New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
High Theater Prices
Find an Advocate
In Arnold Bennett

The financial chart of the theater in
England exhibits disheartcning down
ward curve, according to Arnold Benz
nett, who does the office of analyst
for Tho London Daily Express. Ir a
recent Issue of that journal he says:
"More lies, polite lies, are told about
the theater than about any other subject
on earth. Only dramatists are excepted
from the rose-colored conspiracy, md
even dramatists, when they have had
twenty years success without once
producing anything to upset ancient
sentimental ideas, seldom hear the
truth about themselves in the popular
press. AS for managers and actors.
they are incapable of doing wrong. If
they fail, the fault is always the fault
of the public, or the fault of the author
or the fault of the movies, or the fault
of i'll luck, or-most important-the
fault Of the financial situation.
The financial situation of theaters is
difficult, but not more difficult than
that of other industries. Theater rents
have enormously risen, but so have
business rents.
Theatrical accommodation is far too
limited. but so is business accommoda-
ton. The notion that the theatcr is
being ruined by a gang of sinister
bloodsuckers who lurk mvsteriouslv
behind the stage strikes me as abun
dainty comic. In other industries
faced with a rise Of 100 or 200 per cent
IN manufacturing costs, no manufac-
turer would dream of parting with his
goods to the public at the old prices.
At present the stage represents bar
gam sale to which the public is in
vited not for one week in January but
all the year round. Theatrical man
ayers are manufacturers. When it
occurs to them that, like other manu-
facturcrs, they are subject to economic
laws, and not living under a regime
Of heavenly miracles, then the fiancial
situation will begin to look up.
II shall be told-perhaps with kindly
dlsdaln-t that do not know what | am
talking about. To that criticism only
the future can furnish the final answer
And the nature Of the answer which
the future will furnish. can be nrc.
dicted with certainty. The price Of
theater seats will go up-unless the
old aXioms that two and two make
four and that you cannot pour two
plnts and gill out of quart pot
cease to be true.
Some one will write to say that
theater seats are luxury. Well, they
are. But the price of every other lux
ury has gone up. Even the price Of
books has gone up. True, the book
market IS depressed, but not more so
than the rubber market. or the cigar
market, or the hotel market, or the
boot market 'O
Theatrical managers have COM
blned, not without success, against ac-
tors and actresses, against authors and
against stage hands.
"Why should they not combine
against the public? Everybody else has
combined against the public. Polifi-
clans do 1t constantly with brilliant
success. Newspaper prSprietors have
done 1T to perfection. Tobacco manu-
facturers do it. All other manufacturers
40 1t. And they do it because they
know that the public is a very human
monster afflicted with the vice of never
paying more than it is compelled to
pay.
II the public can amuse itself while
sending theatrical managers to ruin. it
Will assuredly do so, for it has no CON
science, but hard common sense. The
public will hear unmoved that a thea
tel. ought to be able to pay its wav.
and formerly could pay its way when
the weekly receipts amounted to half
the weekly holding capacity, and that
IN! inns is no longer by any means true.
Its laughter at light comedy will be
quite untinged by melancholy at this
grievous information. The public is
heartless, and will yield only to force:
but to force it will yield.
Why, then, do managers continue to
hope that two and two will soon make
three? Because they are afraid Of
facts, and because they lack faith in
.neir own wares--in the mighty at