The New York herald., 1922-05-07


acter that would have been deeply%
interesting at any stage of the sea-
son. Arnold BENEFITS "What the
Public Wants." at the Garrick The
ater, Is written vivaciously and deals
with topic that ought to appeal to
the Intelligent theatergoer, although
managers profess prejudice against
dramas dealing with newspapers and
the stage. There should be enough
IN any play from Mr.. Bennett or this
theme to keep alive the audiences in
terest. Yet the reverse is true.
After two acts Of the four there Is
little enough to hold any listener. No
story develops. The talk is out OF all
proportion to the dramatic content Of
the scenes. And tho result Is the
ennui which always results from bit
Of fiction put on the stage In it's origi-
nal form. Dividing such bit Of COM
edy as what the Public Wants into
acts instead OF chapters does not make
It play.
The same Is true o: Eden Phillpotts's
work, The Shadow" It Is a more or
less absorbing bit OF narrative, but
there is no trace of stagecraft in its
revelation. Maybe Mr.. Phiilpotts Is
Just as contemptuous Of what the
mandarins call the technique Of the
theater as Mr.. Bennett has declared
himself to be. The result Is that "The
Shadow" at the Klaw Theater. Is
nothing more than the transference OF
q novel to the footlights. What is de-
signed to succeed In one field naturally
fails to make any effect in another.
So the three acts Of this story Of Dart
moor life pass without a thrill OH the
part of the watchers. They neither
warm to It's emotion nor listen in
diligently TO It's rather tentative ef-
forts at i1unlor. Again has the novel
list neglected TO stick to his last. With
Iamentable results. Probably the au-
thor Of "The Shadow would wonder
why It failed to make the same appeal
to the world that his novels OF life In
this quarter of England have done.
He argues that the dialect is there
and SO are the ways OF the peasant
folk. Their lives and thoughts are
sust as faithfully represented as ever
they were III one OF his books. Then
why does not the play make the same
impression that his novels do? The
answer is that there IS no element of a
drama in his work. 1t Is, to be sure.
in dialogue, and IL Is divided into acts.
But the mechanism which alone can
put the dramatic pulse into its veins
Is lacking.
The same IS true Of Creditors" in
which August Strindberg has. beyond
the use of dialogue, made little o. no
Difference to dramatic form. Husband
Number One harangues Husband
Number Two until the unfortunate
man realizes that the woman who has
been the wife of both has made such
completely selfish use Of him as to
destroy his independence OF personal
,tv altogetner. When the wife re-
turns this unhappy man uporaids
her and shows himself completely the
creature Of her will. Thus there are
two interviews to begin the play.
third ends It This takes place be-
tween Husband Number One and MS
former wife. He humiliates her by
rnakine her reveal her love for him
ana SO mortifies the listening husband
that a sudden crisis In his disease
causes his death.
THESE interviews follow one another.
Not a fact in the relations OF these
three persons. which really make up
the drama. is revealed by action.
tells q and b tells c. and there you
have Il. There are, Of course, no
means of knowing just what popular
success these naturalistic plays OF
str,ndberg may have had In the north-
ern countries. 1t may be that the
theatergoers OF these nations love talk
enough to sit through a series OF lila.
logues unaccompanied by any real
hramatic action. Occasional move
ment there may be. OF action, how
ever. that advances the story OF even
.ha disclosure of character, there Is
nor a trace. independent OF what the
nonulsr history Of these plays may
have been on their native heath. u ~
moderately certain that here they
would not pay for the illumination OF
a theater's electric sign. II seems az
f.ctation TO say that Strindberg writes
according to his own technique. Tnere
is no recognizable theater technique
Of any kind in such play as "Credi-
sors." Although 1t was acted the other
Night in three divisions at tho Green