Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-07

.-.s,,cfnR the printed pihy eIVMs III poP.-
49,. srhe new year In the theaters hnds
mu ~ vvorthwhlle volumes, some fresh
ec-.' -. ,ns nreeses some remaining from the
~. t.a' .ud summer lists OF the publishers.
EnnsS,ng them all Is Bernard Shaw's new
--,..rslon from Brentanos IL includes be-
-.s.s -Androcies and the Lion over
49, and ''Pygmalion." the usual set of
rs...s notes and appendices. One OF
-. IA n more or less novelized sequel TO
.r,,s.ssr.sion' explaining n great deal more
-, the people and telling just whom Eliza,
- eonverted flower girl, married In the
"a n is shaw from rather novel angle
~ course. the piece de resistance for
-. Who already know the three de-
,,rs,r,, comedies in this volume. Is the
ns,s.cs 70 "Androcles" on The Prospects
y rh,i.,ianfty" beginning with the query:
swhy not give Christianity trial7" His
.,ssssee IL twofold Current Christianity Is
~ 4 following Of Jesus's creed II we had
ssslle from economics to war. that we are
= today.
ao.r n long and keen analysis OF the
- restament he finds that Jesus "ad-
s,rstas communism, the widening Of the
rvsvate family, with its cramping ties, into
~ great family Of mankind under the
ss,,srhood of God, the abandonment of
s-v.nss and punishment. the counteract-
~ al evil by good instead OF by a hos
tna eyIl and an organic conception OF so
e,ety IN which you are not an independent
Individual, but n member OF society, your
rs,rhbor being another member the
.hv;ous conclusion being that unless you
,oye your neighbor as yourself and he re-
.sprocatss you will both be the worse for
u" N we embark on a purely scientific
rudy Of economies, criminology and biol
orv We '.ind that our practical conclu-
:, sIons are virtually those Of Jesus"
we have the conditions Of today, says
shaw, because Christianity has not been
rrsas applicable by Somplcated political
ssv,ces We shall never get better until
vs invent these devices and apply them.
N IA a remarkably stimulating preface.
she best since Major Barbaras
nr,ntano also issues a new collection of
.asvs by Brieux The first which gives
~ volume its name. Is Woman On Her
own" the tragic narrative of woman
4 mo fnds no employment in life except at
he base terms Of mon in authority, lt
handles much the same theme as Gals
worthys Fugitive" but strikes trucr
and deeper note in the tragic vista upon
which the play ends Besides the early
play Of the laws iniquity. The Red
Robe" there is included very interesting
drama Of ancient Egypt, The False
Cods" based on religious controversy. In
4 Brieux postulates the necessity for dog
matte belief among the lower races OF
ciyiliration.
A pisy from John Maseneld is a rare and
very notable event To THE Tragedy or
Nan" and The Tragedy Of Pompey the
Great" he has added, under Macmillan I'M
: print "The Faithful" again tragedy, but
fhis time Of Japan. The form is once more
The rhythmed prose which Masefield han
/. dies, not only better than any modern
dramatist, barring Synge. but better than
any other poetic dramatist handles his blank
rerse. This power of heightened and sug-
rsstiye prose is a secret that will mean
renaissance OF the imaginative theater IL
only poets and playwrights will learn the
lesson Winthrop Ames is to produce The
Faithful" this season at his Little Theater
In New York. So far as beauty and emo
ton 70 the play is assured OF artistic sue
sss. What the verdict Of the box office
wiil be Is another and debatable matter
Macmillan also publishes two odd but
Stimulating little volumes from Percy Mac
Kaye along with his ambitious and musical
drama, THE Immigrants" The smaller
books are NS'The New Citizenship; a Civic
Ritual Devised for Places Of Public Meet
ing IN America" and "A Substitute for
War" a very powerful plea for the demo-
cratic arts of the theater as an emotional
expression, which not only may unity races.
but may also supply an outlet for feelings
Five notable additions have been made
20 that most notable of libraries" of the
current stage, The Drama League Series" !"
issued by Doubleday. Page & Co. The series
now numbers eighteen volumes of thorough
ly representative plays. Tho five newest
range from English comedy through the
French and German theaters. That delight
fui theatrical success. ''Hobson's Choice"
BY Harold Brighouse. represents England,
france supplies "A False Saint" by Fran
cots de curel. a drama that marked the
Birth OF naturallsm in the French theater.
and The Apostle" by Paul Hyacinthe 10y
eon. play Of deep human interest From
Germany come Max Halbe's famous Youth"
and The Mothers" by George Hirschfeld.
10Th dramas constantly seen In the repe-
tory theaters Of the fatherland. All five
have authoritative introductions by men OF
Importance.
Another good series OF plays is the Con-
tmporAry Dramatists. issued by Richard
=. Badger, of Boston. Among the new
volumes. Gorixi's ''Nachtasyl," a marvellous
reeuon. is freshly translated. Italy yields
ns piaylet by Jaointo Benavente, called
ihs Smile Of Mona Lisa" and ona a play
~ that remarkable German, Hugo voI
nomsnnsthai. Madonna Dianora." Il
1ought over into English. as well as 9Th,
esat oalsoto," by Jose Echegaray, already
S.so mere by William Faversham In
en4rles Nixon-Nirdlinger's The World and
nh Wife" There is also a new translation
suandbergs Advent" very powerful
another selection from strindbsrg'i
sofs comes In scribner's Fourth Series
Rays by August strindberg." II in
loes In general pieces less known by in
nsuonai reputation. 'Srhe Bridal Crown,
miscellaneous folkplay; The Spook SO
@ The First Wa: ming" a one-act com
~, ana "Gustavus Vasa," one OF tn
eoes historical dramas.
rIvm the Anerican-Scandinavt Societ.
- o yet another strindberg drama. Mas
vAL historical play written In youtl
'hus the first OF his long series.
ron the Yale University Press comes
.e,ss Book OF the Yale Pageant" hand
6-%s volume containing the scenario OF tn
S-,-s' S,sming ming pageant In celebration o
@VVth anniversary.
S,..-s Sns VIII call Theodore Dresser our owl
fh1psrx Tor the curious combination o
uraiistio and the mystic In hi
fit,s ~, included by John Lane under tn
r<s.. RAYS OF the Natural and the Super
1k~sa ~. The dramatic effectiveness o
~. ~. "A