Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-08
The New Generation
in the Theatre

These are new days indeed in the
theatres Liebler and Tyler and Fiske
are out of it--for this year, at any rate.
Even Charles Frohman is not the figure
he was. He keeps his position in the
forefront of producers only by inde-
fatigable, honest industry, not success.
other men, younger men, carry off the
big honors nowadays. Cohan & Harris,
A. II. Woods william A. Brady the
shuberts, Selwyn g. Co.-they are the
managers who score the big successes.
Somehow they seem closer to the new
temper In the playgoing public.
New playwrights, too. are the order of
the day A correspondent Of the ORA
matte Mirror figures that at the time
he writes at least eight of the nine
original native plays in New York are
by men new to the game. A decade ago
American writer's began to dominate the
theatre at the expense of the foreigners.
Now n new race of playwrights Is TAX
ing the places of the pioneers.
Perhaps the new plays don't seem so
pleasant, so comfortable, 80 dependable.
as the old. Perhaps you look back re-
gretfully to the days when the foreign
play ruled the American stage. Yet,
though you sigh for a certain finish and
refinement now departed, you must realize
and accept gladly the fact that these new
plays and these new playwrights are
making very genuine attempt to get
close to the real America. They are crude,
perhaps, like the real America. But we
stand at beginnings, not conclusions.
Frightening Things Up
There are subtleties in musical comedy
lots of them. And often they have to do
with that little-understood business, the
producing of the show. "Suzl, at the
Adelphi, is a case in point, and the man.
aSer of another company turned critic
for the moment, furnishes the data.
Half the effect of the first act, he
thinks, is lost by mistakes of costumer
and scene painter. What should be just
as amusing and light-hearted as the rest
of the piece doesn't half live up to its
opportunities. "The back dro. s too dull,
too much night, too oppressive 1t ought
to have life and color or else space and
distance. And then they bring on their
chorus in high boots and long coats down
to the knees-just as If they re getting
ready for rainstorm. 1t queers things"
After all, it's big part these pro-
ducers play-R II. Burnside, Frank
Smithson, Ned Wayburn. The managers
know it. They know 1t too well most OF
the time They let the book" and even
the music go hang. Which doesn't make
the producer any less essential.
Brieux's MATERNITY" Produced
Richard Bennett has added Maternity
to his early selection from BrieuX's fine
spirited dramas. Wednesday night New
York-or the part of 1t that belonged to
the Purpose Play Society-witnessed the
play at the Princess. The press gives 1t
honest, sincere consideration, more as
preachment about evils now hedging ma
ternity than as a play. Hector Trumbull,
of the Tribune, writes truly and discern
ingly:
when he tears down the screen that
keeps us from seeing such evils as are
displayed In Maternty'-the terrible cru
city practiced by modern society in re-
lation to the unmarried mother, the awful
horror of large families in poverty. the
menace of alcoholism to the future gen.
eratlons-he is like our up-to-date EFF
ficlency' man going through our social
fabric as one would make a tour of an
antiquated dwelling Garbage heaps are
raked and exposed, dark closets are sud-
denly lighted and open plumbing is Of
fered in place of the older hidden and
germ breeding contrivances.
This hopeful optimistic note is quite
singular in Brieux for his works have
all the signs of coldly scientific mind
intent upon facts and accepting the dra-
matte values of his discoveries as a sec |
ondary consideration. He cares nothing |
at all for the clever irony that shames |
dignity while pretending to commend It, |
His work is rather with conditions of |
society. He shows us sores that may be |
healed and grievous hurts that may be
helped"
$4,000 for whatp
Winthrop Ames' $4,000 prize play,
Children of Earth" has been produced
In New Haven, and so far as a review in
the Journal Courier can indicate, he may
have bought pig in a poke. The re-
viewer hopes for success In New York
only II some drastic changes are made in
the opening acts.
The principal figure In Alice Browns
play is a fne-tempered New England
woman who has sacrificed her whole life
to care for an undeserving father. When
love comes to her starved impulses, she
fights 1t down with a truly New Eng
land devotion to obligations. Efhe
Shannon plays the woman with distinct
success. Herbert Kelcey, A. E. Anson,
Cecil Yapp and Olive Wyndham complete
the cast.
The reviewer OF the Journal Courier is
unable. he frankly confesses, to say II