Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-27
After Of Twenty Years
why Have We No Ma
tional Theatre? = Asks
Famous Player Mana
ger-Random Remarks
Bv SIR HERRERT TREE


TT is strange that the English.speaking
peoples are the only ones who do not
recognize the necessity Of national thea.
tire. tits to he hoped that the State may turn
IS attention to this aspect Of education, and
I notice already tendency in the universe
ties Of this country to devote their consid-
Grafton TO the drama
It seems to me that the greatest tragedy
Of the modern stage in America was the
heroic failure Of the New Theatre II was
started in a splendid public spirit. be-
lieye, by those who gave New York It's
opera, and what would New York he today
without its opera? The necessity of
peoples theatre will probably not make
shall have created the demand, just as the
necessity for great man is not realized
until no has made himself felt
do not think that the powers that sway
the destInles Of tho English and American
nations have yet realized how important to
the state ls the health and well-beng Of
the theatre They have not recognized how
potent factor is the playhouse in shaping
the minds of the people. and above all, how
greatly influenced young men and women
gro by what they see when sNtnE at a
play. II is their social education. In the
theatre they learn how to behave and some
times how not to behave.
Is Shakespeare alive or dead? That is
the question Is he to bo or not TO be?
II he is to be, his being must he of our
rwn time. We must look at him with the
eyes and listen to him with the ears of
our own generation And it Is surely the
greatest tribute to his genius that we should
claim his work Rs belonging no less to
our time than to his own.
Some contend that II Shakespeare be fit
10 play to our nge. in order properly to
appreciate his works they must be only
dccked out with the wardrobe OF n by
gone time. Much has been written OF late
as to the way in which Shakespeare's plays
should he presented. We are told in this
connection the ideal note to strike Is that
of adequacy" 1t is suggested that we
should not apply TO Shaliespearean prOduc-
tions the same elaboration tho same re-
gard for stage illusion, for mounting seen
cry and costume, tho Same reverence for
accuracy even which wo devote to authors
or lesser degree; that we should not. in
fact avail ourselves Of those adiuncts
MnicE in these days science and art place
at the managers right hand in other
words. we arc to produce our national
poets works without the crowds and
armies, without tho pomp and croum-
stance which arc suggested in every page
Of the drnmatist's work and the absence
CT which Shakespeare himself so fire.
quently aments in his plays
We are told that under the present sys-
9Cm it is no longer possible for Shakes
I"arc's plays to he acted constantly and
in true variety owing to the large Sims
Of money necessary. OF course, if large
number Of shakespcare's plays could follow
each other without intermissIon a very
desirable state Of things would be at
tanned. ! take 1t that the proper function
of putting Shakespeare upon the stage Is
not only to provide an evenings entertain
mnnt at the theatre, but also to give a
stimulus to the further study of our great
poets works. If performances. therefore,
make but heetng impression during the
Nnoments that they are in action and are
forgotten soon as tho playhouse Is
quilted, tho stimulus for diving deeper into
other plays than those that we have wit
messed must inevitably he wanting. For
my own part | admit that the long run
has its disadvantages-tha It tends (unlests
fought aEanst) TO a lessng Of enthusiasm,
passion and Imagination on the part OF
the actor
hold that the dictum Of manager
OF another day and generation, to wit,
Chattertou of Drury Lane. London TO he
effect that shakespeare spells ruin" has
Ecen abundantiy disproved both in Eng
land and in America. Never was Shakes
peare more popular than in this day, 800
years after his death The time gives it
proof"
The actor should he taught alocutIon.
fencing darciuE, department.. pantOmime
and gesture, As to elocutlou the proper
use Of the voice, the pronunciation and
enunCiatiou Of tho English language, and,
above all, the right delivery OF blank verse
these are points which must be taught
and should be taught before an actor
heaven bora or otherwise--cau he Consd-