New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-07
By George s. Kaufman.

~ two occasions during the cur
rent season we have attended
- revivals with why-do-they-put
on-these-old-thing feeling and come
away with the glowing hope that more
Of the old plays would be brought 20
light. Regarding them as group, 1T
is impossible TO think kindly Of the
plays Of twenty years ago. Memories
insist on coming up-memories OF Jim
Che Penman" and "A Celebrated Case
and "Tbe Great Pursuit and other
atrocities. But the thought Of these
plavs cannot dim the brilliancc Of the
two most Joyous revivals Of the year.
"The Little Minister" is the first OF
then, and "If We're King" is the other.
Miss Adams has carried the former
into the although not ne
cause patronage was lacking IN Ne"
York. YOU may be assured "lt j were
King however. still is 20 be seen.
The formal announcement has u mat
the coming week Will be its last oni7
p,oHcial indications a. the moment oil.
tvnine are that the engagement VIII
ho nrolonged for az least two weeks
Quite aside from the fact that j. H.
sothern is making his last appearances
on the American stage, excluding 'ne
fact that the Actors Fund VIII pfoN'
bv the engagement. disregardinE each
and every sentimental consideration
OF We're King is a performance
that none should miss. This romantic
plsv Of Mr.. McCarthy's touches the
bordsrs of the classic, and II IS eX-
tremelv likely that future generations
will class 1t within the pale.
still speakinc of revivals, ~ Woman
n No Importance Wilde's comedy IS
% be clsssed many miles above 'ue
.voraoe theatrical resurrection. IT.
s,u has life by reason Of its dialogue
WHICH. generally speaking, is the only
thing that can keep play alive more
than a decade. A situation that was
excellent in 1906 is reasonably sure 10
he overworked and passe Ia 1910 Du1
cooS line once is good line always
7. nav be that the line has since Deeh
discovered BY vaudeville and is thof-
ongbIv familiar to the audience pu'
nevertheless it viii be enjoyed. IL IS Z"
theatrical axiom that an audience hAeS
IA laugh ut the things that 1t always
h.s laughed at, but 10 is equally axlo-
matte that it will nc. thrill 20 slIua-
ton that it has always thrilled TO- Inc
exnlaDation of this phenomenon VIII
have 70 come from Professor Munster
berg
Mr.. Daly's production Of beau
Brumnell" completes the current liSt
of rcvivals, il one excerpts Mr. ShaEe-
spearc's Tempest" ~Beau Brummeii
nrovee the strength OF the axiom. The
wit of the play wears well, but 1t does
not cover a sufficient proportion OF the
dramatic area TO obscure the old
fashioned workmanship
While the evolution of an Industry
i, In progress it is almost impossible
20 indicate the exact niche that the
industry will occupy after crystalliza-
ton. Any one can look back and de-
plore the shortsightedness Of those who
decried Mr.. Fulton's attempts to
fashion a steamboat, but these very
persons might have been decriers had
they lived a hundred years ago. Among
tho industries that are passing through
the formative period to-day is the
motion picture business. And although
speculation concerning it is bound to
be more or less guesswork, IT IS pos
sible, by taking advantage Of history
10 lay down broad and general truth.
The motion picture began by i'm
itating the stage. This was a mistake
for the motion picture cannot compete
with the stage in the latter's field. 1t
was, however, a natural mistake. 1t
had been assumed that the picture, be-
cause IL employed actors TO tell story,
was a branch of the stage. To make
the promised historical comparison. the
first railroad used coaches similar to the
horse-drawn vehicles, the belief being
that they were the only kind 20 use.
Gradually the railroads modified these
coaches, adding 70 them and subtract
ing from them 20 meet their peculiar
needs. Eventually they evolved some
thing not at all like the old coach.
There was 90 reason why 10 should