The New York herald., 1922-09-24

II RENCH writer's have long been
sending successful plays to
America and taking a lecture
tour there, now and then. to keep In
personal contact with their American
public
Now an American playwright, Mr..
George Middleton. has returned the
compliment by sending his plays to
France and in going there to study
French theater conditions. His short
play. Circles" was well received last
year. He now has had another play,
"The Light of the World" taken for
the Odeon. This is a signal honor be-
cause it is the first time that a play
by an American author has been
staged at the French national theater,
and also because Firmin Gemier, well
known producer, is personally stag
| ing it.
| Mr.. Middleton in more ways than
one has gotten off the beaten track.
Deciding some two years ago that he
needed to approach social problems
! from another perspective than that OF
New York, he abruptly left for Europe
for intensive study. Although a Co
lumbia graduate. and the author of
several successful plays, he decided to
| go to school at the Sorbonne and
start his education over again. Mr..
Middleton explained: "A fellow ought
to be forty before he goes to college.
/ Ia Ia hat fI,nv. n lxr
wants to associate with Descartes and
Pascal or not"
Mr.. Middleton two years ago sailed
to assist in the production of Polly
With Past" at the st. James's in Lon-
don. under Gilbert Miller's direction.
While there the Little Theater had his
one act play, "Collusion," in rehearsal.
| Sybil Thorndyke, by many considered
the greatest actress in England, was to
appear. But the censor would not per-
nit the play, as it was considered too
radical an expose of how collusive
divorces are obtained.
| Mr.. Middleton has gathered large
quantity of information concerning
theatrical conditions after the war,
especially the purely business side of
the theaters as it relates to author and
producer. Much of his material he hopes
| to use to further closer cooperation
among the different authors societies In
the different countries.
Translating His Plays.
| He has always been a firm advocate
of the published play-he has himself
published seven volumes. During the
pring Circles" a literal translation Of
his play, was produced at the Theatre
/ Nouveau. A collection Of Mr.. Md
dleton's one act plays is now in the
process of translation for publication in
Paris. and the success Of "Cercles" led
| indirectly to the acceptance by Firmn
Gemier of Mr.. Middletons Light of
the World" written in collaboration with
Guy Bolton.
Mr.. Middleton has been consulting
with Gemier on the detail of productions.
In addition he is taking back to New
York his translation and adaptation OF
| Sacha Guitry's LA Petite Main qui sc
! Place." which David Belasco will pro-
duce. and also an adaptation of
| "LHeure du Berger" by Edouard
Bourdet. author of lie Rubcon." Mr..
Middleton has also finished new. play
| on American life, upon which he has
been working two years.
A correspondent of THE New York
HERALD met him at Salzburg, in the
heart of the Austrian Tyrol, where he
had gone to visit Max Reinhardt, Ger
man producer. His wife. formerly Miss
| F'ola Lafollette, accompanied him. He
| has dug deep into European social prob
! lens and is now returning home TO see
| how American problems will seem to
him anew.
| Mr.. Middleton gave for THE NEW
York HERALD an outline of conditions
OF the European drama as he sees them
to-day. AS he said himself, he has
seen the best and the worst in Europe
and goes back home with feeling that
| America is achieving a distinctive ma
| tional drama and has effective If some
what limited methods of production. In
detail he found much In Europe which
should interest American producers.
War Changed Audiences.
"What is the most obvious effect the
war has had upon the theater in
Europe?" / asked.
"The change in the character OF the
audiences, due to the changes in fl
nanclal gravity" Mr. Middleton re-
Piled. "Profiteers now wear smoking
Jackets where swallow tails used 10 fit.
Workers, who through organizations
have been able to approximate income
| to outlay, still frequent the theater But
the small renters all over Europe, the
| independent unorganized craftsmen and
the great group of intelligencia simply
cannot afford it. Theater going, with
the raise In prices of admission and
taxation, is too much luxury. One
eminent authority on the drama, pro-
fessor at the Sorbonne, told me he
never went, because he couldn't afford
IL and since what he saw nowadays Of