The Washington times., 1915-01-24

production IL passinG-that class OF en-
tertainment that impressed mostly be-
cause 1t had cost the producer 50 much
money to put It on. We have It on
the word Of Devid Belasco that slim
plicity is to be the big idea In every
production of note In the future. And
when this past master Of complicated
stage pictures. this producer Of lunch
rooms and chicken farms and any other
thing in science. mechanics or the wide
open universe that happens to srtike
his fancy. makes such a statement re-
spectful attention must be paid to 1t.
Mr.. Belasco was talking to me in that
dreamy. far-off way he has of talking.
about "Marie-Odile." 1t was rather
diricult thing TO get Mr.. Belasco to
talk about anything but "Marie-Odile"
last week. He was obsessed with 1t.
He had 1t for dinner and breakfast and
luncheon. and between times, and he
dreamed Of it what little time he slept.
Belasco thinks "Marie-Odile" is the
greatest thing he has done. The play
is really one Of the best little cul.
ture points for the germs Of diversified
conversation that has been presented
here for some time. And one of these
IL the germ of simplicity. This Belasco
production is the simplest thing that
has been staged here this season
simple in It's outward aspects, that Is.
There was but one setting for the three
acts. and not q single change Of cos
tune.
And Delasco declares that this sort of
thing Is to be the idea Of the dramatist
| and producer of the future. He does
not mean, Of course, that there will be
| no changes Of scene or costume during
| play, but he does mean that the
changes will not be obtrusive. The
| motion pictures, with their practically
unlimited scenic possibilities. make it
impossible for the stage to compete
with them. And the stage Of the future
must depend solely on the dramatic
value Of its offerings. The plays that
| screamed both dramatically and scenic
ally are things Of the past. The future
will bring calm and quiet. and strong
but not obtrusive emotions TO the audi
| tnces. Marie-Odiie" /, one OF this
| type. 1t has no high note that shrllls
above all the others. Its harmonies
| are Of the melodic sort that refresh as
we'll as uplift and recreate. 1t Is an
| extreme Of the type to which Mr.. Be-
lasco had reference, but It strikes a
| complete human chord. not a single
vibrant tone,
In this strain did David speak.
Proving the wisdom that 10 said to
show just how canny a Scot can be
NJ. Barrie has blossomed forth as the
| only Interpreter Of Shakespeare who
does it with an alibi. Interpreting
Shakespeare with an alibi. when you
come to think Of 1t. is very common
! sense proceeding. 1t Is just as common
| sense-and. in way. an exact counter
| part-as the action Of the man who
starts on his travels by dropping n
sum of money in 4 slot machine and
drawing forth an accident Insurance
be done to his person during the jour-
ney. Barries alibi is an insurance pol
Icy against unpleasant comment and
criticism. Barrie has boldly assumed
that the people who have been trans
! Tanning of the shrew" have been work.
ing blind lead. as the miners would
say. They have adopted the wrong
premise. And so Barrie has proceeded
to set them right by giving them quite
little one-act drama he calls THE
Ladies' Shakespeare" But-and here
comes the Scottish canniness of Barrie
! or tho cony Scotchness Of hjm-while
he has fixed things UP to suit himself,
he never lets his play be produced
| without spreading his alibi before his
Audience BY means of note on the
program. In order that those who fail
to get program or see the play might
| nevertheless be put In full possession
| Of the alibi. here It is:
THE Tanning Of the Shrew' was first
performed before one Sly. a tinker. who.
being drunk. entirely mistook it's pur-
port which did SO amuse viii Shake
speare that he proclaimed Let it ever
be presented as through tho eyes of
Sly. until women come into their own
and do me the honor Of reading my tale
Alright In short my daughter, Knth-
crime. never was shrew. Yet feeling
| that 'twere we'll to marry, and have the
thing over. she did decide to take to
husband only some swain whom around
her finger she could easily wind. So
! whom Petruchio came to Padua, and
roared before US what valiant kind he
was, my Katherine smiled. And unto me
, she spoke these memorable words: This
braggart. father Is the man for me
hut how to make him wed thee, child
said I. To which incontinently she did
answer: I have but to say. ~ will not
wed thee. I will not be tanned" When
at once he'll roar: Thou shalt" And all
want she said. I'll get by merely say
ing I want it's opposite"
Being a waiter is not only a manner
| Of earning a living but a state of mind