Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-07
PRINTED PLAYS AND BOOKS
ABOUT THE THEATER ABOUND
shaw Leads Off, With Brieux, Maseield and
Great Array of Foreign Play
wrights Following
BY the Literary Editor

and theatrical drama, The Lie" ia par.- |
nered by a book OF discussion about the
drama called The Theater OF Ideas"
Though the point Of view IL a little old
fashioned. It's wit Is as delicious as any in
Mr.. Joness many delightful comedies.
Among books about the theater may be
mentioned hve on varied aspects. One Is
Ashley II. Thorndike's scholarly and vet
charmingly written book on "Shnkespeare's
Theater" macmillan Company New York;.
Another. Training for tho Stage" e. b.
Llpplncott Company. Phliadelphia), by Ar
thur Hornblow, takes up many interesting
angles OF Its subject matter; David Belasco
supplies foreword practical Stage Di-
recting for Amateurs" (E p. Dutton a Co.
New York;. is pretty complete guide to
the mounting OF n play: hardly any side OF
that complex operation escapes treatment
The two remaining volumes are critical
and expository. Both are by Barrett H.
Clark. man who has done great deal for
the better understanding Of the foreign
stage both by his translations and by books
like the present Contemporary French
Dramatists" (Stewart q Kidd Company
CincinnatD. and British and American
Drama Of Today (Henry Holt a Co. New
York;. The latter is a comprehensive out
line for study. particularly well suited TO
tho Drama Leaguers.
Quite BIT akin to Shaw in antlc serious
ness In George Jean Nathans collection OF
dramatic fulminations called Another
Book About the Theater." and issued by
b. W. Huebsch. Here there are no plays.
out great deal Of wit and wisdom about
them. Some OF the humor Is pretty ex.
travagant; but back Of most Of II is a very
solid and dependable point Of view with
real knowledge OF foreign and native dra-
matte literature Tho whole thing is amaz-
ingly good fun, whether you care for
long sh discussions OF the optimism OF
tragedy" or such bitter-sweet quips as the
definition: 'Drama-the erroneous theory
that the most important episodes in a mans
or woman's life are the most interesting"
does; he who can't. criticizes. As, for re-
spective example, George " Hobart and
William Hazlitt."
The Melancholy Tale OF Me" Is the char
acterlstically whimsical title with which
10 H. Sothern designates his delightful
"reminiscences, first printed in part. In the
Century and now issued In enlarged book
form by the Century Company. Mr.. Soth-
ern enjoyed a long stage career rich in ac-
quaintances and experiences. He has drawn
very literally upon II, but not to exhaus-
tion. He knows where TO stop, and better
still. where TO start. This is no boringly
continuous autobiography. The sketches Of
himself, his father, his remarkable uncle
and the hundreds Of stage friends that he
made, his accounts of dramatic ventures
and social gatherings, are all strung to-
gether in an easy, chatty. varied narrative.
full of sprightliness, humor and sentiment
Miss Theodosia Baxter wandered up and
| down the world for three years in search
| of something to interest her, only to return
| home and find II on the upper doorstep of
| her own front door What she found was
a surprised child holding a baby on her
knees. They were two of the neighbor g
| children, and ere long she met the two
other children of the family. How this
| quartet of youngsters reached the heart of
| the staid and travel-worn woman and event
uauy brought romance into her life is set
| forth delightfully."- by Annie Hamilton Dom
nell in Miss Theodosia's ''Heartstrings"
| Qittle. Brown & Co.. Boston)
The Spell of Egypt" (The Page Com
| pany, Boston, seems more meritorious than
| the average gift book To be sure. II Is
beautifully produced in paper, printing and
| binding and II is profusely and effectively
| illustrated. In addition. the text is nc
| dry-as-dust recital Of the chronological steps
| Of tourists tripping through the Pha'
| raonic realm, but is interesting In matter
| and engrossing In presentation. Possibly
the high quality of the text is due TO the
| fact that II is by n trained journalist, Archie
| Bell, the dramatic editor OF a Cleveland
newspaper whose work as reported gave
| him the quickness of vision to seize or
striking features and the capacity TO repro
duce color in words and as critic of frs
| nights" the power TO convey impressions
quickly and spectacularly. There is more II
his book than descriptions of the pyramids
| and revivals of the lore OF the Ptolemies
| II gives the modern reader an idea of mod
ern Egypt; It leaves the antique to Rawlin
| son.