The Washington times., 1915-03-28

|
by right of position on the payroll of
some publication that prints what they
write with more or less qualification.
Criticism of anything that appeals to
but purely personal opinion which is
given greater or less authority by the
experience Of the critic who pronounces
One of the most continental of mod
ern writer's on subjects pertaining to
the drama,--if we may use that word
in a figurative sense-is George jean
Nathan, whose writings have so often
inspired the "I-wish h-I-had-written-that"
sort Of comment from the rest of us who
really try. which Is the most sincere
tribute to their general excellence and
readability. Mr.. Nathan has written
paragraph in the April number Of the
Smart Set" which is worth reading
by both critics and people who have &C
quired the habit of reading criticism: In
tho hope of giving It the widest sort OF
circulation we reprint 1t:
1T is the prescription Of large par
eel Of our theatrical reviewers habit
ually to mistake % deep-speaking
voice for acting ability; G) physical
ness for vulgarity; 0 all audible or
visible hysteria. such as bosom -heaving.
fist-clenching. and nose-blowing. for
eTsS erss 90 daesue fof for ds
loguc, and 90 sad plays for serious
plays.
"A sad play. that is to say a play
which brews a bourgeois tear. which
moves in an atmosphere Of gloom, is
inevitably regarded by these gentlemen
as a serious play while a gay play is
quite as inevitably looked on as the
contrary
The philosophy of such critical
pinochle is. Of course. unconsciously
jocose. Particularly when one recalls
that play is often sad in proportion
to its absence of thought; that emotion
a n 1y,o har tf,tF Ft,n.x sal lIry, to
gether: that new ideas ever impress the
community as comic, and that. in brief
again to repeat Walpole). life is a
tragedy to those who feel and a COM
edy TO those who think. AS the eye
becomes moist, the brain becomes dry
| Reverting for a moment to music in
place OF critical discord one might re-
call the fact that musics music also has
a very difficult time of it when 1t hap
pens to be coupled with the raw ma
terial for the home grown prophet
metaphor. The prophet has an easy
try compared with the interpreter of
mrsic-at least that seems to be the sit
uation here. There are two examples
Of ii rather prominently before the local
public just now.
Orvnle Harold will appear in vaude-
Vile here this week because he is Orvilc
Harold of the United States. Conserv-
ative musical critics declare this young
man is one Of the most emarkable ten
ors that has been produced in recent
years. ana In England he divided popu
this country Harold fails in drawing
power among the pationZers of great
artists-.not through his lack of ability,
for he has it, and to spare-but for that
curious reason which will only be re-
duCed to something tangible when it is
possible to demonstrate human nature
by mathematics.
In this city we have the honor of en-
| & EF-tQ Inc vhna
Torrance has been called the ideal of
at least one great poetic-opera heroine
by equally competent critics. In the per
son Of Gretchen Hood. Miss Hood has
all the attributes of a great singer, and,
with experience. will probably become
one of the greatest of artists. But the
fact that she is home product and
that her. voice is the work of our own
tcachers-and. tby the way, of teachers
right here in Washington-she is
greatly handicapped at the very start.
There isns much doubt IN the minds OF
those who heard Miss Hood in Faust"
but that the handicap will be sur
mounted.
At the same time 1t is rather hard OH the
unusually competent instructress who
made her voice what it is-who trained
her and worked with her day in and day
out for years-that her work should not
have the same market value as the
stamp OF Marchesi. 1t really isn't
very encouraging for people who have
the ability to do this kind of teaching
to choose music as a career. Music's
music is all that Shakespeare said it
civilization it seems to need Latinized
or Germanic interpreter aided and ahet-
ted by skilful advertising department.
Among the lions that long abutted
the pathway of the theatrical Pilgrim
was one that bore a label warming all
, | comers to be wary of attempting to
amuse the public in the summer! Just
| -laN IryfY Y,al oil FnI
the theory that people don't care to be
v amused in the summer has never been
! fully identified. But for many years
: the so-called business acumen of pur-
, veyors of dramatic entertainment was
+ eclpsed by this idea.
II Three Washington men-eXperienCed
: in providing entertainment and keen on
applying common sense methods TO
.. amusement problems-eXplored the sum-
mer amusement pathway about seven
years ago and discovered the lion that
g looked SO natural and had frightened
. so many, worthy pioneers, was OF a
quality similar to REINFORCED concrete.
. or something of the same inanimatc
u sort. These persons. Messrs. Frank and
oliver MetZerott and Fred G. Berger,
I set UP a real dramatic company in the
> face of the dry bones of tradition, and
But there isn't any reason why the
great success of the Columbia Players
year after year should be recounted.
- All Washington Is familiar with the re-
S~S>NN
q because the theater was filled at prac-
;. tically every performance. and was kept
>. filled for twenty weeks or more each
: year. The wise ones who had shaken
a | their heads haven't quite recovered
q from their astonishment. This season
:, the Metzerott and Berger combination
, is preparing something new-a season
= of the best musical comedy, which they
. | promise to produce just as they pro-
. duced their dramatic offerings in years
- past.
The main requirement of their organ
izations of past years has been pro
:. fessional ability OF the highest degree
y Only those people who could act anC
, only those plays that in their presenta
= ton brought enjoyment and entertain
. ment to an audience had place on tn,
. Columbia stage. II is not only reason
:. able to suppose, but one may venture
a positive affirmation of the fact. tina
c the same process has been followed il
Z the preparation of the new enterprise
II AS that process of selection and pre-
sentation has met with success in year
s past because it provided the sort o
: thing people most wished to see an,
n hear, those who have supported the Co
lumbia venture heretofore are fully JUS
n titled in the possession of feeling O
= confidence that the same result will b.
70 achieved this season.