The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-10

nS hSure IN tae GngHsn theatre to-day.
lie ." an urtoI manager. but 50 tar
an actor manage who has 40. stood
only iur MS own ag-TAud.2rmcuD arts
tic and otherwise, bur ion Intelligence
and the highest artistic standards in
the theatre. He is intensely modern.
But he has passed through the tram
ing which j. necessary To equip every
artist for his work lie has operated
in every branch OF his meter. Whether
or not one may agree with his theories
aud the manner in which NE puts them
into practice. Mr.. Barker oil, a profess
sonai IN every sense Of the word.
The history OF his management of the
Court Theatre, a little boN. with J..
T.. Nedrenne Is The most refreshing
chronicle of the ContcmpOrancOus Brit
ish theatre. That history viii soon be
repeated here. In tine meantime it is
more interesting TO acquaint the pub
lie, which is So soon 30 DE asked to
Judge Of bis quality, with some Of the
biographical facts concerning this i'm
pending young man.
For he is young, having been BORN
in 1917. 50 he is now 81. He was
born IN London and was only ~ when
he appeared in Harrowgato lie was
soon a member OF nat prolific incu-
bator OF dramatic geniuses the stock
company Of the late Miss Sarah Thorne
at Margate Later ne was in the COM
pany of Charles Hawlrey, acted in pro-
vncial stock companies and passed
through his Ben Greet apprenticeship.
He reached the Haymarkct Theatre in
| 1896 and acted there in Under the Red
| Robe" In Richard Ill" he began
what might be described "A his high
brow era. as ne was then acting under
! the auspices Of tie Stage Society lie
/ acted with Mrs. Patrick Campbell and
| appeared IN more than one West End
/ theatre before he struck what was des-
! tined to be his artistic gait
This he found in the plays of Bernard
Shaw. In Candida" Captain Brass
bounds Conversion" 1.-THE Man OF Des-
tiny" and Mrs Warren's Profession
he was an important figure as actor
and producer. lie wrote Madras
House" The Voysey Inheritance" and
other plays, and thus established his
right to claim "A thorough knowledge
OF his meter,
Mr. Barker came here some years age
al the request OF the gentlemen who
formed the New Theatre, He seemed
to be a possible director OF tnal artlstlC
but misguided enterprise, But It soor
became evident that he could not meet
the conditions as they existed. The
theatre did not seem to him for one
thing, suited 10 its purposes. AT al
events he went home Now he Is bach
10 show at Wallack's what he can ac'
complish in the varied capacities he Il
to fill As he has gained his highest
aurels as a producer of SHAW although
he has more recently distinguishes him
self in his productions of the plays ot
Shakespeare he will begin here witt
"Androcles and the Lion
1t was concerning the decorative
phase of his performances Of Shake
speare that Mir Barker talked with Tn
SrN reporter.
Indeed. as such things go, II is inn
portant, this problem Of ShakespesriaI
scenery" said he, And as "A new for
mua. a new convention has to be
found, the audience must learn to see
even as We learn 10 work In IT. And
the ideal audience Il mean those
dramatically criticaD might even now
begin to cultivate the eye. II not OF
faith OF prophecy. We need help; I as.
sure you that such experiments aren't
easy.
81 postulato that a new formula ha:
TO be found. Realistic scenery won't do
II only because it swears against every,
thing in the plays; if only because it,
never realistic can't argue that poin
now even II there's need So We begir
again at tho beginning,
What are the conditions? We mus
have a background. What sort? AM