The sun., 1919-05-18

by some of the elect-that this story or
this theme is destined to uncommon
longevity. Take for instance THE
Strange Adventures OF Miss Brown"
When that farce was seen here some
thirty years ago the excitement was
not uncomfortable. Robert Buchanan
had written the play for his sister-in-
law. Harriet Jay, although he probably
was not altogether unmindful of the
popularity of "Charley's Aunt" In
London the success OF the play was
greater than 1T has ever been here.
But the young man who disguised
himself as a girl and got into board
ing school keeps cropping up with the
certainty OF fate. Here is Anne Cald-
we'll making She's a Good Fellow" out
OF the same material, which after all
these years shows no sign of wearing
out its usefulness. Probably twenty
years from now playwrights will be
helping themselves as literally as of
yore to the Buchanan farce. In its
latest previous incarnation the sudden
disappearance of the play which con-
tanned the idea was attributed to a
legal objection to the too liberal helping
bHo liidI lHC VI q
new version allowed himself. This
piece. acted at theatre now destroyed
in the northward progress Of coats and
suits, was designed to reveal a per-
former infiamed with the artistic pur
pose OF tearing from his brow the Dor
rowed laurels of Julian Eltinge. His
lofty aim was thwarted and the end
of the play was brought about by the
law.
The constant use of this old theme
Is interesting in view Of the little at
tention that such ideas attract when
they are first divulged - or at all
events put for the first time before
the observation OF a new generation.
Probably nobody who saw that first
performance of THE Strange Adven-
lures of Miss Brown" at the old Stand
ard Theatre discerned in the plan OF
the play a degree of vitality that
would keep It alive during all these
! theatre years. Yet 1t has repeatedly
served playwrights before Miss Caio-
we'll exhibited her 1918 model. Miss
Caldwell. moreover. lays a pretty sprig
OF forget-me-not on the authors tomb
when she keeps her hero in uniform.
This polite attention may be under
stood on the ground OF respect. II
is not so simple to penetrate the sig
nificance of the joke about Pcpito
Mosquito. Is it really in the text In
order that one OF the characters may
say somebody Is going to be "stung"
Tho prevalence of the revue" seems
to cause the London commentators on
dramatic conditions more distress thar
any other single cause OF the pros
perity which Just now maintains it,
sway In tho playhouses incidentally
IL Is this form Of diversion which Is
believed to have caused the disappear
ance of tragedy from the British thea
tire. which happens to be moro richly
equipped In the matter OF tragic re-
pertoire than any other theatre in the
world, since no other 10 happy in the
possession of Shakespeare. This is the
form that one sigh has taken. The
critic writes:
/ 1--WE have lost the sense OF tragedy
The modern doctrine Is. rightly or
| wrongly, that life should be Joy
Death has not ceased to be terrible
but we have made II commonplace. We
XIII, but we kill in millions. Tragedy
Ia an individual thing; multiplied
many times It ceases to thrill us
And people do not wish any longer tc
be thrilled; their emotions OF awe
ana despair are choked ana surfeited
the spectacle Of intolerable doom has
a personal menace In II. and IL abhor-
rent. Tragedy has ceased to affect
|, peopie. and they do not want 1t AM
more. Whyf
There are several reasons. One
y ia the life OF modern civilized