Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-22
eWILLOW TREE" AT GARRICK; "RESCUING ANGF

1T IS so easy to call the stage the sick
| man Of the arts and the metaphor has
,.en 30 often justified that traces of con-
,.l,scence are apt to be overlooked. Gen.
.r.iixations are always popular They
.onsole the lazy-minded. They are the
snowy furniture of conventional conversa-
,,on and the inauiring spirit that seeks to
dsprove them is frequently rewarded with
hroadsIdes of rubber-stamped disbelief The
rresent philadelphia theatrical situation is
case in point Not for several years has
!, heen so rich in promise, so fortunate in
a. rroundwork. To credit this thus early In
,ha season unquestionaby taxes an in
Nolsnt public opinion that has for some
lime fatty dismissed footlight affairs here
as s'hopeless.'
solace has been found in motion pictures,
.hIch. despite lapses into twaddle, have
.,hiblted considerable artistic betterment
ss the enterprise in all its aspects has
Undergone phenomenal expansion. High
hrows" somewhat hastily so-called, have
,urned toward music. They have seen the
philadelphia Orchestra's evolution into
mighty instrument Of art. They have
marked a complete change in the manner
Al operatic presentation The shabby scenery
a, the Grau and Conried days is no more.
fmnresarios no longer dare to neglect the
Nsst novelties available. Music drama has
eeased to be a mere "costume-concert" and
q becoming worthy of the name bestowed
upon II by Richard Wagner. The standard
N musical rectals is exceedingly high.
~Bllnd Toms" and child prodigies no longer
interest a public that senses good art in
vrtuosi demands IL, and receives II.
theatrical managers have complained
,l,at music and movies were their most
cowerful foes. This was perfectly true
while the drama was ILL., Evidences OF re-
eovery now visible should eventually put
arother complexion on this rivalry.
definite way to hasten gratitude, how.
aver is the marshaling of actual facts.
ncomparison of the budding stage season
With those of one year and two years
,ro is profitable and suggestive. From
every angle footlight affairs here have now
brighter status and a more auspicious out
look. A midwinter slump may, of course,
occur since advance announcements tell
us little about post-Christmas attractions
But 1t is rank pessiTism to postulate fu-
a.. sfid days, when the present period
contrasts so favorably with that of the
inaugurals of other recent seasons.
r asst fall. for example, Experience held
IL its trite and banal sway on our stage.
George V. Hobart's morality" drama was
undoubtedly the best advertised poor play
Of a generation. Other early offerings were
sFlora Bella" mildly interesting oper-
eta Robinson Crusoe, Jr," funny but
highly inconsequential; "The House of
Glass" very ordinary melodrama. triclted
out with sham sociology; the utterly hope
less sport of Law" Common Clay" an
oyereplored sob" piece, constantly nearing
the line of unintentional burlesque; "The
Two James, quite the worst musical farce
Of two decades; Miss Springtime," mus-
cal comedy with wearisomely sentimental
lied score and a book devoid of genuine
humor and Mister Antonio" a crude tis-
sue of unrealities, emphatically overacted
by Otis Skinner.
II is true that the art OF high comedy
was deicousy exploited by Marie Tempest
In "a Ladys Name" and that Augustus
Thomas's "Rio Grande" was a well con-
structed, effective melodrama, admirably
presented. But the pail Of gloom shed by
footght mediocrities was too thick to be
pierced merely by two praiseworthy speci.
mems.
Autumn, 1915. brought forward, the
sugary but ably acted little comedy,
Daddy Long Legs; the unimportant
operetta, THE Lilac Domino" and the
trivial potpourrl. Hands Up" "A Full
House" injected a note of cheer into the
season. but, after all, that prosperous farce