New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-04-20
Bv Ralph Block

The Theatre Gulld, "nlch mas III
,.r;ted the Garrick Theatre from
Iacoues Copeau, has inherited along
';.h the roof over it, whether it will or
~ not a few of the problems that
aus,t,v dogeed the steps of the COM
,, of tho Theatre dc VieuX Colon
e. TO be exact, it is blood in
,,..;.,nce. Whatever its variations in
m.nner and style, the Guild presenta-
90, Of one of Benavente's comedies,
.Ths Bonds of Interest" discloses the
~nression that is on the face of all
hose who draw away delicately from
chs dusty hem Of Broadway.
A good deal Of confusion of purpose
49,, zone along with the modern rc-crc-
. lion of the theatre. Artists, being ar
.,st. and flaming souls Of every Breed
~,,rays take deeply for granted that
49,. righteousness and perfection Of
ths;r cause invalidate and exclude
III other causes. This is an axiom
NI;.h ia of a piece with the desire for
..foc+ion. which the world is not, an
Tow, which conceives of the world IN
~. unity instead of several unltles'
1-a.sd some harm has come to the
movements in the theatre by the
-..;aercv and grandiose gesture with
u.h,ch they have set out TO claim all
~. v;rtues, all aesthetic knowledge and
.Ao hest social relationship to the
I'D at large. The new theatre not
a,,v has had special beauties Of Its
err Int also special truths, pcing
w. +ruthfully founded in the modern
...xant Of democracy than any other
theatrs. 1t was made democraticaliy'
hs;ng emancipated from the ola s'a-
e-;as and Inequalities that hold in the
orc;al theatre. Free spirits came
from many corners and merged INTO
40 common mind, with the production
of beauty as result.
Rut there was more than this. De-
mocracy did not stop at the edge OF
The apron stage. 1t was seen to hover
benienly over the pit, on the theory
that truth and beauty as it was COM
bounded in the art theatre had the
mower to 90 directly and powerfully to
Tho human heart, where the conven-
+;onal phrases and idioms and worn
formulas of the older theatre at best
waited weakly outside the gates OF the
sou) The crowd knew what was good,
once it had the chance to see twas
the theory. And on Broadway, or
whatever stands for Broadway all over
the world, the crowd rarely saw 1t.
This is one of the amazing opposl-
t;ons which has attended the art the
atre. the new theatre, the theatre of in
telligence it may be rightly called,
everywhere. Even now Workingman' S
Theatre is projected to give to the the
atre the strong, clear impulse that
comes from the vigorous mind of the
man who labors with his hands. The
Theatre Guild declares itself on the
matter in the very name it chooses.
Yet the Theatre Guild, in its first pro-
duction, reveals with striking clarity
the paradox behind so much purpose.
II there ever was a theatre for and
out Of democracy that theatre lives
complacently in the playhouses of
Broadway. Here is all the garrulity of
which is the essence Of democracy, the
large and not overtime aim at a large
and sprawling mind, the dealing IN
catchwords of drama and wit which is
necessary to society that is too i'm
mense and too commonly levelled to be
able to dispose itself to discrimina-
tions. 1t is a thoroughfare that will
unbend to accept beauty when it is &C
companied by great power, as in some
notable recent instances, but rarely
when it is the vehicle for subtlety and
refinement OF wit.
1t is there that the superior theatre
the playhouse of intelligence, has its
open opportunity. Much as human be
lngs would like to deny it, there is ne
system Of society which will allow the
arts that are marked by subtlety ane
refinement to extend the Limitation o.
enjoyment by comparatively small
number out Of all the human beings il
the world. The paradox is that dram;
oegotten by democracy of gentilit,
can find its audience only at gentl,
hands. 1t is painful to believe this
shocking to realize that there is kline
OF arlstocratic limitation which is in
eUsable in the very kind of thing life
i'. But the Theatre Guild places tn
Inc seal Of truth on it with its frs
play.
The programme Of 1.-THE Bonds o
interest puts it courageously whel
II speaks Of the plays "sophisticate,
viewpoint Of the modern Spanish The
a're.' For here is sophistication Of
rare and delicate kind, not the demo
cratic sophisticaton which presuppose
familiarity with all the tiny Frcudia
references of the wit Of the White
JardeD. Int anph iat ioatinp {hat mad