New-York tribune., 1917-10-07
By David Belasco

pN AtCiuS(C
To attempt a defence Of melodrsms
would be equivalent TO attempting 4
defence Of life. To my thought they
are SYNONYMOUS terms--the one stand
ing in no more need of defence than
the other. In fact, the grain Of salt
with which the so-eslled highbrow
seems 70 consider il necessary 70 take
the melodramstic form of expression
on the stage is a source of never-ceas-
ing amusement 70 me. because there 10
no other mode so true 10 the sctuali-
ties Of life. And that which tells the
truth about life in any one Of its
phases IS the only real art there is.
The only difference between melodrsma
and other forms Of drama Is that II
deals with vital situations and expert
ences. So. unless we are ashamed OF
our big moments In life, there is no
reason that we should be ashamed 70
admit the satisfaction we find in the
big and virile melodrsms that strips
away the hypocrisy and veneer from
society and shows us the heart OF man
just as Il pulsstes down where the eyes
Of his fellows cannot see.
To me there is no other form OF pro-
duction go absorbing as q great, big,
throbbinS story Of primitive emotions
such as Willard Mack tells In Tiger
Rose" which | am presenting at the
Lyceum Theatre. And am no diff
ferent from my neighbor. What Is
true Of me Is. IN the main, true Of him.
High OF low, rich or poor, we enjoy the
depletion OF familiar emotions. That
u why the whole world loves melo-
drama. IL is the form of play that is
truest TO the facts Of existence and
therefore the form that finds the most
universal understanding and sppreeis-
tion. Stage history proves this be
yond the shadow of s doubt, for plays
come and plays go, but, like Tenny-
sons brook, melodrama goes on forever.
We have had cycles Of all sorts OF
plays. There was a vogue some years
back for problem plays; then came.
perfect deluge of sex plays-nauseous
discussions Of the white slave trafhc
and frank expositions Of sex education
each IN turn enjoying s spasmodic
popularity. But through them all II
has been the play dealing with the
primitive emotions inherent in man
and familiar 20 every auditor that has
held a steady prosperity.
From, "Niek Of the Woods" written
BY Mise I. H. Medina, and produced by
the stock star company of which Joseph
Proctor was head SONS thirty-six years
ago, 70 Tiger Rose" there has been
no vsriablsness IN the history Of the
success Of tho we'll constructed melo-
dramatic play. The Bret Hsrte sto-
ries were ss popular In their drama
tired form as ever they were between
The covers of magazine. Edward
Spencer's and Thomas Blades de Wei
den's "Kit, the Arkansas Traveller" en-
joyed tremendous patronage. BARLEY
Campbell's "My Partner" in which
Louis Aldrich and Parsloe starred;
The Girl | Left Behind Me-" which /
wrote in collaboration with Franklin
Fyles; my production of "The Rose Of
the Rancho" with Frances Starr as
it's colorfui heroine; Milton Royle's
"Squaw Man." in which William Faver-
sham starred; The Girl OF the Golden
West" impersonsted by Blanche Bates.
Ar. some of the most notable examples
Of the worlds love of melodrama, and
the sort Of play to which memory
clings when the tale that is told in
lighter vein has been forgotten.
Webster defines melodrams as a
kind Of drama, commonly romantic and
sensational. with music interspersed,"
conception that has become, in its lat
ter term, obsolete. Melodrama was
originally two words-melody drama,
so.cslled because il was drama accom-
panied by music. Introductory music,
Incidental music and occasional solos;
duets, quartets and sextets. The change
from the original TO the modern form
was accomplished very gradually, the
most decided landmark being in Bouci-
cault's time, when ne presented what he
called sensation drama, not sensational;
hut even in that he sang an occasional
song-and always In melodrama a chord
on the G string. chills and fever music,
has been permissible.
Tho terms romantic and sensational
still apply. They will always apply be-
cause life is romantic and sensational.
The American people as & race are