New-York tribune., 1919-11-23


~ lna edge of its speed It may
be merely the growing disil-
iusionment of an old playgoer,
out the writers Of to-day do not begin
20 stir L : as much as those Of former
ysaIs. We are inclined to think that
he producers Of to-day burden their
lnelodramas cyermuch with scenery
and costumes. In trying to make the
nnreal convincing they are losing the
asmos phere of never never land which
is so Important to good meiodrama. It
should be naive product. If any in
consistency creeps into the plot the last
hing the melodramatist should do is 10
stop and argue about if. His best rem
sdy Is merely tc arrange another mur-
dsr or rooh ~ and make the audience
forget
A great many of the modern authors
and producers are not content to do
ms They are beginning to ask US to
AXE their melodrafnas Seriously and
% believe in Them. They even want US
70 accept the people in their plays as
authentic flesh and blood, and the first
act, which used to contain at least one
shooting, two bomb explosions and 4
Flot. Is now glver over TO careful ex-
POSITION Of character. We have "The
son Daughter" OF George SCARBOROUGH
and DAVID Bella SEQ ideally III mind
II IS perfectly true that Mr.. Belasco
mas managed to make the play take or
all the dignity and importance Of trag-
sdy al times by the striking and elab-
crate nature Of the setting, but in
gaming CLINT Of tragedy he has fre-
4aeAtIy smotnered the more gsrish
blaze of good melodrams.
Most OF our plays to-day are too
cheerful After all there is enough iov
ahd happiness in the world without
navlng 70 20 to the theHter to seek il
out. Inc average theatergoer leaves
MS apartment in the evening because
1t is too delightfully."- comfortable Evi-
oences OF wealth and weli-being are all
Soeut hlm. and they grow distractine.
ne needs rest and relaxation. When he
goes to the thester what does he find >
more JOY and gladness. Everything
Always turns out for the best. The
heroine gets the man she wants. the old
INVENTOR patent potato peeler is sold
lof $4,000, gold is discovered in the
apple orchard-in fact. fortune smiles
upon every one.
Ihere IS little diversion in this for
the tired business man who has been
mskking money all day. In fact, he is.
rather apt 70 recent the injudicious
aEay the secret Of just what an easy.
sac simple matter it is to attain sue
ss ssss. No, il the theater is to be a
plsce CT diversion for US all it should
shoe US Ease IN it's meaner moments
rye love should be blighted. Fame
a Sna success elusive. If we are to be
"ied out Of our own comfortable and
easy gong lives the stories selected for
oaf entertainment should be grim and
Sordid. After last act, in which the
'sroine has died dismaliy and the rest
=, ~. he family has been elected into a
p1haine snowstorm, we can all go
AN TO our flats. with renewed in
rest and 1eSt in life. These are the
nays which make it possible for us to
'"oure rockingchair lives.
pr. John Roach Straton, the minister
VINO recently drew a blanket indictment
1gainst the theater because of its bed
room farces, is again up il arms
sea'nst the immortality Of the stage
3 me Character and quality of his crti-
e'sm can be best judged perhaps by q
asotat'on from the sermon which he
preached last Sunday at the Calvary
baptist Church. In speaking of re-
'sht meeting of clergymen and actors
a. the Church OF the Heavenly Rest
or Straton said:
me most dramatic incident oc-
afied when one of the Jewish rabbis
,.n speaking. seemingly making some
.ened reference to my letter declining
- attend. In addressing the mixture
- actors, actresses and preachers he
...amaticslly lifted his hand and ex~
r'ained We are all the children of the
,oo OF light. As soon as he had fn-
snea mat exclamation every light in
ns building went out and they were
e!t IN pitch-black darkness.
NY friends, was this a mere coinci-
sshce. or was it a deliberate rebuko
rom God and an indication of His dis
assure at any such mixing up of the
.oIsupt stage of to-day with His pure
Ana holy church
wen say that it was a mere coinci-
"snce- All too often in the theater