New-York tribune., 1919-10-12

eSted in her work while she was still a
schooiglrl, and when she was sixteen
ne let her write dramatic criticisms
tor "Ihe Mirror" When she WAS
eighteen her first book of poems ap-
peared in London and was warmly re
celved by London reviewers.
After few years residence abroad
she came 10 New York and explored
Washington Square and Fifth Avenue
and the sublunar life of broadway.
"Ihe Magical Clty." that free-verse
fragment Of Broadway life. which the
Washington Square Players prodpced.
is oddly blended in that mood of realism
and poetry with which she saw New
York. Papa" that ili-fatcd pay, Miss
Akins's second one in New York. last
ed only a week at the Little Theatre.
Opinions of the play broke into two
violently contrasting expressions
either that it was the most inane twad-
die or that it was the rarest high
comedy, and neither faction would
qualify the opinion by so much as
hair.
"Declassee" first took shape in her
mind as a genre comedy, q satire ofN
the odd, frayed types who mysteriouslg
exist about New York hotels. But asV
Lady Helen Haden came 10 life, i be
came dazzlingly plain 70 her creator
that only Ethel Barrymore could play
her and she revised the whole Of her
original story to fit the character. For
distraction from her a5sorr' ion with
The theatre Miss Akins has dashed off
Cake Upon the Water" p sa-iric trile.
and every once in while sne puts d
stroke or two INTO = rea. novel.
They have said, you know" | of
fered as lure, that your Papa Is
derived from Schnitzler and 'Declassee'
from Pinero-they are not really
American
Il don't see why not know my
America as well as any one
yes. but your social sophistcatione
is that character stically Middle
Western ?" asked.
1T is characteristicaily Of any place
Sophisticated people re amazingly
alike the world over-in St. Louis az
in New YORK, IN New YORK as ia taris
many places, cosmopolites - viAages
and rustics in cities. People don't al
ways match their surroundings IN color
that IS the saving tning about life.
"Of course, | am Influenced by the
great European dramat!sts bat then
We have a. few Grenf American drama
fists by whom a.. i-aueaced. TOO For
instance, thinA Mr.. CohAn Il great
dramatist. He Is Is masterful
+ tecAU.ciaN ana sees ClafacAsr a
shrewdly as lbsen. lbsen has higher
quality OF perception INTO life
sut then we should not quarrel with
I Mr.. Cohan for not having that, since
we DO not. have II ourselves.
"The blight of sent.mentaiity hes on
our plays because w are sentimental
people. A. that we are not nearly 90
J sentimental as upper classes of foreign
countries are. Sentiment is something
+ you have : you can afford it and since
we are prosperous enough to afford il
we insist upon X. Y hen wc have
touched the bedrock as peoples of
other countries have we may express
ourselves il more -ndamental truths.
Nevertheless, We have much high
er quality OF invontiveness and
shrewder sense OF what is entertaining
than any Europeans. We have a tradl-
tion and classics OF our own that are
by no means inconsiderable. All of
Fitch's plays and some Of Augustus
Thomas's plays are classics. Certainly
Cohan's Seven Keys 10 Baldpate is
great play Our playwrights have
been wrong in not. having a higher
literary standard. Some fine American
plays would have been perpetuated by
publication"