New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-26
New Play at the Republic
Tonight Is Out of
English AZ.
PROF. BAKER ONCE
MORE ON BROADW AY
Notable Cast Will Be Seen in
Drama Which Won thu
John Craig Prize.
BY HAYWOOD BROUN.

I
public Theatre so-night, is a brand new
dramatist, and yet we venture to say
that he can face criticism more calmly
than many a veteran. Common Clay"
was built under fire from scenario until
the final act was completed, for Mr..
Kinkead took English AZ at Harvard
under Professor Baker, and in that
course his play was written.
A play which comes out of AZ is in
sense a community drama. Al least 1t
reflects the opinions of twelve or more
men, Bakers dozen as the pupils IN the
class are called at Cambridge.
English AZ" 1--WE quote the unlver-
sity catalogue from memory, rs a
course on the theory and practice Of
the drama open 10 seniors and grad
uate students. Each member OF the
course will be required to write play.
Hours-Tuesdays and Thursdays from
/ 2 to 4. and Saturdays from $3.50 to $3.50,
at the pleasure of the professor"
Baker was never a man to slight his
pleasures, and so the course generally
means six hours of classroom attend
ance a week. During the first half year
the students are concerned with Shaw,
Pinero, Jones, Fitch and other modern
dramatists, but after midyears they set
up their own shops for the output OF
| dramatic literature.
Shaw, Jones, Pinero and the rest
never escape uascathed. Shaw, in par
/ ticular, would writhe if he knew what
some Of the fellows in English AZ have
said about him. Wit they grant him,
L =
When the scenarios of the pupils
themselves are put before the class the
authors generally fare even worse
than Shaw, Jones and Pinero. The
dozen has always prided itself on frank
criticism. So outspoken were most of
the comments il. our day that the ia
vorite classroom diversion was to
glance about in an endeavor to pick
out the guilty man. Professor Baker
never disclosed the authorship of any
Of the class plays which he read in AZ,
but almost invariably the behavior of
I the culprit while his own work was
under consideration would betray him.
We never knew but one man who
was able TO divorce himself from his
| play. Early in the year he threw
everybody off the scent by speaking up
and declaring that the first act of his
own play which had just been read was
one of the weakest forays into the
drama which il had ever been his privi-
lege to encounter. So well did he fool
his classmates that no one suspected
| him some weeks later, when he gave it
as his opinion that the second and
third acts of the same play were wholly
admirable, and that the author, who
ever he might be, had bright future.
inn mill bof
Common Clay" is a play with a Sc
rious subject, as likely as not a play
with a problem. Mr. Kinkead is a law
yer of ten years standing. He has
been a member IF the Kentucky Legis-
lature and newspaper man, but We in
sist that for the purposes of the drama
any new author must be regarded as a
youngster.
Farce is too difficult and too triAing
to attract the attention of Bakers
| dozen, and comedy is also sighted as
medium to jack up the world. The folk
Of AZ want 10 do something for the
universe and do it quick. II is for this
reason, perhaps, that the course has
been so successful. Rarely does an in
sincere play comes out of the little
room in Seaver Hall. The spirit of the
professor and of his students has al
ways been that man can say nothing
much worth while unless he means it.
"SalvatiOn Nell" was play from At,
! and to our mind il is the best piece Of
work Edward Sheldon ever did, al
/ though some of his later things,
notably "The Song Of Songs" and "Ro-
NANCE" achieved more popularity OF
course Sheldon has learned much in
the years since. he left the course, but
I l. !
! The Craig Prize, which was founded
in 1910, gave AZ and Bakers correspond
| ing mot correspondence) course in
Radcliffe something definite for which
to strive. The prize provides for a
payment of $500 and, better than that,
a production by Craig's stock company
at the Castle Square Theatre in Bos-
ton. For two years in succession Rad
cliffe swept the river. "The End of
the Bridge" first of the prize plays,
ran many weeks at the Castle Square
and later was produced in Chicago and
in San Francisco. The name of the
next one we have forgotten, but II did
not go beyond Boston. Frederick Bal
lard was the first man to check the
feminist movement and win the prize
/ for Harvard fIe should have received
/ his al" but somehow or other the
matter was overlooked. His play "Be-
/ lieve Me, Xantippe" reached Broadway.
Common Clay" which won the prize
/ last year. was produced at the Castle
| Square Theatre last spring, and ran
/ for twenty-five weeks
Cleves Kinkead is a fortunate first
author, for not only will he have n New
| York production tonight, but his play
will be acted by the sort of cast for
I L / 4.
( he first set pen TO paper back in the
/ DAYS Of Al. Jane Cowl will be Ellen
| Neal the chief feminine character.
John Mason will appear as Judge Sam
( uel Filson. Others in the notable cast
are Russ Whytall and Orme Caldara.
/ In world Of turmoil and strife it
| is pleasant TO learn that there is at
! least one community still sweet and
| simple, yes. decidedly simple
Goldfish have now been introduced
| into the tank used in The Passing
| Show of 1915 at the Winter Garden,
writes our informant "A number of
/ the diving girls" he adds. whose job
| forces them to be in the tank for a GER
| tain length of time, and who are very
| fend Of goldfish, determined to bring
several specimens with them and put
! them in the tank so that they could
| play with them and have them to add
/ 10 the gayety of the scene Goldfish
races are being arranged for in the
/ tank between the girls, each Of whom
! thinks that her fish is not only the
prettier. but also the more speedy"
We fear for the peace of Already.
/ One day there will come into the
chorus at the Winter Garden some
sophisticated girl who will offer five,
two and even against the pink one with
the black spots on his gills.