New Britain herald., 1919-10-22

new, and absolutely unknown ones. took this company to London where , his success was such that he set Lon don crazy and then went on to Paris where he made both a financial as l well as an artistic success. 1t is re marka ble, l feel that this was tho greatest theatrical accomplishment in l tho world, said MT. smith.
 Praises Secret Scr,ice.''
 In speaking of American play WrightS who began to come forward at this time he mentioned Bronson Howard and William Gillette. He said that the latter began with the writing of light pieces, then wrote
 his "Hold by the IInemN," which in the opinion of the speaker was miles ahead of "Shenandoa'l.' Then Gil lottc wrote Secret Scrvico," which MT. Smith considers the finest Ameri- can play ever written.
 llC then spoke of the appeal that WGS necessary for a plays success and reviewed the efforts of those who tried to uplift the American drama
 by csta bliShinE the New theater in
 New Y orl1 city. He said that it was am using to watch the attention paid to the new movement by the com mcrcial mana gers. Long newspaper accounts describing the playhouse, it's beauties and its comforts. Every
 thing was fine until at a meeting of the board of directors someone asked How about the play?" No one had thought about that. So thoy sent a
 round robin to all the Am erican play wrights that they would produce every play they considered worthy. But nearly all the playwrights req hat ,lH of the regular theaters would mean $50ooo a year royalty, q few show ings of play as was the intention by the New theater company would mean 1 about $5,0oO. These authors could I not see the New theater's proposition, l so that Sotheh1 was finally secured | to play Shakespeare.
 In Reminiscent Mood.
 MT. Smith then related the story l of how he and Gillette attended the 1 performance. There was something l tho matter with the acoustics. Be 1 yond the first five rows one couldn't l hear a word. This is the most de 1 lightful performance I have ever wit messed as I don't have to listen to | the dialogue" Mir smith said that those behind ! the New theater worked very hard. l Winthrop Ames devoted much time. l But they didn't have the idea of l plays that drew an audience He | said that they defended themselves l by saving that they had q subscrip l ton list 10 fall back on. But the 1 New theater hadn't been playing long l when the personnel of the mailing 1 list decided that they couldn't stand | going 60 see the plays and turned 1 l1. A, s,.N{. who tore them up and spent 50 cents l to see the moves
 DepIores Cheap Plays.
 Al this point the speaker said that l he did not stand for cheap, trashy l plays but asserted that he had never 1 known a play to succeed no matter l how great that did not have an ap- peal in. A play must amuse while it teaches, said the speaker. He said l that he was told by & friend to go and see Justice" Galsworthys play and this would convince him that his l theory was wrong. He went but 1 found that the appeal was there, that l there was a, love story shadoNy but l there just the same. A poor little 1 lawyers clerk loved d. woman with l five children whose husband beat her Galsworthy never showed on ! the stage the husband, and children. l If he had the play would not have l gone d week. ]
 In speaking of the smart, drawing l room play, MT. Smith said that Italy, 1 France and England had outstripped l us Clyde Fitch was the most con 1 spicuous example of the American l smart play writer. He was most pro- life in his work said the speaker. He l r1 fail | ures and would have had more sue cessea if he had been a more careful l playwright. He would be entertain l Ing some friends when he would say ! that he had to finish the last act of 8 | play for T'rohman and do this while l carrying on q conversation with five l or six different persons, Another 1 thing about Fitch was that he would l forget his plot whenever he could 1 find 8 funny scene.
 Mentions Other Pays.
 The nearest and finest example of l the smart play by an American play 1 wright is "The American Idea" by l Jangdon Mitchell. He felt that Mrs 1 Fiske no doubt, had a lot to do with 1 it as she acted in and worked upon 1t. Salvation Nell' was a great l psychological play and Eugene Wal 1 ter's Easiest Way" although strong l meat, told a strong moral was so we'll ! constructed that 1t crowded the thea 1 ter for q. long time. He spoke of tho | great melodrama, "Under the Gas l Light" which was produced and suc- cessfu1 by Augustine Da1v, in spite of l the falling to pieces of the railroad l engine on the opening night when it l was supposed to run over a victim :! tied to the track.