Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-30


the test.
Now there is no getting round the fact
that this is a 'high-brow' matter It is
for people who aren't satisfied with the
plays Of Broadway and Broad Street.
But-and this is a great big but which
makes the whole thing worth talking
about-it is surprisingly easy to cultivate
that altitadinous forehead. Liking INTEL
ligent plays isn't half so hard as the
managers think. II the Stage Society lets
Philadelphia find that out, lust as the
Washington Square Players have let New
York, then it will do a mighty big and
worthwhile thing.
Anyway. the high brow has a right tn
Kick at the American theatre. And his
klck islit that other people get what
they Want-whieh is partly true-or that
he has to see what he doesn't wapt-whicb
Is almost entirely false His kick is that
ne can't get what he himself wants. The
economic organization OF the American
theatre won't let it cater to anything but
the wholesale trade The library can. the
art museum can, even saloons can. But
the theatre can't.
The high brow has another eorr,lai-t
ana almost anybody liking good. satisfac-
loFy amusement can join him. II he finds
pay ne hkes and goes to it ne has
70 pay Tor half dozen other pIavs he
never saw. To begin with. ne has ;, ro,,
somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 for
Sood seat On top Of that he knows that
a considerable part of his s. goes to meet
stie lCSSeS on otner theatrical ventures
that the manager or the theatre has suf-
iered- AT the very best, he is paving for
the privilege of not having had to watch
those failures slow demise.
II s hard TO say who first Thought of the
| cure for this. The credit is probahIv d,,s
10 the country whose almost perfecf the
atrlcal system made the evil least evident
-Germany- AT any rate. the Neue Frefe
Noiksbuehne is the best and sin,nlest
specimen OF voluntary Organization of
people who wanted to produce GOOD
dramas cheaply for themselves. This or
saui%duon OF subscribers was able to
hire theatres and actors for davs when
they were free. and to put so much ANA
teur talent and spirit into the worl, that
a very modest but dependable s1bscrip-
ton Zee covered the adequate protI,1.tion
Oh plays of limited appeal Sure OF an
duuiehee ana certain sum of money.
everything else could be made to suit
me idea spread. II spread through
Germany into France. where Antoine ma
Brieux got their starts through the
Iheatre Liore, playhouse beginning in
the second story of cafe where artists
went TO see what the boulevard theatres
eonldat give them. The idea spread IN
20 england. The Incorporated STAGE 60
clety OF London gave Shaw. Galswofthv
Barker. Bennett, st. John Hankin to the
Engiish-speaking stage. Three ar fo,,r
years ago the idea reached America. Hs-a
1t was modified decidedly towards the
amateur because the fiux and iow Of the
uncertain touring system put professfonaI
| aid at a disadvantage.
Boston had one of the frs, q, ,ho.o
ventures At the Toy Theatre a group of
amateurs gave new plays with a scenic
and histrionic finish that were t-,,l0
remarkable. Shaw's Getting Married
| Chesterton's Magic" and Cuirna,a,s
Maria Rosa were the monuments
reared there. Out in Chicago. Maurice
Brownies Little Theatre contribute5
eats. Euripides, Strindberg, Schnitzlar
Maurice Barring. Synge. Other local cIuhS
OF amateurs In Lake Forest, Madisou.
Milwaukee gave Maeterlinck, GoIdoni ana
| Hofmanstal. This year sees more asso-
citation CT the kind in IndianapoIis. St
Paul. and other Middle Western cities.
Here in the east, New York has a mar
velous example to show in the second
season Of the Washington square
Players. Opon their model the Phuadel-
phia Stage Society is Roping to build
| as successful a future.
The first production Of the Stage So
ciety is to be an audience Like the
Washington Players and ali ita ancestors.
it is beginning at the right end. finding q