The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-01-05
Frederic Haskin's Letter
Art Triumphs in the Theatre.
tspealal Corsespoadsncs Of IA Areu, /

Ar 1IIUxnPnS ]
New York, Jan. 3.-As night after
night the New York Theatre Guild
continues to placs above IT. box
once window . sign reading ."Sold
Quit" . surprising truth 10 becom-
ing more and more self-evident:
Namely, that the. average theatre
goer il just ~ eager to spend his
money 70 see 4 good play ~ , bad
one.
The play which the guild II now
presenting to euch crowded houses
Is Bernard Shaw's "Heartbreak
House." It is unQusstiopably Of the
"highbrow" type, believed in
Broadway theatrical circles to be
60 fatal to the SUCCESS Of the box
eifice. Furthermore, 1t 10 not the
only play Of high artistic merit
which is drawing capacity houses
here this season. There are at
least six others. including The
Mob" and "The Skin Came" both
by John Gaisworthy; Samson and
Delilah" by the Danish playwright,
Sven LANCE; The Woman Of
Bronze" BY Henri Kistemaeckers;
THY Name is Woman" which is
Karl Schonherr's Der Weibsteufel."
and MIXED Marriage" St John Err
vines latest contribution.
Incredible as 1t may seem, the
public 10 clearly and regularly rec
istering . loud hurrah frr art.
Either 1t has suddenly changed its
mind about what 1t likes on the
stage, or all along the big theatrical
producers have been wrong. For
years, they have been perfectly
sure Of what the people wanted to
see in the thaetre. I'VE know what
you want" they told us firmly. "You
want to be entertained, soothed,
tickled, shocked, uplifted, and ex-
cited, but you do not want to b.
made to think. Most Of the plays
We give you are bad but that's why
they succeed"
The fact that on an average Of so
per cent Of these sure-fire hits have
failed miserably q month or SO after
their production has had NO effect
on this theory concerning the tastes
Of the public. The fact that liter
ally millions Of Americans are now
enrolled in community dramatic
clubs, where they learn to distin-
guish good plays from bad ones. has
likewise made no impression in
commercial theatrical circles. Still.
there Is hope Tho men at the
head of the theatre industry have
not much faith in tho intelligence OF
the public, but they have infinite
faith in the cash receipts Of the box
ONCE. And this season 10 conclu-
sively demonstrating that art ID
triumphing over twin beds, lingerie
spirit raps. Let-X-Equal-the-M MUIR
dered Equations, and the usual
quota of feeble musical comedies.
The Theatre Guild.
In great measure, it Is believed
this sudden rise and popularity Of
well written dramas is due to the
work Of the New York Theatre
Guild. For in producing Ervine's
John Ferguson" the guild first
proved to the New York theatrical
world that a play might be good
and at the same time commercial
success. In other words. the.
showed the public that it really was
capable OF approaching something
good II it got the chance.
The immediate result was thai
several Broadway PRODUCERS were
compelled to go hastily through
their desks and bring forth one Of
two OF the hundred or more excel.
lent plays that had beer lying there
unnoticed for months, and to con.
slider producing them. 1t was {
risky venture. however, 20 whef
"The Jest" was put on to compete
with the artistic fame OF John Fer
guson" it contained the two safely
popular Barrymofes, Lionel ant
John-enough to cary almost an.
play in New Worthwhile Ethe
Barrymore was put in Zoe Atkins
play, "Declasse," because it, too
was considered risky on account O
its unhappy ending. Later Lione
Barrymore was transferred to tn,
Brieux play, 1.-THE Red Robe" give,
the American title Of 'sThe tel
Of the Law" and Elsie Fergusol
was temporarily snatched from tn
movies TO appear in Arnold Ben
nett's dramatisation Of his Book o
Carlotta."
All Of these plays proving success
full, the producers are taking biggel
chances this season, which account.
for the unusually large number o
. good plays to be seen. The big pro
ducerS, you see, cannot afford (,
have the Theatre Guild get ava,
with all the dramatic art laurels
because the guild Is the one small
but important competitor Of the or
ganized labor industry.
Since the actors strike, It Is n
secret that the theatre industry 4
completely controlled by an sssocia
ton Of producers and manager.
who own all the principal theatre
throughout the country and henc
virtually control all Of the play
ers. FIR while you may be an 81
tremely popular star, you cannot &c
people to come and zee You unles
you hire theatre. and the only wa
you can hire theatre in . good IL
cation in any fair sized city
through this manager and prc
ducers' association.
Fighting the Trust.
Years ago. when these associate
producers first began buying up al
Of the available theatres, a few wei