Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-28

- ESTABLISHED favorites held at
tention. Experience" though
newcomer, stayed long
enough to become an estab-
lished favorite, with g. return
engagement easily foreseen for another
season. 1.-The Birth of a Nation" has
sailed through stormy seas of con-
troversy both as a play, under the title
THE Claasman," and later as a film
Interest in the drama conferred in alb
stract discussion rather than In prac-
teal calculation. Perhaps it reverted
10 the primordial stage of histrionic
vitality. limiting itself to single char
acter and n single theme. The theater,
Ike the actor, IS sometimes most inter-
est.nE when 1t discards the services
nj author and stage manager and pro-
.eeds to talk about itself.
y
b. Three conspicuous figures of the
thcater were represented in the plat
form addresses the past week. Gran
Vile Barker typifes a theater Of the
unconventional school, disdainfui or
scenic embellishments. The dominant
suggestion OF his discourse lay in the
query. ..Why bother about art?''
An irreverent commentator, CYNICAL
AS regards American literary encour-
asement. observer, why, indeed? Why
begin to bother about art at TINS time
when we have never done so oeIore
Eojioving Mr.. Barker came DaNio
warI Griffith identified with the thea
ter's most modern expression. tne my
ing picture. He spoke before the Arts
club on Thursday night and was 1oi-
lowed the next day by Sir Herbert Tree,
an exponent of the earliest ana nigh-
est traditions of the English-speaklhg
stage.
Each smoke from his particular view
noint. Each contradicted the pose
which conventional observation Wouiu
he inclined to assign the lecturer. MI.
Barker. who has been most conspicuous
for adventures in art for arts SAKE
-nroceeded to invite his hearers not TO
bother about it. Mr.. Griffith, whose
splendid photoplays cannot aitogetnei
escape association with the hignly oe-
.veloped mechanical and commercial as
-pect of the theater, spoke feellngly OF
art. He argued loyalty and efhcientls
in behalf of his claim that the pnoto-
play is entitled to respect as some
thing far beyond a mere expanded
photograph. Sir Herbert Tree. whose
name is linked with the drama in the
highest and most comprehensive sense
spoke of the theater scarcely at all
He is a reminder in personality, as
well as in the title bestowed upon him
by his government, of the encourage
ment which England affords TO serious
endeavor in literature and the drama
Away from the playhouse, he revealed
himself a man of broad, earnest
thoughtfulness beyond the limitations
of his particular part great actor,
indeed: convincing and graceful
speaker. but, more than these. pa
triot and a huma unitarian. For Sir
Herbert Tree the world is a stage and
the characters which occupied his at
tention were heroic indeed, the mon
archs of the earth, who are creating the |
endless drama of history. |
But with all of Sir Herbert Trees |
lofty philosophy and Mr.. Grifhth's con-
tention for recognition of the movie as |
a work of art superior to censorship. |
the theater itself afforded lin its per- !
sistent way most encouragement to |
Granville Barker's pronouncement-I
why bother about art?"
PHILANDER JOHNSON.