY their works something is known
NJ the IDEAS of most of the established
playwrights and manager: so +, seems
less Ike twice told tales to hear
from various other sources on the
question. The faith in the respon-
siveness of the American public TO
better things expressed by people Of
different countries and in diverse rela-
tons to the theatre is $ gniicant.
There Is Miss Lillah Mccarthy. the
wife and comanager of the most talked
Of producer in the city to-day. who.
for instance. Is delighted with the
quick comprehension Of every point
made in "Androcles." Then there is
Miss Martha Hedman. the young
Swed sh find of Charles Frohman, who
thinks the managers and authors are
too prone to ~exaggerate the reputed
"tiredness" of the metropolitan mind
Edward Goodman, manager of the
new experimental BandboX Theatre.
says the standard not only can but is
being raised. which is Very fine AMI
productive Of timidly Joyous hope for
the future. Lastly. as there is ne
one quite so con%servatively progress
s,ve as a young man, he opin ons Of
two promising Yale playwr ghts are
worth hearing.
Miss Mccarthy. just in from her
afternoon performance Of IdriHid in
"Androcles and the Lion" vas par
ticularly enthusiastic at its ful. APP
probation by the aud ence.
THE quick response to all the points
in the modern play is wonderful she
said. However. II is not quite the
same with Shakespeare. I think oven
here you treat Shakespeare with more
reverence than we do in England and
therefore are a little afraid to laugh
at him..
Now what could be more delightful
than the fun of the Quarrels among
the four young people in a Midsum-
- N-G-t.s. IT,, SO x.Aa,f,
as they would appear to-day. Yet
many people feel that they must re-
gard Shakespeare from an intellectual
standpoint only. If he were produced
under another name his works might
be more loved.
"As for authors writing down to
the public. II is not necessary. The
public Is quite intelligent enough 10
appreciate anything really good. For
example. after people have become &C.
customed to better food, better living
conditions. they are not at all content
with the poorer variety. 1t is the
same with plays.
There Is something TO he said for
the direct appeal English news
papers have learned much from the
American newspapers in that way. I
was greatly int rested in reading n
sign here which bore the warning
Keep out-that is for you whereas
in England We would say invariably
~'Trespassers will he prosecuted to the
full extent OF the law Perhaps your
mixed population has something to do
with the use of the simpler form. too.
"Oh yes. the type of play given Is
always changing. Women have much
to do with determining that. They are
the chief theatregoers. and since
woman's horizon has become so much
broader, so has the type Of play pro-
duced. And again, since people in
general are realizing their own in
~dividualities more and more. they pre-
fer pictures Of the lives they under
stand, So the society play, very popu-
lar some years ago, make no appeal
now. Moreover there is less mystery
about society since women of that
class have become active in suffrage
and comprehensive social work. and
consequently its chief charm is gone.
"And just as Shakespcare's humOr
is modern and delicious, so are S,rind-
berg and Ibsen strong, but not gloomy,
1t seems to me. and ! hope We may
present Hcdda Gabler' and The Mas
ter Builder next year to prove H."
Any one so intu.t.ve as Miss Martha
Hedman should be able to sense the
truth in regard to the possibilities Of
the theatre. She Is a stud NJ of In
dian and japanese literature and is
much interested in the occult, and
besides has decided ideas of her own.
This writing down does not APP
peal to me at all" she said. at any
rate If the great minds must de-
scend to reach the masses, for heav-
ems SAX let them come down two
p.nholes, nOt five, as they usually do
And a w'ak or Door play will not
do the tir d business or any other
man any good in resting his mind.
On the ConnrarN II he neod not think