Arizona state miner., 1927-03-26
SHAKESPEARE IS
STILL POPULA R,
CRITIC CLAIMS
j. L. FELTON,, Head of Department of
English at T. S. TIC, Asserts the
Southside Editor Mistaken Regard
ing Popularity of Noted Bard.

Shakespeare has been acted pro-
fessionally in the United States from
500 to 1000 times every season for
the last Is years" Century Maga-
zine, July, 1922.
Less than two minutes in the
library brought me this fact. 1t
could be verified as quickly from
20 other sources of fact. Let US
have facts rather than individual
opinions. Then, tell me this: How
many of the so-called popular
dramas of the present season will
continue to be performed from 500
to 1000 times during the next Is
years? And will not the perform
ances of Shakespeare go on, not
merely for another Is, but for an
other 1900 years? Not only in the
United States, but as they have
done during the past 800 years,
but in France, Italy, Germany,
Japan-in fact, in every country
that has a stage? Before you call
this an exaggeration of Shakes
peare's popularity, look up the facts.
They may surprise you by disclosing
that more people went to see
Shakespeare in 1924-25 than in any
other period of similar length since
records of stage performances have
been kept.
The article in our last Southside
Weekly presents a series of opinions
based apparently upon over-hasty
observation. shakespeare" says
our informant, ''is almost always
found in an out-of-date theater." "
But / have seen Shakespeare per-
formed in the largest cities from
coast to coast in the best and most
expensive playhouses. | have seen
the Auditorium theater in Chicago
packed night after night to wit
ness Shakespeare performances,
seats selling from 81 to So. Read
the Theater Magazine, Mr.. Editor.
You will see periodical statements
of comfortable fortunes made by
actors playing almost exclusively in
repertoire: Marlowe,
Sothern, Forbes-RobertsOn, and
Mantell.
You will find, also, that the most
canny and grasping of producers
often put on a run of Shakespeare.
They would not do it if the per-
formances did not pay. True, their
revnues are not in millions, such as
"Abie's Irish Rose" produced.
Neither would truly great actor
consider for a moment appearing in
a trash production OF the cable"
type. We grant that if it is
"peppy" it would draw the crowds.
But with it's whole. fIappery crop
of companion farces and musical
extravagances, it has not prevented
the recent splendid revivals of
Hamlet" staged on Broadway by
Walter Hampden and John Barry
more.
"But," you may say, ''Tempe is
not Broadway" Just word, then,
for Tempe.
We have frequently presented
high-class drama ON our college
entertainment course. We have
had 'The Merchant of Venice" and
sThe Comedy of Errors" by actors
of fair reputation. Both of these
shows drew large door sales on the
night Of their production. Both
were listened to with laughter, ap-
plause and delight.
Two years ago large delegations
of students and many Tempeans
attended a series of Shakesperian
plays at the Columbia in Phoenix.
Every performance drew a packed
house. The acting was only fair,
but was applauded and appreciated.
Several of us here in Tempe belong
to the Phoenix Little theater. Had
you lived among US little longer,
Mr.. Editor, you would know that
for the past four years we have
put on a Shakesperian play in
Phoenix every spring. Though we
are only amateurs, we have drown
capacity audiences at 81 a seat.
The income from these Shakes
perian productions has turned in
the largest profits that the Little
theater has made.
Look in the Sunset Magazine for
December, 1926. There you will
find our pictures as we appeared
in Twelfth Night" Here is one
of the few instances in which our
fair Salt river valley has been given
free publicity of national circula-
ton. Do you think we would have
been featured if we had been put
ting on "Caleb CorntosseP or the
1.-TWO Orphans?
Now, as to the apathy of our
audience at GAS You Like It." We
offered a free show. Hundreds
came who never read poetry or
blank verse. They did not under
stand it and soon tired and left.
They would have done the same if
we had offered them Ibsen or Ber-
for members, population c.